Overview

Amazon provides two built-in clearance programs for FBA sellers who need to move overstocked or slow-moving inventory: Outlet Deals and Outlet Sales. Both tools place discounted products on Amazon's dedicated Outlet storefront, but they work differently in terms of setup, duration, and discount requirements. Knowing when and how to use each option can help sellers reduce storage fees, free up capital, and avoid costly aged-inventory surcharges.

What's the Difference?

• Outlet Deals — Run automatically until inventory sells out or two weeks pass, whichever comes first. Amazon handles the scheduling.
• Outlet Sales — Amazon selects which products to display based on customer demand. Sellers set the start and end dates manually, and products typically appear for no more than two consecutive weeks.
• Discount thresholds — Outlet Deals generally require at least 20% off the current price, while Outlet Sales typically require around 30% off. Exact requirements vary by marketplace.
• No extra fees — Neither program charges promotional fees beyond standard referral and shipping costs.

Eligibility Requirements

Not every product qualifies. To be eligible for either program, a product must be fulfilled through FBA and have an established sales history on the platform. The product needs a review rating of three stars or higher, or no reviews at all. The seller's overall account rating must be at least 3.5 stars.

Products currently enrolled in other active deals or promotions are excluded. Sellers should also check their specific marketplace's help documentation, since discount thresholds and eligibility details can differ across regions.

How to Set Up Each Promotion

Both programs are managed through the FBA Outlet tool in Seller Central, accessible from the Inventory drop-down menu on the homepage.

For Outlet Deals, filter your eligible inventory using the Outlet Deal option, select the product, and enter your deal price. Amazon automatically sets the start and end dates, so no manual scheduling is needed. One important caveat: avoid changing the item's regular price while a deal is active. Amazon may interpret a price change as a loss of customer trust and could remove all of the seller's Outlet Deals and associated ASINs from the program.