Amazon Drops Planned Merchant Fee as FTC Lawsuit Looms

Amazon has decided to cancel a planned 2% fee on sales made by third-party sellers who handle their own shipping, a move that signifies the company's cautious approach amid increasing antitrust scrutiny. This fee, originally set to be implemented on Oct. 1, was aimed at offsetting rising costs for Amazon. The decision comes at a time when Amazon is facing a potential lawsuit from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for alleged antitrust violations, particularly related to favoring its own products over those from external sellers on its platform.