Inventory Updates
All Amazon inventory policy changes and updates for US and Canada sellers. 8 updates tracked.
AWD Sellers Who Enable Automatic Replenishment Keep the Off-Peak Monthly Storage Rate Through October 31, 2026 — Amazon's Holiday Post Extends the Cheaper Rate Past the Start of Peak Fulfillment Pricing
Buried in Amazon's 2026 holiday announcement is a storage concession for upstream inventory: sellers who send inventory through Amazon Warehousing and Distribution (AWD) and enable automatic replenishment into FBA will keep paying the off-peak monthly storage rate through October 31, 2026. The same post confirms the peak fulfillment surcharge window opens October 15, so for the second half of October those sellers are paying peak fulfillment economics while their AWD-held units are still billed at the cheaper storage rate. Amazon does not publish the off-peak or peak AWD storage rate anywhere in the announcement, so the size of the saving per cubic foot is not stated — the guarantee is about which rate applies, not about a specific number.
Read summary →AWD Accepts Sortable Items Only Starting July 31, 2026 — Units Must Be Under 18" × 14" × 8" and 20 lbs, Everything Bigger Goes Direct to FBA
Amazon has told sellers that starting July 31, 2026, Amazon Warehousing and Distribution (AWD) only accepts sortable items — units smaller than 18" × 14" × 8" and weighing less than 20 lbs. Anything above those thresholds should be sent directly into the fulfillment network using the Send to Amazon workflow instead. For sellers who have been using AWD as low-cost bulk storage for oversize or heavy inventory, that upstream buffer goes away and those units have to be planned around FBA storage directly.
Read summary →Amazon Sets 2026 Holiday Inbound Deadlines — Inventory Must Arrive by September 2–16 for Prime Big Deal Days and October 14–28 for Black Friday/Cyber Monday or Lose the Prime Badge During the Event (July 2026)
Amazon has published its 2026 holiday calendar with earlier inbound inventory deadlines, warning that units arriving after the cutoffs will not carry the Prime badge during the events that drive the bulk of Q4 demand. The deadlines vary by shipment method. For Prime Big Deal Days, Amazon Warehousing and Distribution (AWD) shipments must arrive by September 2, FBA shipments using minimal shipment splits by September 9, and FBA shipments using Amazon-optimized splits by September 16. For Black Friday Week and Cyber Monday, the cutoffs are October 14 for AWD, October 21 for minimal splits, and October 28 for Amazon-optimized splits. Amazon says holiday promotion and peak fulfillment fees are held flat versus the prior cycle — the peak fulfillment surcharge still averages $0.32 per unit — so this year's pressure is on logistics timing rather than fee increases. Once fulfillment centers shift from receiving to order processing, late-landing inventory misses the Prime badge for that event window regardless of whether fees are paid.
Read summary →Amazon's Global Warehousing & Distribution Expands Beyond Shenzhen — Shanghai Hub Opens July 16, 2026 and FOB Terms Now Supported at All GWD Sites
Amazon's Global Warehousing & Distribution (GWD) program — bulk upstream storage inside China that replenishes into the US fulfillment network — is no longer a single-site pilot. Amazon launched GWD in Shenzhen on April 9, 2026, and trade press reported that a second facility in Shanghai opened for inbound shipments on July 16, 2026, with a third site in Ningbo expected later in 2026. Amazon also added support for FOB (Free on Board) shipping terms across GWD locations. For US sellers who source from China, this is an option to hold buffer stock at the origin instead of paying to warehouse it in the United States, then pull it into FBA as demand shows up.
Read summary →Meltable FBA Inventory Must Be Removed by April 20, 2026
Amazon's annual meltable inventory restriction begins soon. Heat-sensitive products like chocolates, gummies, and wax-based items must be removed from FBA by April 20. Any remaining meltable inventory after May 1 will be marked unfulfillable and may be disposed of at the seller's expense. Sellers can resume sending meltables starting October 16, 2026.
Read summary →Amazon Launches Global Warehousing & Distribution in Shenzhen: Up to 45% Lower Storage Costs
Amazon launched Global Warehousing & Distribution (GWD) at a new facility in Shenzhen, China on April 9, 2026, giving sellers a lower-cost option to store US-bound inventory near the production source. Storage costs run up to 45% below Amazon's US-based AWD service, and inventory reaches US fulfillment centers approximately seven days faster when paired with Amazon Global Logistics. Amazon handles local storage, customs clearance, cross-border shipping, and inventory transfers. The company plans to expand GWD to China's Yangtze River Delta region and eventually extend coverage to European and Japanese fulfillment centers.
Read summary →FBA Inventory Dashboard Now Includes Demand Prediction Tool
Amazon upgraded the FBA Inventory Dashboard with a built-in demand prediction tool. Located in the Sales Summary section, it shows optimistic and average weekly demand projections based on historical sales data. Available to Brand Registered sellers with 90+ days of sales history.
Read summary →Low-Inventory-Level Fee Now Calculated at FNSKU Level
The low-inventory-level fee is now calculated at the individual seller-FNSKU level instead of the parent-ASIN level. It applies when a specific FNSKU falls below 28 days of supply. The fee now also covers Small Bulky and Large Bulky products, while Grocery items are newly exempt.
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