TNB Tech Minute: Amazon, White House Tangle Over Showing Tariff Fees
02:38 Share

Americans love using their credit cards, the most secure and hassle-free way to pay. But DC politicians want to change that with the Durbin Marshall Credit Card Bill. This bill lets corporate megastores pick how your credit card is processed, allowing them to use untested payment networks that jeopardize your data security and rewards. Corporate megastores will make more money and you pay the price. Tell Congress to guard your card.

Because Americans lose when politicians choose. Learn more at GuardYourCard.com. Here's your TNB Tech Minute for Tuesday, April 29th. I'm Victoria Craig for The Wall Street Journal.

Amazon considered displaying the impact of tariffs during the checkout process on its low-cost site Hall. The White House called the idea hostile and political. People familiar with the matter told the journal President Trump himself phoned Amazon founder Jeff Bezos to raise concerns about the concept.

Amazon declined to comment on the president's phone call but said the idea, quote, was never approved and is not going to happen. Amazon has been trying to keep prices low despite recent tariffs on China. It canceled some vendor orders from the country and asked others to confirm advertising commitments for this year.

Elsewhere, Spotify saw double-digit gains in monthly active users and premium subscribers last quarter, and it said it expects faster growth the rest of this year despite economic uncertainties. Spotify said it's been able to build its user base by pulling back on hefty spending on things like podcasts.

The company also increased prices globally to help cover the cost of producing its services, but not so much as to push customers from the platform. The company's CEO said while there may be short-term noise, he's confident in the long-term strategy due to strong customer engagement and retention.

And finally, the Wall Street Journal exclusively reports that Starbucks has seen success in a technology pilot that shaved two minutes off the average wait time for a beverage at its cafes. The coffee giant said three-quarters of orders at a dozen test locations were completed in four minutes or less during the busiest times. That's near the company's service time goal, and it was able to do it without delaying mobile orders.

Starbucks said it plans to extend the pilot to hundreds more locations as it tries to solve one of its customers' biggest gripes. For a deeper dive into what's happening in tech, check out Wednesday's Tech News Briefing podcast. Think about a bicycle. It takes balance to get where you want to go.

Now think about business. Whatever your business or organization, you ride the line between numbers and people. Just like the bike, it takes balance. CLA, CPAs, consultants, and wealth advisors. We'll get you there. CLA, Clifton, Larson, Allen, LLP is an independent network member of CLA Global. Investing involves risk, including risk of loss. Investment advisory services are offered through Clifton, Larson, Allen, Wealth Advisors, LLC, and SEC Registered Investment Advisor.