How To Claim Amazon FBA Reimbursement Quickly And Easily

Ever wondered if you are leaving money on the table with your Amazon inventory? Amazon FBA reimbursement ensures you get paid for lost, damaged, or misprocessed stock. In this article, Megaficus guides you step by step to file claims efficiently and recover funds you deserve.

Amazon FBA Reimbursement is a process where Amazon compensates sellers for financial losses related to inventory stored in FBA warehouses. These losses typically include items lost in fulfillment centers, products damaged during handling, or errors in order processing.

Understanding this reimbursement system is crucial because it directly affects sellers’ bottom line. Without proper tracking and timely claims, sellers may lose significant amounts they’re entitled to receive. 

Therefore, regular monitoring of inventory reports and reconciling them with actual sales helps identify reimbursable cases promptly.

Different Kinds Of Reimbursement Claims On Amazon

Sellers can recover money from Amazon for issues such as lost inventory, damaged products, overcharged fees, inaccurate refunds, shipment problems, or missing returns:

• Lost inventory: Claims for products that disappear within Amazon’s fulfillment centers after being received and logged into the tracking system.
• Damaged inventory: Compensation for items damaged while stored or handled in Amazon’s warehouses, including damage during fulfillment processes.
• Overcharged fees: Refunds for incorrect FBA fees caused by system errors or miscalculations on storage and fulfillment charges.
• Inaccurate refunds: Reimbursement when Amazon processes wrong refund amounts or issues refunds without actual customer returns.
• Inbound shipment problems: Claims for shipments incorrectly received, partially lost, or misprocessed during warehouse check-in.
• Missing returns: Compensation when returned items don’t reach the warehouse or aren’t properly logged back into inventory.

Eligibility Requirements For Filing Reimbursement Claims

To file an Amazon FBA reimbursement claim successfully, sellers must meet specific eligibility criteria and provide the necessary documentation within the required timeframes.

Allowed Time Window For Submitting Claims

Amazon requires reimbursement claims to be filed within specific timeframes. Most inventory-related issues, such as lost or damaged items, have a 60-day filing window from when the problem occurred. Therefore, sellers must monitor their inventory regularly to identify and submit valid claims before deadlines expire.

Documentation You Must Provide

Sellers must submit comprehensive documentation when requesting reimbursement for lost or damaged products:

• Amazon Shipment ID: Locate this identification number within your Shipping Queue interface.
• Proof of inventory ownership: Submit supplier invoices, purchase receipts from sellers, or manufacturer-signed packing slips. These documents must clearly display: Purchase date, Product descriptions corresponding to affected inventory, Item quantities
• Proof of delivery:
  • LTL/FTL shipments require delivery documentation displaying box quantities and shipment weight at carrier pickup. Amazon must stamp and sign this document upon fulfillment center receipt. Carriers typically maintain copies of these records.
  • Small-parcel shipments need active tracking identifiers for all packages. Sellers using non-partnered carriers must input tracking details before filing claims if this information wasn’t provided during shipment creation.

Tracking Inventory To Support Your Claim

Successful reimbursement requires proper inventory tracking within Amazon’s systems. All tracking numbers must be correctly entered and shipments reconciled in Seller Central. Without accurate tracking records, Amazon will reject legitimate claims, so verify shipment status immediately after receipt.

Amazon Reimbursement Policy Update 

Amazon is implementing major changes to its FBA reimbursement policy that will significantly impact seller profitability starting March 31, 2025. The most critical update fundamentally alters how reimbursements are calculated.

Manufacturing Cost-Based Reimbursements

Beginning March 31, 2025, Amazon will reimburse sellers for lost or damaged inventory based on the product manufacturing cost, which includes sourcing from manufacturers, wholesalers, or resellers but excludes shipping, handling, customs duties, or other costs.

This fundamental shift from selling price to manufacturing cost significantly reduces reimbursements. For instance, a $50 product will now only be reimbursed at its $15 manufacturing cost, creating a $35 loss per incident for sellers.

Sourcing Cost Submission Options

Sellers have two choices for determining manufacturing costs:

• Accept Amazon’s estimate based on comparable products from Amazon, other sellers, and wholesale channels
• Submit actual sourcing costs through the Manage Your Sourcing Cost page in the Inventory Defect and Reimbursement portal

All sellers will have access to this page by February 28, 2025, giving you time to review and submit your costs before the new policy takes effect.

Important Exceptions

Items lost or damaged after a customer places an order will continue receiving reimbursement based on the sales price minus applicable fees. This protects sellers from losses on confirmed sales.

Key Implementation Dates

Sellers should be aware of important dates to ensure timely submission and proper management of reimbursement claims under the new policy:

• February 28, 2025: All sellers gain access to the Manage Your Sourcing Cost page
• March 31, 2025: New manufacturing cost-based reimbursement policy takes effect

Sellers should immediately begin preparing for these changes by establishing cost documentation systems and considering automated reimbursement tools to maximize recovery under the new policy.

How Amazon Calculates Reimbursement

Amazon uses different calculation methods depending on when inventory loss or damage occurs in the fulfillment process.

Calculation Methods by Scenario

Amazon uses different calculation methods depending on when inventory loss or damage occurs, so understanding each scenario is essential for accurate reimbursement.

Items Lost/Damaged Before Customer Orders

Starting March 31, 2025, Amazon calculates reimbursements using manufacturing cost only:

Reimbursement Amount = Manufacturing Cost per Unit × Number of Units Lost/Damaged

Manufacturing cost includes only the amount paid to source products from suppliers or production costs if self-manufactured. It excludes shipping, handling, customs duties, packaging, and other operational expenses.

Items Lost/Damaged After Customer Orders

When inventory issues occur after a customer places an order, Amazon uses:

Reimbursement Amount = Customer Purchase Price – Amazon Fees (referral fee, FBA fee, etc.)

How To Set Your Manufacturing Cost

Amazon provides two options for determining manufacturing costs used in calculations:

Option 1: Use Amazon’s Estimate 

If you don’t submit costs, Amazon estimates them using:

• Similar or identical products are selling on Amazon
• Prices from other sellers
• Wholesale market benchmarks

However, Amazon’s estimates may undervalue your actual costs, especially if you have special supplier pricing, bulk discounts, or in-house manufacturing.

Option 2: Submit Your Actual Costs 

You can manually enter real manufacturing costs through the Manage Your Sourcing Cost page in Seller Central, which ensures accurate reimbursements and prevents underpayment from low estimates. In addition, regular updates help maintain precision and avoid future disputes.

Step-By-Step Instructions To Submit An Amazon Reimbursement Claim

Filing successful reimbursement claims requires precision and proper documentation. Follow these five steps to maximize your chances of approval.

Step 1: Identify The Issue

Begin by identifying the exact issue with your inventory to ensure you submit an accurate and effective reimbursement claim:

• Missing inventory that doesn’t appear in your reports
• Damaged goods in Amazon’s warehouse
• Incorrect FBA fee deductions
• Customer refunds are not credited to your account

Use Seller Central’s Inventory Adjustments Report and Inventory Reconciliation Report to spot discrepancies. Then, compare your shipment records with Amazon’s receiving reports to identify any missing units. In addition, regular weekly audits help catch issues within the 60-day filing window.

Step 2: Prepare All Supporting Documents

Collect all necessary documentation to provide Amazon with concrete evidence when submitting a reimbursement claim:

• Order IDs and transaction references
• Shipment tracking details and delivery confirmations
• Supplier invoices showing manufacturing costs
• Warehouse receiving reports
• Screenshots of inventory discrepancies
• Proof of ownership and product value

For manufacturing cost reimbursements, prepare cost documentation upfront, including purchase invoices, wholesale receipts, or production cost breakdowns. The stronger your evidence package, the faster Amazon processes your claim.

Step 3: Submit The Claim Via Seller Central

To submit your reimbursement claim, navigate to the claims submission portal in Seller Central and follow the provided steps carefully:

• Go to Seller Central → Help → Get Support
• Select “Selling on Amazon” → “Fulfillment by Amazon” → “FBA Inventory Issues”
• Click “Create New Case” in the Case Log

You should carefully submit your claim by selecting the correct issue type, providing a clear explanation, and attaching all necessary supporting documents:

• Choose the appropriate issue type from Amazon’s pre-set categories, like “FBA Lost Inventory,” or select “My issue is not listed” for unique situations
• Write a clear, factual explanation without unnecessary details
• Attach all supporting documents in the first submission
• Include your Amazon Shipment ID and affected ASINs
• Specify the exact quantity and dates involved

Step 4: Monitor Your Claim’s Progress

After you submit your claim, you should actively track your case by checking its status regularly and responding promptly to any requests from Amazon:

• Check case status daily in your Case Log
• Respond immediately to Amazon’s requests for additional information (usually within 24-48 hours)
• Set reminders to follow up if no response within 5 business days
• Document all correspondence for future reference

Amazon typically processes claims within 4-5 days, but complex cases may take longer. Missing their information requests can result in automatic claim denial.

Step 5: Confirm The Reimbursement Payout

Once your claim is approved, you should verify the reimbursement details to ensure the amount matches your records and that funds are correctly credited to your account:

• Check the reimbursement amount matches your calculation
• Confirm funds appear in your Seller Central payment report
• Review the Reimbursements Report to ensure proper crediting
• Compare the manufacturing cost used versus what you submitted

If the reimbursement seems incorrect, you have 60 days to dispute the amount with additional documentation. Keep detailed records of all successful claims for future reference and tax purposes.

Best Practices To Increase Your Amazon Reimbursements

Following proven best practices can help you maximize your Amazon reimbursements, recover funds efficiently, and prevent future inventory or fee discrepancies.

Review Your Amazon Reports Frequently

To stay aware of potential issues, you should regularly check key reports such as Inventory Adjustments, Lost and Damaged, Reimbursements, and Payment Reports. When you notice missing units, negative inventory, or incorrect fees, you can flag them immediately for further review. By doing this consistently, you increase your chances of detecting problems early and recovering the money Amazon owes you.

Maintain Clear And Accurate Records

To make your claims easier to process, keep all documents organized, including invoices, tracking numbers, shipment details, packing photos, and delivery receipts. In addition, creating a simple tracking file for each FBA shipment helps you quickly identify which units were lost or shorted. With clear documentation, you can file claims faster and improve your approval rate.

Submit Claims Before The Deadline

Because each reimbursement type has a specific time limit, you need to monitor your eligible shipments regularly. Therefore, setting reminders to review claim windows is essential if you want to avoid missing out. When you submit claims on time, you protect your right to receive reimbursements that Amazon is responsible for.

Work With Experts To Handle Reimbursement Claims

If you find the claim process too time-consuming, you can work with a professional team that specializes in Amazon reimbursements. These experts will audit your account, prepare the required documents, and submit claims correctly on your behalf. As a result, you save time and ensure no eligible reimbursement is overlooked.

Top 3 Amazon FBA Reimbursement Tools for Amazon Sellers

Using the right tools can simplify the reimbursement process, help identify eligible claims quickly, and ensure you recover the maximum amount possible from Amazon.

Sellerise (FBA Reimbursements Tool)

Sellerise provides a very efficient, automated way to identify reimbursement opportunities and to submit claims on your behalf.

Key features:

• Automatically scans for potential refunds from lost, damaged, returned, or overcharged inventory.
• Uses prewritten templates so you can send claim requests faster.
• Sends real‑time alerts when new reimbursement opportunities appear.
• Generates detailed reports to show your reimbursement status.
• Does not charge a commission on recovered funds; you keep the full refund.
• Supports multiple claim types, including “lost inventory,” “damaged inventory,” and incorrect fees.

Best for: Sellers who want a hands‑free, scalable reimbursement solution that maximizes their recoverable funds without paying extra fees.

Helium 10 (Refund Genie)

Refund Genie is Helium 10’s data‑driven reimbursement tool that helps sellers uncover unclaimed funds and file requests through Amazon Seller Central.

Key features:

• Analyzes your FBA data via MWS/API to find lost or damaged inventory that Amazon owes you.
• Displays a dashboard with SKU, FNSKU, the number of units eligible for refund, and an estimated refund amount.
• Charges no commission on refunds, so you will receive the full recovered amount.
• Provides easy access to FNSKUs or ASINs so you can manually create claim cases in Seller Central.
• Updates reports monthly after the initial connection so you can track new opportunities regularly.

Best for: Sellers already using Helium 10 who prefer to use built‑in tools for reimbursement and want to avoid commission‑based services.

Sellerboard (Money Back / Reimbursement Feature)

Sellerboard combines profit analytics with a reimbursement tool that helps you monitor missing or damaged inventory and request refunds from Amazon.

Key features:

• Offers a Money Back Report that detects lost or damaged inventory that has not yet been reimbursed.
• Provides a Reimbursement Gap Report showing when Amazon’s refund is lower than your cost of goods sold (COGS).
• Supplies ready-made claim templates to help you open cases in Amazon Seller Central, including the ability to attach invoices or purchase orders for verification.
• Includes alerts when new refund‑worthy issues are detected, such as missing or damaged inventory.
• Integrates deeply with cost tracking so you can see how reimbursements affect your overall profitability (including PPC, returns, and FBA fees).

Best for: Sellers who want to maintain control over their reimbursements while also keeping close track of overall costs and profit margins.

FAQs About Amazon FBA Reimbursement

Maximizing your Amazon FBA reimbursements takes attention to detail and consistent tracking. By monitoring inventory, filing accurate claims, and using best practices, you can recover the money you’re entitled to and protect your profits. For expert guidance on claiming Amazon reimbursements quickly and efficiently, Megaficus is here to help you every step of the way.