Overview

Amazon’s annual “meltable inventory” rule blocks heat‑sensitive items from entering its fulfillment network during the warm months. The restriction typically runs from mid‑April to mid‑October, and any seller who fails to clear such stock by the deadline incurs forced removal fees. For FBA merchants, knowing the exact dates and preparing in advance can save thousands of dollars and preserve sales momentum.

Key Points

• Restriction window — Amazon stops accepting meltable goods from roughly April 15 to October 15 each year, so inbound shipments of these items must be timed accordingly.
• Removal deadline — Sellers must submit removal orders for meltable ASINs before the enforcement date; otherwise Amazon initiates the removal automatically.
• Forced‑removal fees — When Amazon processes a late removal, it applies the standard per‑unit removal or disposal charge on top of any accrued storage fees.
• Default removal setting — The system follows the seller’s pre‑set preference (return to shipper or destroy), making it essential to verify those settings well before the cutoff.
• Recurring schedule — This policy repeats annually, so it should be baked into every year’s inventory‑planning calendar.

How Forced Removal Works

1. Identify lingering meltable units — After the cutoff date, Amazon runs an automated scan of all inventory labeled as meltable. Example: 500 units of chocolate‑coated gummies still sitting in a Dallas fulfillment center are flagged.
2. Apply seller’s default action — The platform checks the account’s removal preference. If the seller chose “return,” the flagged units are packaged for shipment back to the seller’s address; if “dispose,” they are sent to a waste facility. Example: The 500 gummies are bundled and dispatched to the seller’s warehouse in Chicago because the account prefers returns.
3. Charge per‑unit fees — Amazon adds the standard removal fee (e.g., $0.50 per unit) to the seller’s invoice, plus any outstanding monthly storage fees.