Einleitung
Another day, another new Amazon fee. If you're an FBA seller, you definitely know the feeling. Just when you think you've got your margins perfected, a new line item pops up on your statement, and you have to go back to the drawing board.
The latest curveball? The Amazon low-inventory-level fee.
This isn't just another tiny charge; it's a massive shift in how Amazon wants sellers to manage their inventory. They're penalizing sellers for not holding enough stock, all in the name of faster delivery for customers. But for us sellers, it adds a whole new layer of complexity to an already tricky balancing act between cash flow, storage costs, and sales. Let's break down what this fee actually is and how to stay off Amazon's naughty list.
Wichtige Erkenntnisse
The low-inventory-level fee is triggered only when BOTH your 30-day and 90-day Historical Days of Supply (HDoS) drop below 28 days for a standard-sized product.
Historical Days of Supply (HDoS) is your average daily inventory units divided by your average daily units sold over a specific period.
Several exemptions exist, including for new sellers, new-to-FBA products, and items managed through Amazon Warehousing & Distribution (AWD).
Proactive inventory management using Seller Central's 'Inventory Planning' tools is your best defense against unexpected fees.
The fee is charged per unit sold while your inventory levels are below the threshold, directly impacting the profitability of each sale.
What is the Amazon Low-Inventory-Level Fee, Really?
Let's just get right to it. As of April 1, 2024, Amazon rolled out a new penalty called the low-inventory-level fee. It's squarely aimed at FBA sellers whose stock levels are consistently low compared to how well their products sell.
In Amazon's world, low stock is a huge red flag. It means you might go out of stock, which creates a poor customer experience. It also forces them to ship products from fulfillment centers farther away from the customer, which ends up increesing their own costs. This fee is their way of making you feel that pain, too.
The 28-Day Rule
The whole system is built around a metric they call historical days of supply (HDoS). If your inventory for a product drops below 28 days of supply, you're in the penalty zone. But here's the critical detail: it's not enough for one timeframe to be low. Both your long-term (last 90 days) and short-term (last 30 days) HDoS must be under 28 days for the fee to actually kick in. That's a super important point.
This is all part of a larger push for efficiency in Amazon's network, something we've been watching for a while and covered in our Amazon Profit Margin Crisis analysis.
Not All Products are Affected
Thankfully, this fee isn't for every single item. The main focus is on standard-sized products. So, if you're selling something big and bulky, you get a pass on this one. There are a few other ways out that we'll cover, but just know that this is really aimed at the popular, everyday-sized items that Amazon wants constantly available.
Why Now?
Amazon's reasoning, which they lay out in their official announcement, is all about making their network more efficient. When sellers keep enough inventory, Amazon can spread it out and keep it close to customers. That means faster, cheaper shipping for everyone.
When your stock is low, they have to scramble... and this fee is the financial "nudge" to get sellers to fall in line.
Related Reads:
Are You Exempt? A Breakdown of Who Can Avoid the Fee
Okay, before you start panicking, take a breath. Amazon did build in several escape hatches for the low-inventory-level fee. These are mostly designed to avoid penalizing sellers where it just wouldn't be fair. You might be completely off the hook.
Key Exemptions
New Professional Sellers: If you're new here, Amazon gives you a pretty generous grace period. The fee is waived for your first 365 days after your first shipment is received by FBA. That's a full year to figure out your sales rhythm.
New-to-FBA Products: Launching something new? You get a breather, too. For new parent ASINs, Amazon waits 180 days before applying the fee, giving you time to ramp up. (Just make sure you're in the FBA New Selection program).
Amazon Warehousing & Distribution (AWD): This is a big one. If you use Amazon's own bulk storage service (AWD) and turn on auto-replenishment, you are completely exempt. This is clearly a big push to get sellers deeper into their system.
Low-Volume Products: This protects sellrs with a big catalog of slower-moving items. If a product sells fewer than 20 units over the past 7 days, it is also exempt.
Non-Standard Size Items: Like we mentioned, if it's oversized, you don't have to worry about this particular fee.
Here's a quick cheat-sheet to keep it all straight:
Exemption Category | Eligibility Criteria | Key Benefit |
|---|---|---|
New Sellers | First 365 days on platform | Time to learn sales velocity |
New Products | First 180 days for new parent ASINs | Grace period for product launches |
AWD Users | Using AWD with auto-replenishment | Incentivizes use of Amazon's bulk storage |
Slow Movers | Fewer than 20 units sold in 7 days | Protects long-tail catalogs |
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Leveraging Seller Central Tools to Your Advantage
Amazon may have dropped this fee on us, but at least they gave us the tools to deal with it. Your main weapon in this fight is the Inventory Planning dashboard in Seller Central. Honestly, ignoring this page is like trying to drive with a blindfold on.
The FBA Inventory Page is Your New Best Friend
Get yourself over to the FBA Inventory page right now. Amazon added new columns here specifically to track the low-inventory fee. You can see your HDoS for both the 30-day and 90-day periods for every single standard-sized product you sell. This is your command center.
Simulate and Plan
One of the coolest features is that it tells you plainly if a fee is currently being charged. A little flag will pop up on any product that's below the 28-day threshold on both metrics. More importantly, it gives you a direct link to see how sending in more inventory will impact your numbers. You can basically 'what-if' a shipment to see if it's enough to get you out of trouble.
Don't Ignore the 'Restock' Recommendations
Amazon's restock tool has been there for ages, but now it's absolutely critical. These suggestions are powered by Amazon's own powerful forecasting AI. They're not perfect, but they are an amazing starting point. Use them to:
Set a baseline for your own forecast. If Amazon's numbers are wildly different from yours, it's time to figure out why.
Quickly spot at-risk products. The tool will literally flag items that are running low and suggest a shipment quantity and a "ship by" date.
Make shipping plans faster. You can create a shipping plan right from the recommendations page, which saves a ton of time.
At the end of the day, success here is about mixing Amazon's data with your own gut feelings and business knowledge. Don't blindly folow every recommendation, but you'd be crazy not to use the powerful data they're giving you.
Fazit
The Amazon low-inventory-level fee is way more than just another line item on your statement, it's a huge signal from Amazon that they demand more from sellers. Getting through it successfully means you have to be proactive and you have to trust your data. You just can't afford to let your inventory run on autopilot anymore.
Your very next step should be to go audit your top-selling products. Right now. Check their 30-day and 90-day HDoS on the FBA Inventory page. If you see things in the red, it's time to fix your reordering process. Whether that means new software, staggered shipments, or getting some outside help, the key is to act now... before these fees pile up and steal the profits you worked so hard for.
Sources
https://sellercentral.amazon.com/help/hub/reference/external/GQNVDV46U9JQ25HY