As cross-border e-commerce sellers grapple with diminishing traffic dividends, even minor platform policy adjustments can directly impact profitability. Recent announcements from Amazon, Shopee, and Lazada regarding logistics fees, advertising features, preferred seller programs, and last-mile delivery signal impending market competition and strategic shifts.
Amazon US: Rising Logistics Costs Demand Precision Operations
Amazon's US marketplace announced increased fees for long-distance fulfillment services effective June 30, 2022, citing escalating North American distribution, transportation, warehousing, and customer service costs. The platform will also modify package dimension calculations to align with standard FBA rate structures.
Industry analysts note these changes reflect broader macroeconomic pressures including global supply chain constraints and inflation. Sellers must optimize product dimensions, weight specifications, and inventory management to mitigate cost impacts. Alternative strategies include supply chain optimization, cost-effective logistics partnerships, or strategic price adjustments.
Shopee's Advertising Upgrade: Automated Recharge Feature Launches
Shopee's Chinese seller center introduced an automatic ad credit recharge function, allowing merchants to set minimum balance thresholds that trigger automatic top-ups. Currently available across Southeast Asia, Brazil, and Mexico markets, this feature prevents campaign disruptions from insufficient funds.
The platform continues rolling out new advertising formats and tools, requiring sellers to monitor performance metrics closely and adjust strategies accordingly for optimal return on investment.
Shopee Expands Preferred Seller Program to New Markets
Shopee will implement its Preferred Seller program in Brazil (June 6) followed by Poland and Spain (June 13). The platform will continuously monitor seller performance metrics, with merchants receiving warnings for substandard operations before potential disqualification.
This expansion reflects Shopee's increasing emphasis on seller quality and operational capabilities. Maintaining preferred status requires consistent product quality, efficient logistics, and high customer satisfaction to secure platform resources and traffic advantages.
Lazada Adjusts Malaysian Logistics Fees While Launching Same-Day Delivery
Lazada increased last-mile delivery fees (0.2–0.5 MYR) for 0-1kg parcels in certain Malaysian regions, affecting orders fulfilled through Chinese mainland, Hong Kong distribution centers, and Malaysian overseas warehouses.
Concurrently, Lazada Philippines partnered with Grab Express to launch same-day delivery, reducing wait times from 3-5 days to hours for groceries and electronics in Metro Manila, with planned regional expansion. This service enhancement demonstrates the platform's commitment to improving user experience.
E-Commerce Advertising: Amazon Dominates Growing Market
eMarketer forecasts Amazon will capture 77.7% of US e-commerce channel ad revenue ($27.94 billion of $35.96 billion total) in 2022, growing 28.1% despite slowing sales growth. The US e-commerce ad market is projected to reach $73.02 billion by 2026.
Amazon's advertising dominance stems from its vast user base and precise targeting capabilities. While leveraging Amazon's ad platform remains essential, sellers should explore opportunities on emerging platforms like Shopee and Lazada for diversified marketing strategies.