FBA inventory storage limits

For storage limits taking effect on or after January 1, 2021, you will get one set of storage limits in each storage type covering UK inventory, and a second set of storage limits covering inventory across the EU (Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands). Previously, there was one set of storage limits that applied across the UK and the EU. For more information, visit Brexit FBA inventory storage limits FAQ.

To better manage fulfilment centre storage space so that products are received and shipped to buyers more quickly, inventory storage limits can be applied. Storage limits are based on volume (measured in cubic feet) and are set for each storage type. Your current and potential storage limits and usage are shown when you expand Storage Volume, which you can view in your Inventory performance dashboard and Shipping Queue

Individual selling accounts have a set storage limit of 10 cubic feet; this value does not change. Individual selling accounts are not subject to storage limit increases.

Professional selling accounts may or may not have storage limits, depending on the following criteria:

• Sellers who maintain an Inventory Performance Index (IPI) of the required threshold or above on either of two score checkpoints will not be subject to storage volume limits for standard-size, oversize, clothing and footwear items.
• New sellers that have been active for less than 26 weeks or sellers without enough sales data to generate an IPI score during both of the two score check weeks will not receive storage limits.

Professional accounts that do have storage limits will still have a minimum of 25 cubic feet for standard, over-size, clothing or footwear inventory.

Professional account holders can track their Inventory Performance Index in the Inventory performance dashboard and learn about IPI on the IPI Help page. The dashboard provides a hub for optimising your FBA business, including customised recommendations to grow your sales and reduce costs. Your IPI score is updated weekly based on your ongoing inventory management.

Storage limits are calculated using several factors including:

• Your sales volume (including your sales’ seasonality periods)
• Your historical IPI scores
• Available fulfilment centre capacity

Sellers with consistently higher IPI scores will receive higher storage limits, adjusted for sales volume and available capacity. When setting limits for an upcoming quarter, Amazon considers both your recent sales volume and seasonal volume from the last year.

Storage limits are applicable for four storage types: standard-size, oversize, clothing, and footwear. To see which storage types your products are categorized as and how much cubic feet they occupy, go to FBA Inventory Age and the Inventory Age report.

If you do not see a storage type in your Storage Volume, it is because you have a limit of zero for that storage type.

Dangerous goods storage limit adjustments (flammable and aerosol) are handled separately from other storage types. For more information, search for 'dangerous goods' in Seller Central and select Dangerous Goods FAQ at the top of the search panel.

1. Multiply length x width x height in cm to get the volume.
   
2. Divide the volume by 28,316.8, which is one cubic foot in cm.
   

Example: A unit measuring 100 x 60 x 25 cm divided by 28316.8 = 5.30 cubic feet.

Under the FBA inventory storage limits policy, you will not be able to create a new shipment to Amazon for a storage type until your inventory level drops below your limit for that storage type.

For example, if your current limit for standard-size inventory is 25 cubic feet and you have 26 cubic feet of standard-size inventory at an Amazon fulfilment centre, you will not be able to create a new standard-size inventory shipment. However, if you are below your storage limit for oversize inventory, you will be able to create shipments of oversize inventory.

If you send more inventory than your storage limit allows, the extra inventory may be refused at the fulfilment centre. For more information, see Shipping and routing requirements.

Storage overage fees will be charged if your existing inventory exceeds your storage limit for any storage type on any day within a given month. Please visit the Overage fee help page to learn more.

There are three ways to decrease the amount of inventory that you have in an Amazon fulfilment centre:

• Sell more inventory. Manage Excess Inventory provides recommendations to increase sales.
• Request to have inventory returned to you by creating a removal order.
• Request to have inventory disposed of by creating a removal order.

For more information, see Remove inventory (overview).

What is the difference between the restock limit and the storage limit?

Restock limits and storage limits are two different capacity limits sellers may currently see applied to their FBA accounts. They help us manage the inflow of new inventory (restock limits) and the usage of physical space in our fulfilment centres (storage limits). Restock limits decide how many units of inventory you can send to fulfilment centres, and are set up per storage type (for example, sortable products, oversize products, clothing, and footwear). They are determined based on your past and forecasted sales. Restock limits apply independently of your Inventory Performance Index (IPI). If your IPI score is above 500, you will not have an additional storage limit on top of the restock limit. A storage limit is measured in cubic metres, and represents the total amount of inventory that you can store in Amazon fulfilment centres. You may view these limits through the restock and storage volume monitors.

What can I do to increase my storage limit?

Your storage limit is the total amount of inventory that you can store in the fulfilment centres. This limit is directly linked to the inventory performance, reflected in the IPI score in Seller Central. At the end of each quarter, a threshold IPI is determined for the next quarter. If your IPI score is below this threshold, you will have storage volume restrictions in the next quarter. If your IPI score is above the threshold during the quarterly score checks, you will have no restrictions for your storage limit in the following quarter. Therefore, it is essential to plan for the long term and to have an IPI score in the green range, especially at the end of the quarter. A storage volume increase during a running quarter is not possible.

Can I purchase storage space?

At this time, Amazon does not offer the ability to purchase storage space.

Can I change the storage type of a product?

No. Storage types are determined by Amazon based on characteristics of a product and help to root items to the correct fulfilment centre. To view the current storage types of your products, see the FBA Inventory Age page. If you think there is a mistake in the storage type categorisation of your items (for example, shoes not being classified as shoes but as standard size) and this is negatively affecting your inventory management, please contact Selling Partner Support through the Change a products category option and provide the ASIN.

Can I trade space for one storage type with space in another storage type?

No. Inventory cannot be traded between storage types.

What if I do not have an IPI score or am a new FBA seller?

Most sellers with Professional selling accounts have an IPI score, but some do not because we do not have enough data to generate a score for the account (for example, sellers who are new to FBA or have small quantities of FBA inventory).

After you first receive an IPI score, you will not be subject to storage limits for two full storage limit cycles.

You can view the date you received your first IPI score by clicking the Show details link under the IPI score colour bar. This will reveal your Historical performance index and your First IPI score date will be visible above the graph.

Most sellers will receive their first IPI score approximately 15 weeks after their first product is received by FBA.

Visit the Inventory performance dashboard for recommendations on managing your inventory.

How can I forecast my IPI score?

For each of the factors that influence on-hand inventory (such as excess inventory, sell through rate, and stranded inventory), there is a bulk processing function. Here you can download, maintain and upload updated reports for your assortment through CSV download and upload. You can track the progress of the individual metrics and their development over the last 4 weeks in Seller Central, but we cannot provide a forecast for the future development of your metrics. We therefore recommend monitoring your actions and logging the progress of the individual KPIs in order to be able to assess the effect of your actions.

Why is my Inventory Performance Index (IPI) red when I am light green or yellow in every metric?

The IPI dashboard displays a performance bar for each of the four categories:

• Excellent (dark green)
• Good (light green)
• Fair (yellow)
• Poor (red)

A dark green metric (excellent) does not necessarily compensate for a red, light green, or yellow metric. If any of your metrics is below dark green, you should aim to improve to dark green.