Understanding Amazon's Inbound Performance Report for FBA Shipments
Amazon's Inbound Performance Report gives FBA sellers detailed data on shipment problems found at fulfillment centers, including labeling errors, prep issues, and quantity discrepancies that may trigger defect fees and coaching escalations.
Overview
Amazon's Inbound Performance Report provides sellers with detailed, shipment-level data about problems encountered when their FBA inventory arrives at fulfillment centers. This report is essential for identifying recurring issues with how products are prepped, labeled, and shipped, and it can help sellers avoid costly defect fees and coaching escalations over time.
Key Points / What Sellers Need to Know
- Shipment-level problem tracking — The report breaks down issues by individual shipment, carton, and even unit level so sellers can pinpoint exactly where problems occurred during the receiving process.
- Defect fees may apply — Amazon may charge inbound defect fees for problems related to prep and labeling requirements or shipping and routing requirements, making it financially important to monitor this report regularly.
- Coaching levels are assigned — Amazon assigns coaching levels (such as Standard, Elevated, or Critical) to problem groups, which can escalate if issues persist and potentially lead to restrictions on your shipping privileges.
- Email notifications supplement the report — When fulfillment center staff encounter problems with your shipments, Amazon typically sends an email alert in addition to flagging the issue in the Shipping Queue and the Inbound Performance Report.
- Multiple problem types are tracked — Issues range from items that cannot be scanned and missing labels to quantity discrepancies between what was expected and what was actually received.
How to Access the Report
Sellers can find the Inbound Performance Report by navigating to the Inventory section of Seller Central. From the main navigation, go to the Inventory tab and select Shipments from the drop-down menu. On the Shipments page, look for the Performance section in the left sidebar, then click to expand and select Inbound Performance. The report is also accessible through the Shipping Queue, where Amazon flags individual shipment problems as they are identified during the receiving process at fulfillment centers.
What the Report Contains
The Inbound Performance Report includes a comprehensive set of data fields that give sellers full visibility into shipment issues. Each row in the report captures the date the problem was reported, the shipment creation date, the FBA Shipment ID and Carton ID where the issue was found, and the specific fulfillment center involved. The report identifies the problem level — whether it occurred at the unit, box, or shipment level — along with the problem type, such as unscannable items or missing labels. Quantity fields show how many units were affected, how many were expected, and how many were actually received, making it easy to spot discrepancies. Product identifiers including SKU, FNSKU, and ASIN are listed alongside the product name for quick reference.
Analysis & Recommendations
Why This Matters
FBA sellers who don't monitor their Inbound Performance Report risk accumulating defect fees and coaching escalations that can restrict shipping privileges. Understanding this report helps sellers identify and fix recurring prep and labeling issues before they become costly.
Key Takeaways
- Amazon tracks inbound shipment problems at the unit, box, and shipment level and may charge defect fees for prep, labeling, and routing violations
- Coaching levels escalate with repeated issues and can eventually restrict your ability to create new FBA shipments
- The report includes expected vs. received quantity data, helping sellers catch discrepancies and investigate missing inventory
- Regularly reviewing the report and fixing root causes is essential to protecting profit margins and account health
Recommended Actions
- →Review your Inbound Performance Report at least monthly to identify recurring problem types and address root causes before coaching levels escalate
- →Audit your prep and labeling workflow against Amazon's current requirements to minimize unscannable items and missing label defects
- →Compare expected vs. received quantities for each shipment and file discrepancy claims promptly when units go missing
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