Amazon is soaking its customers who have no choice.

Dear Friend,

Amazon—which made Jeff Bezos the richest man in the world—is making more money than ever.

Corporate profits were up more than 50% last year, an extra $10.5 billion earned on the backs of mistreated employees and small businesses.1

Now Amazon has raised its Prime membership fee by 17%—well above the rate of inflation—just because it can. The mega retailer’s monopoly is so strong that its executives know we have no choice but to pay whatever rate they charge.2 It’s past time for Congress to put an end to it.

Demand Progress is making headway on two bills in Congress that would help break up Amazon, but we need your help to get them across the finish line. Will you chip in $10 to and help demand that the Senate break up Big Tech monopolies?

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Amazon is also raking in obscene profits because it underpays and overworks its employees. Amazon takes product ideas from third-party sellers, and then it sells those products to consumers, often putting the third-party seller out of business.3 And let’s not forget: Amazon makes up a whopping 42% of all online sales.4

The good news is that two bills moving through Congress would help break the stranglehold that Amazon and other tech giants have on the market.

The Open App Markets Act would stop Amazon, Apple, and the rest of Big Tech from favoring their own apps over third-party start-ups on their platforms.5 And the American Innovation and Choice Online Act would stop Amazon and the like from unfairly elevating their products and services in online searches.6

Both of these bills have bipartisan support and are getting traction. But we need your help to demand that the Senate adopt these measures posthaste.

Until then, Amazon will keep acting like the unregulated monopoly that it is—raising prices and exploiting its employees.

Demand Progress is working to break up Amazon by passing two antitrust tech bills in Congress. Will you chip in $10?

Thanks for standing with us.

Robert Cruickshank,
Demand Progress

PS: Your contributions are what keep us nimble and prepared to take on important fights like these as they happen. Will you become a monthly donor to keep our work going?

Sources:

1. Amazon, "Amazon.com Announces Fourth Quarter Results," February 3, 2022
2. MacRumors, "Amazon Set to Increase Prime Membership Fee By 17% for US Customers," February 4, 2022
3. The New York Times, "12 Accusations in the Damning House Report on Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google," June 11, 2021
4. Digital Commerce 360, "Early estimates: US ecommerce grows 14.2% in 2021," February 10, 2022
5. Reuters, "U.S. Senate panel to debate app store reform bill," January 18, 2022
6. CNBC, "Senate committee votes to advance major tech antitrust bill," January 20, 2022

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