For many years, Amazon.com) has been actively working to provide better services to consumers, including free home delivery and free return processing。But as the company has been cutting costs and increasing efficiency in the last two years, these services are gradually changing。

It is understood that Amazon recently announced that it will begin to offer users a $10 pick-up fee to allow these users to pick up their own pick-up points instead of delivering them home again.。Because in the face of weak consumer demand, the e-commerce giant, like other retailers, has to keep competing by cutting the cost of home delivery and returns。

Specifically, in the past few days, Amazon has sent emails to some Prime users.。The company said in an email that it will receive a $10 reward for orders worth more than $25 and above that are retrieved at company pick-up points in locations such as Whole Foods, Amazon Fresh or Kohl's stores.。

Maciuba, a consultant for a US shipping company, said after receiving an email from Amazon that increasing the use of Amazon pick-up points would help the company bypass expensive residential package deliveries, which is a "huge opportunity for Amazon to reduce courier costs."。It also helps consumers get into the habit of bidding directly to the company for returns。

In addition, Amazon has previously announced that it will no longer provide free returns without conditions.。Amazon will now charge $1 for some returns。

Amazon reportedly said it would charge a fee for some returns from UPS outlets (UPS Stores of United Parcel Service), a move to reduce costs associated with customer returns。

Amazon's start of charging UPS outlets for returns, as well as last month's warning against "frequent returns" of certain items, are moves in the cost-cutting plan to reduce return-related costs.。

Previously, Amazon shoppers could return items for free by placing them at UPS outlets。Amazon is also piloting free returns in some Staples stores starting in 2022。But earlier this year, the company began charging $1 for some merchandise returns。

In response, an Amazon spokesperson said that if customers have other free return options, such as Whole Foods, Cole or Amazon Fresh, which are equal or closer to UPS outlets, Amazon will increase return fees accordingly。

Notably, at the end of last year, Amazon's annual Prime subscription price, including free shipping offers, was raised by $20 to $139.。It also raised the minimum order threshold for free grocery delivery (a fee will be charged for orders below $25), encouraged customers to deliver all packages on a specified date of the week, and expanded faster same-day package delivery。