Tell Amazon: Stop price gouging during the COVID-19 crisis

As the novel coronavirus spreads, shoppers have been reporting through-the-roof prices on Amazon for supplies they need to stay safe and healthy. One vendor was selling a four-pack of Purell hand sanitizer for $159; another, a two-pack of Lysol wipes for $70.

These price spikes are nothing short of unfair, opportunistic price gouging that’s putting people at risk.

We need to make sure people aren’t getting ripped off while shopping for supplies they need in a crisis. Tell Amazon: Put rules in place that prevent price gouging during emergencies like this one.

In many states, this kind of price gouging -- in which sellers use emergencies like hurricanes or floods to massively inflate prices -- is against the law, and for good reason: It takes advantage of people in precarious situations.

After consumer advocates called out Amazon for price spikes during the ongoing COVID-19 emergency, the retailer retroactively deleted many of the offending items. Many were sold by third-party retailers, but some were sold by Amazon itself.

But these spikes shouldn’t have happened in the first place, and as the novel coronavirus continues to spread, demand will continue to be high. Amazon can’t just come in and tackle price gougers after the fact; it needs to implement controls that prevent price gouging in the first place.

Send Amazon a message telling it to stop unfair price gouging during emergencies like this one.

The fairest way for Amazon to make sure people don’t get taken advantage of? Prevent anyone on the platform from raising prices for products significantly above their 90-day averages during emergencies.

If we’re going to combat this disease, people need to be able to get the supplies they need to stay safe and healthy. Amazon is the world’s biggest marketplace, and it needs to step up for its shoppers.

Take action.