Overview

Amazon has introduced stricter timeframes for filing Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) reimbursement claims, replacing the previously flexible windows with defined minimum and maximum deadlines for each claim category. The revisions take effect immediately and require sellers to adjust their audit cycles, otherwise legitimate reimbursements for lost, damaged, or mishandled inventory may be forfeited.

Key Points

• Lost or damaged inventory — Claims must be submitted within 60 days of Amazon’s loss or damage notification.
• Customer return reimbursements — Sellers can file only after a 45‑day waiting period and must do so no later than 105 days after the refund or replacement is issued.
• Removal order loss claims — A minimum of 15 days must pass from shipment creation, with a hard deadline of 135 days.
• Removal order damage claims — The filing window is capped at 120 days from the date the shipment reaches the fulfillment center.
• Grading dispute claims — Sellers have 120 days from the moment the item leaves Amazon’s network to raise a dispute.
• Re‑evaluation of denied claims — A denied claim can be appealed up to 90 days after the original decision.

What's Changing

1. Introduce minimum waiting periods — Sellers must now wait a set number of days (e.g., 45 days for return claims) before a claim becomes eligible, preventing premature submissions that Amazon will automatically reject.
2. Define absolute cut‑off dates — Each claim type now has a maximum deadline (e.g., 60 days for lost inventory) after which the claim is ineligible, forcing more frequent inventory checks.
3. Synchronize automated tools — Third‑party reimbursement services must be reprogrammed to respect both the new minimum and maximum windows, or risk filing invalid claims.
4. Require proactive monitoring — Sellers need to implement regular reporting (bi‑weekly or weekly) to spot discrepancies before the windows close.