Amazon will levy an average fuel and inflation surcharge of 5% on fees it charges to third-party sellers who use its fulfillment services.<\/p>\n
While the additional charges come into force on April 28, the company said they are “subject to change” and will apply to both clothing and non-clothing items.<\/p>\n
Amazon identified several factors that led to this decision, including the COVID-19 pandemic, hourly wage increases, hiring and building more warehouses, and inflation.<\/p>\n
The company said it had absorbed costs wherever possible and only increased fees to cover ongoing costs and be competitive with other providers.<\/p>\n
“We have experienced significant cost increases and absorbed them, wherever possible to reduce the impact on our selling partners. In 2022, we expected a return to normalcy as COVID-19 restrictions around the world eased, but fuel and inflation have presented further challenges,” the statement said.<\/p>\n
Amazon’s surcharge applies only to merchants in the United States, but sellers can avoid the higher cost by shipping goods directly to customers.<\/p>\n