FBA Reimbursements: Recovering Your Lost Amazon Inventory

Recovering missing inventory starts with classifying where the discrepancy occurred. Applying a warehouse-loss deadline to an inbound shipment can produce a wrong claim or an unnecessary write-off.

Classify the Event Before Filing

For US shipment-to-Amazon claims, the linked policy says to file once the shipment is eligible for investigation and no later than nine months after verified delivery. For eligible fulfillment-center operations losses or damage, the published window is 60 days from the reported event. Do not substitute a universal 45- or 90-day inbound cutoff.

Customer-return and removal claims have separate windows and conditions. Check their current policy and the dates displayed in your account before relying on a deadline; a refund, shipment creation, delivery, and reported loss are different events.

Build the Evidence Package

1. Match shipment ID, SKU/FNSKU, planned quantity, received quantity, and inventory movements.
2. Check reimbursement records and later receipts to avoid claiming units already recovered.
3. Attach the proof of ownership and delivery required for the shipment type.
4. Explain the remaining discrepancy using a dated reconciliation table.

Use authentic records. A carrier weight or proof of delivery can support the case, but does not by itself establish which units were inside every carton or who caused a shortage.

Understand Reimbursement Value

Amazon’s current policy distinguishes pre-order losses, generally valued using sourcing cost under its conditions, from post-order events. A reimbursement is not automatically the listing’s retail value or lost profit. Review the valuation and applicable challenge window before disputing it.

Keep an Operational Claim Log

Seller Scale recommends reviewing discrepancies weekly, with a named owner, event type, verified start date, filing deadline, evidence links, case ID, and outcome. That is a management cadence, not an Amazon requirement. Preserve the original case and respond to requests; opening unrelated cases does not extend a claim window or guarantee escalation.

Sources and Scope

The linked sources support the documented points above. Recommendations and hypothetical calculations are editorial guidance, not Amazon rules or promised results. Check the current requirements for your marketplace and account before acting.

• Amazon shipment-to-Amazon claims
• Amazon fulfillment-center operations claims
• Amazon FBA inventory reimbursement policy
• Amazon reconcile your shipment