The e-commerce giant Amazon will introduce a new 3.5% "fuel and logistics-related surcharge" for sellers using its Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) service. The charge, confirmed by an Amazon spokesperson, will take effect in markets including the United States and Canada from 17 April.
According to a message sent to sellers, the fee is a direct response to "elevated costs in fulfillment and logistics" across the industry. While Amazon states it has "absorbed these increased costs so far," the new surcharge is intended to cover "a portion of the actual cost increases we are experiencing."
Expanding Fee Rollout
The surcharge will be applied more broadly starting 2 May. From that date, it will also affect sellers using Amazon's Buy with Prime and multi-channel fulfillment services in the US and Canada.
An Amazon spokesperson stated the company remains "committed to our selling partners' success and to maintaining broad selection and low prices for customers."
Context of Rising Global Costs
The move follows a significant surge in global oil prices over the past month. This increase is linked to disruptions in crude oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, following the outbreak of a war involving the US, Israel, and Iran.
Amazon is not alone in implementing such measures. Other companies and services, from airlines to the United States Postal Service, have similarly added surcharges to account for higher fuel costs.
The new fee structure represents a notable shift in how Amazon manages its operational expenses, directly passing a portion of rising fuel and logistics costs onto its third-party sellers.