Amazon FBA sellers now have a much shorter window to act when units go missing from an inbound shipment. Effective September 23, 2026, Amazon reduced the maximum “Missing from Inbound” claim window from 60 days to 30 days, calculated from the shipment’s received date. You must still wait at least 14 days before filing. That leaves a practical review window of roughly 16 days—especially important while Q4 receiving volume is high.
The immediate fix is simple: review every received FBA shipment on days 14, 21 and 27; investigate discrepancies from the shipment’s Contents tab; and keep proof of ownership and proof of delivery ready before you open a claim. Amazon’s one-month transition period ends October 23, 2026, so sellers should stop relying on the old 60-day routine now.
What changed for Amazon FBA inbound claims?
Amazon announced three dates that define the new workflow:
- September 23, 2026: the new 30-day maximum claim window took effect for Missing from Inbound claims filed through the Contents tab.
- Day 14 after receipt: the earliest point at which a seller may file, allowing the fulfilment centre time to receive and reconcile units.
- October 23, 2026: the end of a one-month transition during which eligible shipments within the old 60-day window may still be claimed through the Seller Central Help page.
Amazon says the update does not change claim amounts, the reimbursement process or claims already in progress. It applies specifically to FBA Missing from Inbound claims and measures the deadline from the shipment receive date—not the shipment creation date or the day you first notice the shortage. Check the original Amazon announcement for marketplace-specific availability and any later revisions.
Why this matters during Q4
Holiday replenishment creates more shipments, cartons and SKU movements to monitor. A seller who reviews reconciled shipments only once per month could now discover a discrepancy after the deadline. Missing units also distort the inventory position used for advertising, reorder decisions and holiday availability.
Keep inbound reconciliation separate from demand planning. Use the Inventory Reorder Point Calculator to decide when to replenish, then use a shipment register to confirm that the units actually reached sellable FBA inventory. If capacity is tight, pair this process with the Q4 FBA capacity limits restock plan.
The 14-to-30-day FBA reconciliation workflow
Day 0: record the received date
When Amazon marks a shipment received, add the date to a simple reconciliation register. Record the shipment ID, carrier tracking or bill of lading, expected cartons, expected units, SKUs or FNSKUs, supplier invoice and the person responsible for follow-up. The received date is the deadline anchor.
Day 14: run the first discrepancy review
Open Seller Central, go to Inventory → Shipments, find the shipment, select Track shipment, and open the Contents tab. Compare the expected and located quantities. Amazon requires the waiting period because units may still be moving through receiving or internal transfers.
If a discrepancy is eligible for investigation, verify that the shipping plan itself was accurate before making a claim. A unit omitted from the original shipment plan is not the same as a unit Amazon received and later could not locate.
Day 21: prepare and submit complete evidence
Do not wait for day 29 to assemble documents. Amazon’s reconciliation guidance asks sellers to view discrepancies, request research, upload documents, add relevant details, preview the request and submit it through the Contents tab.
For proof of inventory ownership, Amazon may accept the original supplier or manufacturer invoice. It should show the purchase date, product names, quantity purchased, issuer’s full name and address, and buyer’s full name and address. Manufacturers may use a signed packing slip containing the packing-list date, shipment or purchase-order ID, product names and quantity shipped.
For proof of delivery, keep carrier tracking and delivery confirmation. For less-than-truckload or full-truckload deliveries, retain the bill of lading and any Amazon receiving stamp or signature. Clear carton-level records make the shipment easier to trace.
Day 27: perform the deadline check
Review unresolved discrepancies three days before the limit. Confirm that the claim was submitted, keep the case ID, save copies of uploaded evidence and note any request for additional information. Day 27 provides a small buffer for access problems, missing documents or a shipment status that needs clarification.
Do not interpret the 30-day limit as “file on day 30.” Treat day 27 as your internal deadline and escalate earlier when the missing quantity is commercially material.
Build a Q4 inbound claim tracker
A lightweight spreadsheet is enough. Use one row per shipment and include these fields:
- Amazon shipment ID and shipping-plan name
- Carrier and tracking number or bill of lading
- Shipment received date
- Day-14 review date, day-27 internal deadline and day-30 policy deadline
- Expected units, received units and missing units
- SKU, FNSKU and ASIN
- Per-unit sourcing cost and total sourcing cost at risk
- Invoice or packing-slip location
- Claim status, case ID, reimbursement status and owner
Add calendar reminders automatically from the received date. A useful formula is:
Internal claim deadline = shipment received date + 27 days
Also calculate the stock gap separately. If 40 units are missing and average holiday demand is eight units per day, you have five days of demand unavailable—not necessarily five days before a stockout, because sellable stock may still remain. Recalculate replenishment based on what is actually available.
Reimbursement is not the same as lost retail revenue
Amazon’s current US FBA inventory reimbursement policy says eligible pre-order losses, including Shipment to Amazon claims, are reimbursed using the product’s sourcing cost. Sourcing cost generally excludes shipping, handling and customs duties. Amazon may replace the unit instead, and the maximum reimbursement for one eligible FBA unit is $5,000.
That means a $60 selling price does not automatically produce a $60 reimbursement. If your source cost is $18, use $18—not the retail price—when estimating cash at risk. Keep source-cost data accurate and compare the reimbursement against the approved amount after the claim resolves.
Use the Amazon FBA Profit Calculator to model the profit effect of missing inventory and holiday fees. For imported products, the landed cost guide helps separate purchase cost from freight, duty and other expenses that may affect your own profit even when they are excluded from Amazon’s sourcing-cost reimbursement.
Reduce Missing from Inbound defects before shipment
- Match the shipping plan: verify every SKU and quantity before cartons are sealed.
- Use scannable labels: replace damaged, duplicated or covered carton and unit labels.
- Keep a packing record: save carton contents, unit counts and photos for high-value shipments.
- Preserve delivery evidence: store tracking, pickup receipts, bills of lading and signed delivery documents in the shipment folder.
- Separate shipment exceptions: flag split shipments, late cartons and carrier exceptions instead of treating the plan as one clean delivery.
- Assign ownership: one person should review every received shipment through resolution.
For holiday replenishment, send only quantities you can document and monitor. Review the 2026 FBA holiday peak-fee guide before calculating the margin on replacement stock, and check FBA storage and aged-inventory costs before overcorrecting with excess units.
A five-minute weekly control for FBA sellers
- Filter the shipment register for receipts dated 14–30 days ago.
- Open the Contents tab for every unmatched shipment.
- Submit eligible claims with ownership and delivery evidence.
- Check outstanding case IDs and record reimbursements or restored units.
- Update sellable stock, sourcing cost at risk and reorder decisions.
This control is intentionally short. The danger is not a complicated calculation; it is allowing a received shipment to sit unnoticed beyond the new claim window.
Frequently asked questions
When did Amazon’s 30-day Missing from Inbound claim window start?
Amazon says the change took effect on September 23, 2026. A transition period runs through October 23, 2026, during which sellers may continue filing eligible claims for shipments within 60 days through the Seller Central Help page.
Can I file an FBA Missing from Inbound claim immediately?
No. Amazon says sellers must wait at least 14 days after the shipment was received so the fulfilment centre has time to receive and reconcile it. File through the Contents tab once the discrepancy is eligible for investigation.
What date starts the 30-day countdown?
The countdown is calculated from the shipment receive date. Record that date as soon as it appears and set the internal review dates from it.
What documents should I keep for an FBA inbound claim?
Keep proof of inventory ownership, such as a compliant supplier invoice or manufacturer packing slip, plus proof of delivery such as tracking confirmation, a pickup receipt or a signed bill of lading. The exact requirements can vary with the shipment and marketplace.
Will Amazon reimburse the selling price of missing FBA inventory?
Not necessarily. Under the current US policy, qualifying pre-order losses are valued using sourcing cost, which excludes expenses such as shipping, handling and customs duties. Amazon may also replace the unit instead of paying cash.
Does the 30-day rule apply to every Amazon reimbursement claim?
No. This change concerns Missing from Inbound claims filed through the Contents tab. Fulfilment-centre operations, customer returns, removals and other claim types have their own windows. Always check the current policy for the specific event and marketplace.
Policy note: This article reflects Amazon US guidance reviewed in October 2026. Seller Central rules, workflows and marketplace availability can change. Confirm the current help page before relying on a deadline.