AWD Product Eligibility: What Can (and Can't) Be Stored in Amazon's Warehousing and Distribution Program
Covers AWD product eligibility criteria including size and weight classifications, expiration date requirements, ineligible product types, and FBA compliance rules sellers must meet before using Amazon's bulk storage program.
Overview
Amazon Warehousing and Distribution (AWD) offers sellers a bulk storage and distribution solution that feeds inventory into Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) and other sales channels. However, not every product qualifies for the program. Understanding AWD's eligibility criteria — from product categories and size limits to expiration date rules — is essential before creating your first shipment.
Key Points / What Sellers Need to Know
- Eligibility is validated at shipment creation — When you build an AWD shipment, Amazon automatically checks whether each ASIN meets the program's requirements before allowing it through.
- Many product types are supported, but exclusions exist — AWD works with a broad range of FBA-eligible products, yet certain categories and product types remain ineligible, including dangerous goods, high-value items, gift cards, and media formats like DVDs and Blu-ray discs.
- Box size and weight matter — Products are classified into conveyable and non-conveyable tiers based on whether individual boxes exceed 25 inches on any side or weigh more than 50 pounds.
- Expiration-dated products have strict lead-time rules — Sellers must ensure sufficient remaining shelf life before sending perishable or dated goods to AWD, with different thresholds depending on the downstream destination.
- Misclassified products can be escalated — If an ASIN is wrongly flagged as ineligible, sellers can contact Amazon support to resolve the classification error.
Product Size and Weight Classifications
AWD uses two main box categories. Conveyable boxes must be 25 inches or smaller on every side and weigh 50 pounds or less. Non-conveyable boxes exceed either of those thresholds. On the ASIN level, products are split into sortable items — those measuring no more than 25 × 25 × 25 inches and weighing 49 pounds or less — and heavy or bulky items that exceed those dimensions or weight. Sellers should verify their product measurements before creating shipments, because mis-sized inventory can cause processing delays or rejections at the warehouse.
Expiration Date Requirements
Sellers shipping date-sensitive products to AWD must pay close attention to minimum remaining shelf life. For inventory destined for FBA fulfillment, the expiration date must be at least 105 days from shipment creation. If the inventory is headed directly into AWD storage first, the threshold is even higher at 185 days. Products routed to non-Amazon sales channels through Multi-Channel Distribution (MCD) require a minimum of just one day of remaining shelf life.
Analysis & Recommendations
Why This Matters
Sellers using or considering AWD need to understand which products qualify and what expiration thresholds apply. Sending ineligible inventory wastes time and disrupts supply chains, while ignoring expiration rules can lead to automatic disposal of stock.
Key Takeaways
- AWD validates ASIN eligibility automatically at shipment creation — check requirements before you ship
- Expiration-dated products need 185+ days of shelf life for AWD storage or 105+ days if headed to FBA
- Dangerous goods, media formats, gift cards, Amazon devices, and high-value products are currently ineligible
- Amazon uses FEFO logic for expiring inventory — oldest units are always prioritized for removal or redistribution
Recommended Actions
- →Verify your product dimensions, weight, and category eligibility before creating AWD shipments to avoid rejections
- →Build the 185-day and 105-day shelf-life thresholds into your purchasing timeline for any expiration-dated products
- →Monitor AWD expiration notification emails and act quickly to redistribute or remove inventory before automatic disposal
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