1 Year Later: Comparing Pre-Pandemic Prices to Today’s on Amazon

Click here to read the full report.

The New Year has just begun, and the COVID-19 pandemic still rages in the United States. It’s difficult to comprehend that almost a full year has passed since this virus first led to the stockpiling of personal protective equipment and empty store shelves. Americans have witnessed shortages of a range of household and medical products — from toilet paper to hand sanitizers. And as cases surge by the tens of thousands in the United States every day, it remains as important as ever that Americans have access to the products they need to stay safe and as comfortable as possible. 

Since the start of the pandemic, U.S. PIRG Education Fund has focused on the problem of price gouging, using price tracking tools, as well as direct visits to retailers’ web sites and brick and mortar stores. Our coverage has led to increased reporting by consumers to their state attorneys general, as well as new and strengthened price gouging laws in states such as California, Massachusetts and Colorado. In addition, Amazon has vowed that it is cooperating with law enforcement, and has zero tolerance for price gouging on its site.

As the country approaches the one-year mark since the start of the pandemic, we’ve revisited this issue to show how prices on essential supplies now compare with prices on the same listings exactly one year ago. By comparing pre-pandemic prices to today’s, we can provide insight into how Amazon has or has not addressed price spikes on its site.

 This report is U.S. PIRG Education Fund’s most extensive look at price gouging to date and includes data from 15 product categories, with 50 listings per category, totaling 750 products. For each product, we looked at the price of the listing on Dec. 1, 2019, and the price again on Dec. 1, 2020. All data comes from the product listings that have been tracked on Amazon the longest, with the shortest time period being at least one year. That means that this report doesn’t address those opportunistic sellers who began listing items in response to the pandemic.

All products are fulfilled by Amazon, a third-party seller or, in some cases, both. In cases where a listing had more than one set of prices, we recorded both and calculated them as separate listings.

Not all products included in this report are explicitly protected under current price gouging laws, meaning that some price increases due to heightened demand can be expected. Nevertheless, items that are not considered PPE or essential supplies still serve an important purpose as a result of stressful pandemic circumstances, and sellers should remain aware of the effect huge price spikes can have on their customers. These products include patio heaters for socially distanced gatherings, computer monitors for employees adjusting to a long-term work-from-home environment and mesh WiFi systems to improve internet access in a home.