Amazon FBA Inventory Reimbursement Policy Update

Introduction

Managing inventory and navigating reimbursement claims can be a complex and time-consuming process for Amazon sellers. To help mitigate losses and streamline operations, Amazon is continually evolving its Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) policies. By leveraging these updates, sellers can minimize the hassle of manual claims, reduce financial losses, and focus on growing their business. 

Below, we’ll cover the latest developments in Amazon’s FBA inventory reimbursement policy and what they mean for your e-commerce success.

Simplifying FBA Reimbursements: A Game-Changer for Sellers

As of November 1, 2024, Amazon is taking a significant step to streamline the reimbursement process for Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) items lost in their fulfillment centers. With this update, Amazon will proactively issue reimbursements—via the Reimbursements Report on Seller Central—as soon as an item is reported lost, eliminating the need for manual research and claims filing. 

While Amazon’s proactive reimbursements will help streamline the process, Helium 10’s Refund Genie can still help Diamond members uncover owed money that might have been missed. With Refund Genie, you can ensure you’re getting the maximum reimbursement possible.

This enhancement saves sellers time and money, building on Amazon’s commitment to a seamless selling experience. Our team at Helium 10 has seen firsthand the impact of such updates on seller success, and we’re excited to help you navigate these changes with our expert tools and support.

Additionally, starting now, the majority of claims for lost, damaged, or customer-returned inventory will be proactively reimbursed. However, sellers may still need to file manual claims if they don’t receive automatic reimbursement or removal claims. This update aims to improve efficiency and reduce seller workload.

As of October 23, Amazon is also introducing a refined eligibility window policy for manual claims, designed to streamline the process and ensure timely resolutions. To help sellers adapt, we’ve outlined the key timelines and guidelines below:

• Lost or Damaged Items in Fulfillment Centers: The clock starts ticking once an incident is reported. Sellers have 60 days to submit manual claims, ensuring prompt attention to these critical issues.
• FBA Customer Returns: A 60-day waiting period allows customers to return items for processing. Sellers can then submit claims between 60-120 days after the refund or replacement date, giving ample time for resolutions.
• Removal Claims for Items Lost in Transit: A 15-day grace period allows for shipment delivery. Sellers can submit claims between 15-75 days from the shipment creation date, ensuring a smooth process.
• Other Removal Claims: For all other removal claims, sellers have 60 days from the shipment’s return to submit their claims, facilitating efficient processing.

To maintain seamless operations, it’s crucial to revise your current processes and align with Amazon’s new eligibility windows for manual claims. With the updated policy set to take effect on October 23rd, now is the time to review your existing claims submission processes while ensuring the timely submission of all your claims within the new eligibility windows.

While navigating Amazon’s new eligibility windows for manual claims, Supercharge customers can rely on Helium 10’s Managed Refund Service to streamline and optimize their reimbursement process. With this handy service, you can say goodbye to manual report analysis and claim submissions, and let our experts handle everything for you.

Note: The FBA inventory reimbursement policy will be updated once the policy goes into effect on October 23.