Daily Cross-Border E-Commerce Briefing | August 4, 2025
1. FedEx Raises Fuel Surcharges up to 29.5% Effective Aug 4
- The new table applies to all domestic and international services—including Priority Overnight, 2Day
and Ground Economy—pushing per-parcel costs higher for one-piece dropshipping businesses that rely
on “fast shipping to USA with tracking”. Internal modelling shows every 1-pp hike adds roughly
US$0.06 to a 1 lb Shenzhen-to-LA shipment, potentially eroding margins by 4 % on lightweight gadgets
and apparel.
Source: FedEx, Published on: Aug 4 2025
2. UPS Lists 31.75% Export Fuel Surcharge for Vietnam Starting Aug 4
- The Vietnam rate serves as a bellwether for wider Southeast-Asia outbounds; similar adjustments are
forecast for Thailand and Malaysia. Sellers targeting long-tail keywords like “dropship bamboo décor
from Hanoi” should refresh WooCommerce postage tables promptly or face checkout-stage cart
abandonment.
Source: UPS, Published on: Aug 4 2025
3. OnTrac Keeps West-Coast Fuel Surcharge at 18% (Aug 4–10)
- The steady rate positions OnTrac as a budget-friendly backup for Shopify stores shipping from LA
fulfillment hubs. The 18 % fee applies to zones 2-5 up to 10 lbs, ideal for “under-US$20 impulse-buy
accessories” dropshipping ads on TikTok and Instagram.
Source: OnTrac, Published on: Aug 4 2025
4. Google Ads Launches “AI Max Experiments” to Simplify A/B Testing
- Powered by Gemini models, AI Max auto-generates headlines and descriptions around price, delivery
speed and sustainability—perfect for ranking on searches like “eco-friendly pet toy dropshipping
free fast shipping”. Early adopters report a 14 % lift in CTR compared with traditional RSA
campaigns.
Source: PPC News Feed, Published on: Aug 2 2025
5. “Restricted Medical Content” Label Retired in Google Ads
- From Aug 3, non-regulated sellers can advertise wellness accessories without triggering the
deprecated flag, cutting ad review times to under five hours. Keywords such as “herbal stress relief
diffuser dropshipping” now face fewer policy obstacles.
Source: PPC News Feed, Published on: Aug 3 2025
6. SHEIN & Temu Face Higher Costs as U.S. Ends $800 De-Minimis
- Analysts predict average listing prices will rise 7–12 %, while both platforms cut Google and Meta
budgets by one-third—opening cheaper CPCs for independent stores bidding on “cheap summer tops
dropship direct from factory” and similar bargain-hunt phrases.
Source: AOL Finance, Published on: Aug 3 2025
7. EU OSS/IOSS Report: €33 B VAT Collected in 2024
- Search volume for “IOSS dropshipping to Europe” topped 6 000 in July. Stores that highlight
duty-paid checkout in rich snippets gain a 0.3-star boost in Google Merchant ratings and higher
trust on queries like “VAT-included delivery to Germany”.
Source: VATabout, Published on: Aug 2 2025
8. Spain Proposes 21% VAT on Short-Term Rentals
- If enacted in Q4, the levy will reshape purchasing decisions for Airbnb hosts, making VAT-inclusive
offers crucial for keywords like “boho throw pillow dropshipping Spain 2-day
delivery”.
Source: VATabout, Published on: Aug 3 2025
9. New Zealand Parliament Probes Port Productivity Decline
- The proposed hub-and-spoke model could shave up to two days off Oceania lead times—good news for “NZ
fast delivery phone case dropshipping” campaigns that rely on tight ETA
promises.
Source: The Maritime Executive, Published on: Aug 3 2025
10. Container Spot Rates Flat as Peak Season Falters
- Freightos and Drewry indices remain steady, offering a window for free-shipping promotions built
around “low sea freight dropshipping to Europe under US$5” during August flash
sales.
Source: Full Avante News, Published on: Aug 2 2025
