Amazon will impose a 3.5 percent surcharge on sellers in Canada and the United States soon as it grapples with higher operating costs amid a fuel price spike since the war in Iran began.
The Seattle-based company said the move reflects ongoing cost pressures it is facing. Its announcement came amid soaring global oil prices driven by the ongoing war in Iran, which has disrupted flow of oil and petroleum-based products and strained global logistics.
“Elevated costs in fuel and logistics have increased the cost of operating across the industry,” the company said, noting that it has “absorbed these increased costs so far.”
The company said the 3.5 percent levy is a temporary measure, though it did not specify an end date. It added that its plan to implement the surcharge is “similar to other major carriers, when costs remain elevated.”
Amazon said its latest surcharge will be calculated based on sellers’ fulfillment fees, and not on the sale price of their items being shipped. The company said this will help to “recover a portion of the actual cost increases we are experiencing.”
“Due to the work we have already done together to lower costs, this surcharge is meaningfully lower than other major carriers,” it added, noting that the charge will average US$0.17 per unit for FBA services in the United States, though the rate will vary based on the item’s size and dimensions.
