1. Inbound Defect Fee: Eligible Sellers Get Automatic Refunds

 First, what is the “inbound defect fee”? When sellers ship split shipments, inventory in the same shipping plan is assigned to different warehouses. Under the original rule, after the first shipment is delivered, all remaining associated shipments must arrive within 30 days; otherwise an inbound defect fee applies. If nothing arrives within 75 days, the shipment plan is closed by the system. This fee was increased in January, and high-volume sellers can be charged hundreds or even thousands of dollars per deduction.

 This temporary exemption applies to US-bound international shipments created between August 1 and November 30, 2026, with two core changes:

Arrival window: 30 days → 45 days. 

 The remaining shipments under the same plan will no longer incur inbound defect fees as long as they arrive within 45 days after the first shipment is received.

Auto-close window: 75 days → 90 days. 

 This gives in-transit inventory more buffer time to avoid shipment plans being closed early due to ocean delays.

The refund rules are even more important:

✅ Refundable: Shipments created after August 1 that arrived between 30 and 45 days and were previously charged defect fees. The platform automatically refunds the account; no case or manual request is required.

❌ Not refundable: Shipments that arrive after 45 days. Defect fees still apply and are not covered by the exemption.

 Some sellers reported receiving refunds without submitting any request; others filed appeals after not seeing the money and were quickly approved. So whether the money comes automatically is one thing; whether you verify it has arrived is another.

Backend verification path:

 New Seller Central → “Manage Amazon Inventory” → “Shipments” → “Inbound Performance” → “Main Defect Categories” → “Shipment Configuration Issues.”

 Once inside, you will see all deductions and refund details since August. If a fee appears eligible but was not exempted, check the actual arrival time for each shipment—most likely one of them exceeded 45 days.

 One easily overlooked detail: even if a shipment still appears in the inbound performance dashboard, the defect record will not disappear, but the fee itself may already be waived or refunded. A record being present does not mean the money has not been refunded; but if the money has not arrived, you must follow up yourself.

 One final reminder: this is a temporary policy, not a permanent relaxation. For shipments created after November 30, the 30-day rule returns. Even within the window, do not plan inventory right up to the 45-day red line. Peak season port congestion, weather delays, and rail capacity shortages can all cause extra days for which you will have to pay.

2. FBA Lost/Damaged Inventory Reimbursement: Rules Have Changed—Stop Relying on Old Assumptions

The inbound defect fee is the platform paying you back, while FBA reimbursement is something you must go get—and the difficulty and rules are no longer what many sellers remember.

The biggest change is the reimbursement basis. Starting March 10, 2025, inventory lost or damaged in the warehouse before a buyer places an order is reimbursed by Amazon at “procurement cost,” not the sales price. A product sold at $50 with a procurement cost of $12 used to be reimbursed near the selling price; now it is $12. Some sellers report average reimbursement amounts dropped by 50% to 75%.

 If the item is lost or damaged after a buyer places an order, the reimbursement basis remains the net selling price minus related fees; those rules have not changed. The part where sellers really stumble is the before order placement stage.

 More urgent than the amount is the claim window.

 Sellers used to have 18 months to discover and file FBA reimbursement claims. Now most claim categories have been compressed to around 60 days. Warehouse lost or damaged claims must be submitted within 60 days after the event appears in reports; missing inbound (MFI) claims must be submitted within 9 months after the shipment closes, but some channels have tighter windows. Service providers warn that money that should have been paid two months ago will be permanently lost once the window closes—Amazon will not reopen it.

 Moreover, automatic reimbursement coverage is limited. For warehouse loss and obvious carrier damage, the system may automatically start a claim; but short-shipped inbound, returns not returned to inventory, removal loss, and overcharged fees are basically not covered automatically—sellers must check and file them themselves.

 Another change worth noting: reimbursement depends on whether you maintain “procurement cost” data. If sellers do not manually enter and upload compliant procurement documents in the backend, Amazon reimburses at an estimated value, which is usually lower than actual cost. In other words, without maintained cost data, you get less.

3. Three Things to Do Right Now

First, check the inbound defect fee refund details in the backend.

The path is above and takes two minutes to review. If something qualifies but was not refunded, check arrival times shipment by shipment. If you confirm it is a platform judgment issue, keep evidence and file an appeal.

Second, change FBA reimbursement from a “quarterly spot check” to a “monthly reconciliation.”

There are only 60 days left in the claim window, so do not wait half a year to check. At the start of each month, pull four reports—inventory adjustments, returns, removal orders, and fee previews—cross-check them, and anything that does not match is recoverable.

Third, complete the procurement cost data in the backend.

Reimbursement is based on procurement cost; the difference between the system estimate and actual cost is money you lose. Upload compliant commercial invoices, supplier information, SKU, and unit price where required.

Amazon will not proactively remind you to collect every amount you are owed. Refunds come because the platform took initiative; whether a claim is paid, how much, and in time depends on whether you act before the window closes.

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