Amazon has announced that it will be adding a 3.5 per cent fuel surcharge to fulfillment fees for sellers in Canada and the U.S. This surcharge will come into effect on April 17 for those utilizing the Fulfillment by Amazon program, which allows sellers to delegate packing and shipping tasks to Amazon’s fulfillment centers. For sellers with online Amazon stores in the United States and Canada, the surcharge will be implemented first.
Additionally, sellers using Amazon’s Multi-Channel Fulfillment program, designed for those selling through non-Amazon channels like personal websites, will see the surcharge applied starting on May 2.
A spokesperson for Amazon explained that rising fuel and logistics costs have led to increased operational expenses in the industry. The company had been absorbing these additional costs until now. However, in line with other major carriers, temporary surcharges are being introduced to help offset these rising expenses while ensuring the success of selling partners and maintaining competitive pricing and a wide product selection for customers.
Since the onset of a global energy crisis triggered by events such as the U.S. and Israel’s actions against Iran and Iran’s subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz, many companies providing consumer services have begun incorporating fuel surcharges into their pricing structures to account for the heightened costs in the industry.
