Amazon, impacted by the war, is implementing a fuel surcharge that may increase your shopping costs.

      Starting April 17, third-party sellers on Amazon will face new fees as a result of rising oil prices.

      A conflict occurring far away is set to increase the cost of your Amazon orders. Amazon has announced a 3.5% "fuel and logistics-related surcharge" on seller fees, which will affect third-party sellers utilizing Amazon’s fulfillment services in the US and Canada.

      As reported by CNBC, this surcharge will come into effect on April 17. While it is technically a fee directed at sellers rather than buyers, it’s highly probable that customers will absorb some of these costs.

      The rise in oil prices can be attributed to the ongoing tensions involving the US, Israel, and Iran, which have disrupted supply expectations and driven prices higher. Prior to the conflict, crude oil was selling for less than $60 per barrel but has now consistently exceeded $100 for over a week.

      Amazon has stated it has been absorbing these increased costs until now, but the situation has changed. The average impact of the new surcharge will amount to about 17 cents per unit for shipments processed through Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), the service that manages the majority of logistics for its approximately 2 million third-party sellers.

      Amazon spokesperson Ashley Vanicek mentioned that the surcharge is "meaningfully lower" than what other major carriers are charging. UPS, FedEx, and even the US Postal Service have already implemented their own fuel surcharges due to the war, and some airlines are also adding fuel surcharges for long-haul flights.

      Although the surcharge targets sellers rather than consumers directly, history shows that sellers often pass on additional costs to buyers through increased prices.

      Additionally, rising chip tariffs may lead to higher prices for PC upgrades and electronics in general. Should the conflict in the Middle East continue, the total in your Amazon cart could gradually rise without you noticing.

      Manisha reports on technology that impacts everyday life, including smartphones, apps, gaming, and streaming.

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