The news: Amazon is adding a 5% fuel and inflation surcharge for sellers who use its fulfillment services, per CNBC, following in the footsteps of companies like Uber, FedEx, and Instacart.
What this means: This measure is guaranteed to annoy sellers, who already face high fees for transacting on the marketplace.
Labor problems continue: The fuel surcharge comes amid Amazon’s struggles to recruit and retain workers, as well as its efforts to fight unionization at warehouses around the country. While Amazon aims to be “Earth’s Best Employer,” its employees tell a different story.
The big takeaway: Amazon has never been stronger. In his first annual letter to shareholders, CEO Andy Jassy noted the company achieved the equivalent of three years’ forecasted growth in roughly 15 months.