- Should you really worry about this Amazon update?
- What exactly has changed, and since when?
- There's also a lawsuit: what do Amazon sellers risk?
- What changes in practice for those selling on Amazon or on their own e-commerce store?
- Three real-world scenarios: how does pricing change for an Italian company?
- Is automatic repricing becoming a reputational risk?
- The Omnibus Directive: what are you already required by law to do?
- Why is this topic so urgent right now for Italian SMEs?
- How do you get started: steps to adapt your pricing strategy
- What are the most common mistakes to avoid?
- How can you tell if your pricing strategy is really working?
- So, is it worth rethinking pricing for your company?
- How we see it at SHM
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Amazon has extended its price history to 365 days: promotions built on artificially inflated list prices are now instantly recognizable to any shopper.
- Italian SMEs generated over €4 billion on Amazon in 2025: for marketplace sellers, pricing consistency becomes a brand asset, not just a tactical choice.
- The Omnibus Directive already requires you to show the lowest price of the last 30 days: companies without a documented pricing policy are exposed both legally and reputationally.
- The Italian e-commerce market is worth €66.6 billion in 2026, yet the number of online businesses has dropped: the strongest ones remain. Investing in pricing and a consistent digital presence is the right move now.
Updated on October 7, 2026
Since June 30, 2026, anyone who opens the Amazon app can see a product's price trend over the last 365 days. If your promotional strategy relies on raising list prices beforehand, shoppers can see it now, with a single tap.
Should you really worry about this Amazon update?
Yes, and not only for Amazon sellers. 365-day price history visibility changes the transparency expectations of all digital consumers, including on other channels.
Since June 30, 2026, the price history feature, meaning the record of past prices, built into the Amazon app shows the trend over the last 365 days, with 30-day and 90-day views as well. As reported by EcomCrew, the feature is also accessible through Rufus, Amazon's AI assistant, and is available both in the app and on Alexa for Shopping.
Before, the time window was much shorter. Now a shopper can check in seconds whether today's price is really a deal or was inflated in the weeks leading up to a promotion.
| Your situation | Impact | why |
|---|---|---|
| You sell on Amazon with automatic repricing | High | Unstable price patterns become visible to all shoppers |
| You run promotions after raising list prices beforehand | High | Shoppers see the real price over the last 12 months and debunk the offer |
| You have stable, consistent prices across channels | Low / opportunity | Your price history becomes a signal of reliability |
| You sell only on your own e-commerce store | Medium | Shoppers expect the same transparency outside Amazon too |
| You're a B2B company on Amazon Business | Medium-high | Price sensitivity is high; consistency is even more critical |
What exactly has changed, and since when?
Amazon extended its price history to 365 days on June 30, 2026, adding the yearly view to the existing 30-day and 90-day windows. The feature is built into the app and also accessible via Rufus.
To access the feature, just open the Amazon app, go to the product page and tap the Price history button next to the price. Alternatively, you can ask Rufus, the AI assistant built into the app.
As noted by The Verge, the move serves a dual purpose: improving the shopping experience and responding to the accusations of price opacity that Amazon is facing in court.
- 1 · ShopperOpens the product page in the Amazon appSees the current price and the Price history button.
- 2 · ShopperSelects the 365-day viewSees the full price trend over the last year, with 30-day and 90-day views available.
- 3 · ShopperCompares it with the current priceJudges whether the deal is real or built on a prior price hike.
- 4 · SellerSuffers from or takes advantage of transparencySellers with stable prices gain credibility; those with frequent swings lose conversions.
There's also a lawsuit: what do Amazon sellers risk?
In February 2026, the California Attorney General updated the price-fixing lawsuit against Amazon, with trial set for January 2027. The case involves well-known brands and concerns pricing dynamics across all channels, not just Amazon.
The California lawsuit against Amazon for price fixing, meaning the practice of artificially coordinating prices to maintain a competitive advantage, was updated in February 2026 with a request for a preliminary injunction. According to Attorney General Rob Bonta, Amazon allegedly pushed suppliers such as Hanes, Levi's and SkullCandy to raise prices at Walmart, Target, Best Buy and other retailers in the days before Prime Day.
The trial is set for January 2027. For SMEs that sell on Amazon or compete with products listed on the marketplace, this scenario introduces new reputational and legal risk factors.
| Risk | Who's exposed | what to do |
|---|---|---|
| Price hikes before promotions | All sellers with aggressive promotional strategies | Document every price change with an internal rationale |
| Pressure on third-party channels | Brands that also sell on other marketplaces | Check price consistency across all active channels |
| Opacity perceived by consumers | Companies without a public pricing policy | Define and communicate your pricing logic transparently |
| Regulatory penalties (Omnibus Directive) | All B2C sellers in Italy | Show the lowest price from the last 30 days on every promotion |
What changes in practice for those selling on Amazon or on their own e-commerce store?
Having 365 days of price history changes buying behavior on three levels: promotional strategy, competitive positioning and catalog management.
An informed shopper can now check whether the current price is in line with the historical average or is just a temporary hike. This has real effects on anyone managing a catalog on Amazon, but also on anyone with their own e-commerce store: shoppers used to marketplace transparency tend to expect the same level of information on brand and retailer sites.
For those selling on Amazon Business in B2B, price sensitivity is often even stronger. A history of unstable prices can undermine commercial negotiations that rely on trust in the supplier.
If you run campaigns on Amazon, you can dig deeper into how price transparency intersects with ad visibility in our article on Amazon Ads and budget measurement, part of the insights in Marketing and ADV performance.
Three real-world scenarios: how does pricing change for an Italian company?
A fashion e-commerce store, a manufacturer and a B2B professional firm each face this change differently. Here's what it looks like in practice.
Illustrative examples: numbers are meant to show the reasoning, they are not real customer data.
| Company type | Current situation | Risk with 365-day price history | Recommended action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fashion e-commerce (retailer) | Raises the price by €20 before Black Friday, then takes 20% off | The shopper sees the real price and ignores the promotion | Stabilize the base price; use bundles or exclusive perks for promotions |
| Manufacturer (B2B) | Prices vary with raw material costs | The buyer sees fluctuations and asks for explanations or switches supplier | Document changes with price list update notes |
| Retail chain on Amazon Marketplace | Automatic hourly repricing based on competitors | Unstable patterns visible over 12 months; drop in conversion rate | Set minimum and maximum thresholds in the repricing tool; rethink the logic |
Is automatic repricing becoming a reputational risk?
Yes. Repricing algorithms that react to competitors in real time can create price patterns that are hard to justify over a 12-month horizon.
Many Amazon sellers use automatic repricing tools: software that adjusts prices in real time based on the competition. With visibility extended to 365 days, these algorithms can create a price history that looks chaotic to shoppers.
A product whose price swings by 15-20 euros within a few weeks will look unstable. Systematic hikes before events like Prime Day will be obvious. Your repricing strategy needs a longer time horizon and deliberate thresholds, not just reactive ones.
This topic ties directly into the evolution of Amazon's AI tools: if you want to understand how AI is also changing product search, read our deep dive on Amazon AI and product images.
The Omnibus Directive: what are you already required by law to do?
The Omnibus Directive has been in force in Italy since April 2, 2023: every B2C promotion must show the lowest price applied in the previous 30 days. Sellers who don't comply risk penalties.
The Omnibus Directive (transposed in Italy by Legislative Decree 26/2023) requires e-commerce sellers to state the lowest price applied in the 30 days before any price reduction announcement. The obligation applies to B2C. As explained by Shopify Italia, perishable food products, services, launch prices and personalized offers are excluded.
Amazon's update should therefore be read alongside this existing legal obligation. If you haven't yet updated your e-commerce store, you risk both legal and reputational consequences.
| Obligation / Update | Source | Who is affected | Deadline / Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Show lowest price from the last 30 days on every promo | Omnibus Directive / Legislative Decree 26/2023 | All B2C sellers in Italy | In force since April 2, 2023 |
| 365-day price history visible to shoppers | Amazon (June 2026 update) | All Amazon sellers | Live from June 30, 2026 |
| California price fixing lawsuit | Attorney General Bonta | Amazon and suppliers involved | Trial set for January 2027 |
| Digital Markets Act (EU) | European Commission | Large digital platforms | In force, phased application |
Why is this topic so urgent right now for Italian SMEs?
The Italian e-commerce market is worth €66.6 billion in 2026, and Italian SMEs generated over €4 billion on Amazon in 2025. But the number of online businesses has dropped: the strongest and best-structured ones remain.
The market is growing, but consolidating: over 23,000 companies stopped selling online in 2026, while about 22,000 new ones entered. More than 90% of active businesses are micro and small companies, according to Netcomm / Cribis data. Those who remain are stronger, but also more exposed to competitive price pressure.
Italian SMEs on Amazon generated over €4 billion in sales in 2025, with more than 100 million products shipped. For these companies, pricing transparency isn't a technical detail: it's a direct competitive lever. If you want to understand how the Amazon ecosystem is evolving on the AI distribution front too, read our deep dive on Shopify and AI channels for e-commerce.
How do you get started: steps to adapt your pricing strategy
Three operational priorities: audit your price history, define an omnichannel policy and review your automatic repricing tools.
- 1 · E-commerce / marketing managerHistorical pricing auditDownload your price history for the last 12 months across all active channels: Amazon, your own site, other marketplaces. Identify the biggest swings and the promotions built on preemptive price hikes.
- 2 · Management / marketing managerDefine an omnichannel pricing policyThis doesn't mean identical prices everywhere, but a clear, documented logic that explains the differences between channels. Document every significant change internally.
- 3 · E-commerce / IT teamReview your automatic repricing setupSet minimum and maximum thresholds that reflect a deliberate strategy. Avoid changes that are too frequent or too large and look incomprehensible over a yearly horizon.
- 4 · Legal / compliance leadCheck your compliance with the Omnibus DirectiveMake sure every B2C promotion shows the lowest price of the past 30 days. Check that your e-commerce store already complies with Legislative Decree 26/2023 (D.Lgs. 26/2023).
- 5 · Marketing / content teamBuild perceived value beyond priceInvest in authoritative product content, verified reviews and brand storytelling. A strong brand makes you less dependent on price alone.
What are the most common mistakes to avoid?
The first mistake is doing nothing, assuming the change only affects Amazon. The second is relying on unlimited automatic repricing, which creates an inconsistent price history.
| Error | Why it is a problem | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| Skipping the audit of your price history | You don't know what shoppers see when they look at your 12 months of prices | Download your historical data before any promotional campaign |
| Keep raising prices ahead of promotions | The increases are instantly visible and damage your brand's reputation | Build promotions around bundles, add-on services or exclusive perks |
| Automatic repricing with no thresholds | It creates frequent swings that look chaotic over 12 months | Set deliberate price ranges in your repricing tool |
| Ignoring the Omnibus Directive | Risk of penalties and loss of consumer trust | Bring your e-commerce store into line with Legislative Decree 26/2023 (D.Lgs. 26/2023) if you haven't already |
| Not communicating price changes | Shoppers sense inconsistency without understanding the logic behind it | Document the reasons for price changes and, where possible, share them |
One underrated mistake involves advertising too: if you invest in Amazon Ads without a consistent pricing strategy, you risk paying for traffic that doesn't convert, because shoppers see an unconvincing price history. For more on this, read our deep dive on multi-format Amazon Ads AI.
How can you tell if your pricing strategy is really working?
Track conversion rate by product, reviews that mention price, and the stability of your organic ranking on Amazon. These are the most direct signals.
| Indicator | What it measures | Recommended frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Conversion rate by ASIN (Amazon product code) | How many visitors become buyers; it drops when pricing looks inconsistent | Weekly |
| Reviews that mention price or value | How customers perceive value for money | Monthly |
| Organic ranking on Amazon for key keywords | Price stability affects organic visibility | Monthly |
| Return rate for "price not competitive" | A sign that perceived value fell short of expectations | Monthly |
| Average price vs. competitors over 90 days | Your competitive positioning over time | Quarterly |
| Traffic and conversion on your own e-commerce store | The spillover effect of Amazon's transparency on your direct channel | Monthly |
So, is it worth rethinking pricing for your company?
It's worth it if your promotional strategy relies on frequent discounts or preemptive list price increases: 365-day transparency dismantles it. Better to act now, before your competitors do it for you.
Somewhere in between if your prices are already fairly stable but you've never documented your omnichannel pricing policy. Now is the right time to do it, without waiting for a consumer or a regulator to ask.
Not yet if you only sell fixed-price products and don't run promotions on Amazon. The direct impact is minimal, but it's still worth checking your own e-commerce store for compliance with the Omnibus Directive.
How we see it at SHM
For us, pricing transparency isn't a constraint to endure: it's an opportunity for companies that have already built a solid brand. We believe AI and digital tools should free teams from the mechanical side of pricing, meaning automatic repricing without strategy, and give time and attention back to the decisions that really matter: perceived value, customer relationships, consistency across channels.
We work with Italian companies that sell online and need to fold pricing logic into their overall digital presence. We've seen, for example, how a manufacturing company with a catalog across several marketplaces can turn the documentation of price changes into a communication asset for B2B buyers, building trust instead of just absorbing the pressure.
If you're figuring out how to build a consistent digital presence that holds up under algorithmic transparency, explore our strategic AI integration services, our Shopify e-commerce solutions and Google Ads campaigns to strengthen your direct channel. To talk through your specific situation, write to us from the contact page.
If you want to understand how the Amazon ecosystem is evolving on trust and anti-fraud, read our deep dive on Amazon Alexa Shopping AI and retail trust.
Frequently Asked Questions
At launch, the feature was introduced mainly in the Amazon app and through Rufus, the built-in AI assistant. Availability on desktop may vary by market and platform version. We recommend checking the app directly for the current situation in your market.
No, but you need to set deliberate minimum and maximum thresholds. The problem isn't repricing itself. It's frequent, wide swings that look inconsistent to shoppers over a 12-month horizon. Set price ranges that reflect your strategy, not just a mechanical reaction to competitors.
The Omnibus Directive applies to all B2C sellers operating in Italy, including those selling on marketplaces like Amazon. The obligation to show the lowest price of the past 30 days on every promotion falls on the seller, not the platform. Make sure your product pages are compliant.
Open the Amazon app, search for one of your products the way a shopper would, and tap the Price history button next to the price. You'll see the trend over the past 365 days, with 30- and 90-day views. It's the most direct way to see what someone considering a purchase sees.
Not necessarily, but the differences need a clear rationale: different channel costs, added services included, different return policies. The problem starts when the differences look arbitrary, or when the Amazon price is systematically higher before a promotion.
Penalties under Legislative Decree 26/2023 can reach up to 4% of annual turnover generated in Italy, with a minimum of €50,000 in the most serious cases. Beyond the financial penalty, the reputational risk is significant: consumers and the media are paying more and more attention to deceptive pricing practices.
The price you set yesterday is now public evidence: the question isn't whether to adapt to transparency, but whether your brand holds up to scrutiny.
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