Marketplace talk: April's ecommerce news

🛍️ Amazon is modifying FBA fees

Amazon is adjusting Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) fees for several categories, starting May 15, 2025. The biggest shift? Fees for clothing, accessories, backpacks, and handbags will now be based solely on package size and unit weight—replacing the previous model that used either volume or weight, whichever was higher.

Amazon is also introducing seven simplified size categories (down from 16), and return processing fees for backpacks and handbags—previously introduced in February—will now be waived or refunded.

These changes apply across all European markets, the EU Fulfilment Network, remote UK-EU fulfillment, and the ‘shipped without additional Amazon packaging’ program in key countries.

“Sellers need to be proactive with these changes—what looks like a small fee update can significantly impact your margins if you don’t revisit your pricing strategy. Staying on top of FBA shifts is essential for profitability.”

Twan Rutten,
Strategic Business Growth Lead at ChannelEngine

🇪🇺 Kaufland expands: ‘From Europe, for Europe’

Kaufland is extending its marketplace reach to France and Italy this summer, marking a move into Europe’s third and fourth-largest ecommerce markets. This expansion brings Kaufland’s footprint to seven countries.

Positioning itself as a European alternative to Amazon, Alibaba, and Temu, Kaufland is doubling down on compliance, seller support, and consumer trust. The platform is phasing out Fulfilment by Kaufland (FBK) in favor of a broader multichannel logistics model.

With 7.85% GMV growth in 2024 and ambitions to become the largest pan-European platform, Kaufland is one to watch.

“This is a fantastic move—France and Italy are high-potential markets, and sellers who get in early stand to gain. The best part? Kaufland’s integrations for these countries are already available on ChannelEngine, so sellers can start preparing today.”

Raúl Peña,
Sr. Marketplace Partnerships Manager at ChannelEngine

📦 DHL hikes parcel rates in Germany during peak weeks

DHL will apply a new €0.50 surcharge per parcel during Black Week and Cyber Week (Nov 24–Dec 7), atop its existing seasonal fees. In total, German retailers will now pay €0.69 more per shipment in these high-volume periods.

Retailers may look to encourage earlier shopping—on Singles Day (Nov 11) for instance—to avoid the cost. DHL cites the need for costly network scaling as the reason behind the price hike.

“Peak season may feel far off, but planning for it starts now. Shipping surcharges like this should be factored into your Q4 strategy early—otherwise, you’ll find your margins squeezed when it’s too late to adjust.”

Katharina Caracciolo,
Strategic Partner Manager at ChannelEngine

🌎 Etsy urges buyers to shop local as tariffs increase

With U.S. tariffs targeting goods from China and Hong Kong, Etsy is advising American customers to buy locally when possible. CEO Josh Silverman emphasized domestic inventory, noting 60M+ U.S.-shipped items and thousands of local sellers.

De minimis exemptions on imported items under $800 are ending May 2 for goods from China and Hong Kong—potentially impacting up to 25% of Etsy's merchandise. Etsy is waiving refund responsibility for sellers whose shipments are delayed due to tariff issues and encouraging sellers to prepay duties when possible.

🤖 Amazon pilots AI tool to purchase from third-party sites

Amazon’s new agentic AI beta feature, “Buy for Me” allows customers to use their Amazon Shopping app to complete purchases from other brand retailer websites if Amazon doesn’t sell the item directly. Currently available to select U.S. users, the tool places orders, encrypts personal data, and enables order tracking within Amazon.

It’s part of Amazon’s effort to test seamless AI-powered shopping. Though consumers remain cautious about AI making decisions for them, this feature could pave the way for broader integrations—and even redefine Amazon’s role as a shopping aggregator.

“This is a clever expansion of Amazon’s ecosystem. It keeps the shopper inside Amazon’s app—even when the purchase happens elsewhere. It’s also a strong sign of what AI agents will do for ecommerce convenience in the future. Whether Amazon can monetize this sufficiently will determine if this feature will be here to stay.”

Mitchell Dröge,
Global Manager Channel Partnerships at ChannelEngine

⚠️ Ecommerce trends: 5 shifts driven by new tariffs and trade rules

New tariffs are creating ripple effects across global ecommerce. Here are five critical takeaways:

• Cross-border ecommerce takes a hit: U.S. sales to Canada and Mexico are down 6% and 31% YoY respectively.
• Tech vendors under pressure: Tariffs are affecting clients of Shopify, BigCommerce, and Lightspeed.
• Retailers plan price hikes: Temu, Shein, and other major players are increasing prices from April 25.
• Carriers adjust policies: DHL paused shipments over $800, while FedEx and UPS brace for drops in U.S. volume.
• Drop-shippers struggle: U.S. sales have declined for many, with customs delays adding to the pain.

“Things are changing quickly, and saying exactly what will happen is impossible. The key takeaway for sellers? Stay alert, stay agile, and be ready to pivot your strategy fast when conditions change.”

Jorrit Steinz,
Founder & CEO at ChannelEngine

🧠 Forrester: Ecommerce will reshape the global economy by 2040

A new report from Forrester predicts ecommerce will redefine the global economy. U.S. ecommerce already accounts for 23% of total retail sales and is growing at twice the pace of traditional retail.

Key takeaways:

• Gen Z and Millennials rely heavily on mobile and social for shopping.
• 76% of U.S. online shoppers value free shipping.
• 51% have used in-store pickup in the past three months.
• 43% want to see product reviews on social platforms.
• 69% of B2C marketers are investing in first-party data, but only 21% are prioritizing omnichannel.

“Forrester’s report confirms what we’re seeing daily—shoppers expect convenience, content, and trust across channels. The brands winning today are those investing in unified commerce, not just transactional platforms.”

Niels Floors,
VP of Strategic Development at ChannelEngine

📈 10 tips to sell more on eBay in 2025

From AI-powered listing tools to top-rated seller status, we’ve compiled the latest actionable strategies to boost your eBay performance.

Whether you're optimizing for Cassini, launching international listings, or using eBay’s sponsored ads, these tactics are designed to help you stand out and increase conversions. Plus, get guidance on returns, mobile optimization, pricing, and more—with insights from our ChannelEngine specialists.

“eBay is more competitive than ever, but it’s also more rewarding. Sellers who embrace AI tools, price smartly, and expand cross-border are positioned to outperform. The right tech stack makes all the difference.”

Damian Speck,
Head of NA & LATAM Partnerships at ChannelEngine

🏆 ChannelEngine becomes Amazon Platinum Partner

ChannelEngine has been named an Amazon Marketplace EU Agency Platinum Partner—the highest partner tier. This recognition gives our clients priority onboarding support, faster issue resolution, and access to exclusive Amazon resources.

“This partnership gives us more ways to help our customers get the right support and resolve issues faster, especially around onboarding and major blockers.”

Jorrit Steinz,
Founder & CEO of ChannelEngine

🌍 Samsung Electronics MENA partners with ChannelEngine

Samsung Electronics MENA has selected ChannelEngine as its preferred marketplace integration provider. This collaboration will streamline Samsung’s operations across platforms like Noon and optimize catalog, inventory, and pricing across multiple markets.