Amazon Slaps US Sellers With 5% Fuel, Inflation Surcharge

Amazon said Wednesday it plans to add a fuel and inflation surcharge of roughly 5% to existing fees it collects from U.S. third-party sellers who use the company's fulfillment services. CNBC reports: The fee will go into effect in about two weeks, and is "subject to change," the company said in a notice to sellers that was viewed by CNBC. "The surcharge will apply to all product types, such as non-apparel, apparel, dangerous goods, and Small and Light items," the notice stated. "The surcharge will apply to all units shipped from fulfillment centers starting April 28." Some 89% of Amazon's 2 million-plus sellers used FBA in 2021, according to a report from Jungle Scout, which creates product research software for Amazon sellers. "In 2022, we expected a return to normalcy as COVID-19 restrictions around the world eased, but fuel and inflation have presented further challenges," an Amazon spokesperson said in an email to CNBC. "It is still unclear if these inflationary costs will go up or down, or for how long they will persist, so rather than a permanent fee change, we will be employing a fuel and inflation surcharge for the first time -- a mechanism broadly used across supply chain providers." Yesterday, the Labor Department said that its consumer price index jumped 8.5% in March from 12 months earlier, the sharpest year-over-year increase since 1981.

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