U.S. E‑Commerce and Retail

Amazon says it will begin charging a 3.5% “fuel and logistics” surcharge to many third‑party sellers using its Fulfillment by Amazon service starting April 17, 2026, citing sharply higher fuel and transport costs since the Iran war began. The temporary fee will apply to U.S. and Canadian sellers who use FBA, and will extend on May 2 to merchants using Buy with Prime and Multi‑Channel Fulfillment. Amazon told the Associated Press it has absorbed higher logistics expenses so far but, like UPS, FedEx and the U.S. Postal Service—which just imposed an 8% fuel surcharge through January 2027—it is now passing part of those costs on, while insisting its surcharge is lower than rivals’. The move underscores how a distant conflict that has driven oil above $100 a barrel is starting to show up in e‑commerce supply chains, putting pressure on small and midsize online businesses that rely on Amazon’s network. Sellers and retail analysts online are already warning that at least some of the added costs are likely to be pushed through into consumer prices, tightening the squeeze on household budgets already hit by Iran‑war‑related fuel and airfare hikes.