What Amazon’s New Fee Means For Your Online Orders

(KMDL-FM) All of that money you are saving on gas by having someone deliver items to your home is about to go "poof". Delivery services and companies have caught on to the "Waffle House" method and will implement a surcharge to help defray increased operating costs driven by higher fuel prices.

READ MORE: Postal Service Announces "Temporary" Rate Increases

If you don't understand the Waffle House reference, you might recall that the all-night eatery imposed a temporary "egg surcharge" back when egg prices were so very high. They have since rescinded the surcharge, as they said they would, but how many of us really believe Amazon will let go of extra money once they get us used to paying it?

Is The Amazon Surcharge Really Temporary?

I see you're as cynical as I am in that regard. Still, I understand why the United States Postal Service announced a recent rate increase to compensate for higher fuel costs. I don't have an issue with Amazon imposing a surcharge to defray some of those costs either. My concerns are more along the lines of how much the surcharge is and how long you intend to keep it in place.

In an email that was sent to Amazon Sellers, the company announced plans to add a 3.5% fuel and logistics-related surcharge to fulfillment fees across the United States and Canada. That equates to approximately .17 cents per unit. Of course, the size and dimensions of the unit could mean a higher or lower figure.

When Will the Amazon Fuel Surcharge Go Into Effect?

This surcharge is for third-party sellers on the Amazon platform and will officially go into effect on April 17th. The U.S. Postal Service, as we mentioned, announced an 8% fuel surcharge on certain services a few weeks ago. That surcharge goes into effect on April 16th.

READ MORE: New Postal Policy Could Mean Legal Headaches in Louisiana

The difference between the USPS surcharge and the Amazon surcharge is that the USPS has announced the end of the surcharge will be January 17, 2027. As of now, Amazon has no end in sight for the surcharge it is implementing.

Reading comments from sellers on the Amazon website, the news was not met with positive responses. It is also unclear just how much the 3.5% surcharge will add to your costs as a consumer. My guess is more than 3.5%, but as a cynical pessimist, especially about the economy as of late, I guess it could be worse.