It looks like Amazon wants more user of Amazon FBA (Fulfilment by Amazon) in Germany to utilise the services they offer in Poland and the Czech Republic. And to persuade merchants Amazon is favouring stick over carrot. If you use Amazon FBA in Germany, from tomorrow, unless you also hold inventory in Poland or the Czech Republic Amazon Fulfilment Centres (FCs).
Here’s the announcement that you can find in Seller Central:
“18/7/2017 FBA fee change for inventory shipped from Germany
If you do not authorise Amazon to store and process your German FBA inventory in Poland and the Czech Republic, from July 19 2016, you will be charged a Fulfilment Fee of €0.25 per FBA unit shipped from German fulfilment centres. After you authorise Amazon to store and process German FBA inventory in Poland and the Czech Republic, you will no longer be subject to the fee.”
A few things strike me about this announcement. It’s, firstly, a bit rough giving merchants a day’s notice on a fee change like this. And secondly it’s cheerlessly phrased. And, most of all, it’s a shoddy ‘nudge” approach to get more inventory selling into Poland and Czech Republic.
One seller who has been in touch says that this is a charge that will add up for him over the course of a year and the reason why he’s reluctant to host his stock in Poland and the Czech republic is sales tax. It will mean more complexity in his EU sales tax arrangements and he’s by no means sure that the added admin will be justified by sales made.
Will you be affected?
