Here's a shocking fact: Amazon sellers lose 1-3% of their yearly revenue because of FBA discrepancies that qualify for reimbursements.
Your profits could take a big hit without you even knowing it. Amazon's reimbursement policy went through major changes in late 2024. The claim window dropped from 18 months to just 60 days. On top of that, it switched to a manufacturing cost-based model starting March 31, 2025. This new model might not cover all your business costs.
Amazon says they'll automate parts of the FBA reimbursements process. The early numbers tell a different story - about 40% of possible reimbursements stay unclaimed under this system. This raises red flags especially when you have 40% of all reimbursements coming from inbound shipment errors alone.
You need to know your exact entitlements before filing your next Amazon reimbursement claim. Learning to check Amazon reimbursements properly makes all the difference. The process looks complicated at first glance. A solid approach helps you recover what Amazon owes you as a seller.
This piece walks you through everything about getting the Amazon seller reimbursements you deserve in 2025.
Understand the Amazon Reimbursement Policy
Amazon's reimbursement policy protects sellers who face inventory problems in the Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) program. You need to really understand this policy because Amazon handles millions of products daily, and mistakes happen. These errors can affect your profits by a lot if you don't claim them.
What qualifies for a reimbursement
Not every case qualifies for reimbursement. Knowing what Amazon covers will help you save time and make stronger claims. Your item must meet several basic requirements to qualify for amazon reimbursements:
- The item must be correctly registered in your FBA inventory during the discrepancy
- Your products must comply with all FBA rules and guidelines
- The item must ship accurately according to Amazon's requirements
- The product can't be in a canceled or disposed status
- Your seller account must stay in good standing throughout the claim process
Amazon's reimbursement policy covers many situations where you might deserve compensation. You can file claims for lost or damaged inventory once your shipping workflow flags it for investigation. The reimbursements also cover warehouse-damaged items, incorrect fee charges, improper refunds, and problems with inbound shipments.
Amazon won't reimburse unsellable items damaged by customers or defective products. These items go back to your inventory with an unsellable status, and you'll need to start a removal order. Also, certain products like grocery items, specific personal care products, and potentially hazardous items usually can't return and might get automatic refunds that don't qualify for reimbursement.
Recent changes to claim windows in 2025
Amazon's reimbursement policy went through major changes in late 2024 and early 2025. Every seller needs to know how these updates affect their claims.
Amazon cut the FBA inventory reimbursement claim window from 18 months to 60 days on October 23, 2024. This big reduction means you'll need to spot and report problems much faster. Shipment-to-Amazon claims remain the only exception with a longer submission window.
The bigger change came on March 10, 2025, when Amazon completely changed how they calculate reimbursement values. The new policy bases reimbursements on the product's manufacturing cost instead of its potential selling price. "Manufacturing cost" means your cost to source a product from a manufacturer, wholesaler, or reseller—or your production costs if you make the item yourself.
The new cost-based system doesn't include shipping expenses, handling fees, customs duties, or other extra costs. Many sellers now get much less in reimbursements. Here's an example: if your product costs $10 to source but sells for $25 on Amazon, you'll now get only the $10 sourcing cost instead of the $25 selling price you'd receive under the old policy.
You have two ways to set manufacturing costs:
- Accept Amazon's estimate based on comparable products
- Provide your own sourcing cost (recommended for most sellers)
One key exception exists in the manufacturing cost model: Amazon still reimburses the sales price minus applicable fees for items lost or damaged after a customer places an order.
Amazon now offers automatic reimbursements for items lost in fulfillment centers. This automation saves you time since you won't need to submit claims for common situations.
These policy updates mean you should set up regular inventory audits, document problems quickly, and submit claims well before the 60-day deadline expires. If you don't, you might lose money that amazon seller reimbursements owe you.
How to Check Amazon Reimbursements in Seller Central
You need to keep an eye on your Amazon reimbursements through Seller Central's reports and dashboards. Learning what Amazon owes you depends on knowing where to look and how to read the data.
Using the Reimbursement Report
The Reimbursement Report is your detailed financial statement that shows all processed reimbursements for any time period you choose. This tool helps you see exactly what Amazon has paid you back, settle your accounts, and check your claim status.
Here's how to get this report:
- Log into your Seller Central account
- Go to the Reports tab in the top menu
- Select Fulfillment from the dropdown options
- Look for and click Reimbursements under the Payments section on the left
- Pick your date range
- Click Request Download to create the report
- Once it's ready, hit Download to save it
You can view the report right in Seller Central or export it to a spreadsheet to dig deeper. Spreadsheets are great for crunching numbers, making custom calculations, and spotting trends across different periods.
Set up a monthly schedule to review your Reimbursement Report. This fits perfectly with Amazon's new 60-day claim window and helps you spot any issues quickly. Compare this report with your inventory records to find any missing reimbursements.
Look out for these key things in your report:
- How reimbursement amounts stack up against your expected costs
- Any patterns in lost or damaged items that might show handling issues
- All your submitted claims showing up correctly
- Types of reimbursements that might need operational changes
Tracking claims in the Payments dashboard
The Payments dashboard is another significant way to watch your Amazon FBA reimbursements. This screen gives you a quick view of your money matters, including reimbursements that are pending or processed.
Here's how to check reimbursement data in Payments:
- Click Payments in the main menu of Seller Central
- Pick Payments again from the dropdown
- Select Transaction View for detailed financial entries
- Filter Transaction Types to show Other
- Pick your date range using Custom Date Range, Past Number of Days, or Settlement Period
- Hit Update to see your filtered data
The dashboard updates daily and shows customer payments about four days faster than older reports. This speed really helps with the shorter claim window that started in 2025.
Sellers who need to track specific claims will find helpful filtering options. You can sort by payment status to see what's been paid and what's still open. The dashboard lets you filter by customer account ID, subscriber company name, or offer ID to find exact transactions.
You'll also find visual tools that show payment trends over time. The view adjusts to show total data by day, month, quarter, or year, which helps you learn about your collection patterns. This analysis measures time between due dates and actual payments, so you know if reimbursements come when they should.
Remember to check your Case Log in Seller Central to track reimbursements after you submit them. This helps you make sure your claims move through Amazon's review process and lets you follow up when needed.
Regular checks of both the Reimbursement Report and Payments dashboard are the foundations of a solid Amazon reimbursement strategy. Monthly reviews paired with good record-keeping help you get back every dollar your business deserves.
Audit Your Inventory and Transactions
Amazon reimbursement strategy needs regular inventory audits as its foundation. Many sellers skip this crucial step. Statistics show that inbound shipment mistakes alone account for about 40% of all reimbursements. Your bottom line takes a direct hit when you don't track these issues consistently.
Compare inventory reports with your records
The right reports from Seller Central kick off a good audit. These inventory documents should be your starting point:
- FBA Inventory Ledger Report
- FBA Inventory Report
- FBA Customer Returns Report
- Reimbursement Report
- Amazon Payment Settlement Report
Your internal inventory tracking system needs to match these official Amazon reports. This comparison reveals gaps between Amazon's data and your records. Sellers should run inventory audits once or twice yearly, though quarterly checks give you better protection against losses.
Cycle counting works better for bigger inventories. You can count small sections of inventory on a set schedule instead of doing everything at once. This system helps sellers with large catalogs keep track of their stock.
Look closely at units Amazon marks as "received" that don't match your shipment records. Watch for inventory tagged as "damaged" or "lost" without your knowledge. Check fee calculations that don't align with Amazon's policies. These gaps could lead to reimbursements that Amazon won't flag automatically.
Amazon gives you 60 days from when an issue first appears to file a claim. The 2025 policy updates make monthly audits crucial because of this short window.
Identify discrepancies in shipments and returns
Inbound shipment problems can cost you a lot of money. To cite an instance, see what happens when you ship 500 units but Amazon's received inventory shows only 480 units - that's money you can claim back. The "Problem Quantity" field makes these issues easy to spot during audits.
You need two key documents for inbound shipment claims:
- Proof of Delivery – Shows you shipped the goods to Amazon
- Proof of Purchase – Shows you own the goods
Customer returns need just as much attention. The FBA Customer Returns Report can show worrying patterns. Look for customers who keep refunded items past Amazon's 45-day return window. Check products that become unsellable due to Amazon's handling. Watch for refunds higher than original order amounts or customers returning wrong items.
Good documentation matters for all audits. Amazon rejects about 60% of FBA reimbursement claims because of poor or missing documentation. Taking photos before shipping orders gives you backup if disputes come up.
Amazon handles huge volumes, so human errors happen. Missing items often stem from mishandling rather than counting mistakes. A solid audit process turns these errors into recoverable money through proper reimbursement claims.
Monthly checks of inventory reports against shipping documents are a great way to get results. Assess customer returns against your policies and document everything that looks wrong. The old 18-month window for lost inventory claims has shrunk - now most claims must be in within 60 days.
Prepare and Submit an Amazon Reimbursement Claim
Your first step after spotting inventory issues is to gather the right paperwork for your Amazon reimbursement claim. A well-organized approach will boost your chances of approval and speed up the process.
Required documentation for different claim types
Each type of reimbursement needs specific documents. Getting these ready beforehand helps avoid rejections and delays.
For Lost Inventory claims, you'll need:
- Purchase order showing original acquisition
- Complete shipping documentation (shipment ID, packing slip, tracking information)
- Proof of delivery to Amazon's facility
- Inventory adjustment report showing the discrepancy
Your Damaged Inventory claims should include:
- Photos of the product damage (if available)
- Customer messages about the damaged product
- Amazon's condition notes
- Original product listing details
Amazon's requirements for Overcharged Fees disputes from August 2024:
- Invoice with complete product details
- FBA Fee Details Report showing the charges
- Bank statements with the wrong charges
- Clear identification of the exact wrong charge
- Full explanation of fee differences
Inbound Shipment Issues need these documents:
- Proof of Delivery (POD) showing Amazon got the shipment
- Signed Bill of Lading (BOL) with shipping details
- Ownership proof like supplier invoices or receipts
- Full packing lists of all shipped items
For Customer Return Issues, you need:
- Order details and transaction records
- Customer's return tracking information
- Proof of wrong return processing
- Details of refund amounts given
Good records make successful claims. Reimbursement experts say Amazon rejects about 60% of FBA claims because sellers don't provide enough documentation.
How to file a claim through Seller Central
Here's how to submit your claim after getting your paperwork ready:
- Log into Seller Central and click the "Help" button in the top-right corner.
- Select "Contact Us" to open customer service.
- Choose "Selling on Amazon" from the options.
- Pick the right category matching your claim type (Lost Inventory, Damaged Items, etc.).
- Give all the details about your claim:
- Clear issue description
- Important dates
- Transaction IDs or ASINs
- Number of items affected
- Add all your supporting documents. Label your files clearly and make sure they're readable.
- Submit everything and save the case ID Amazon gives you.
Missing FBA shipment claims need a different approach. Submit these from the shipment's details page under the shipment content section instead of general support.
Fee disputes work differently too. Use the special fee dispute form in Seller Central for faster processing.
Keep your claim professional and stick to facts. Amazon's team reviews thousands of claims daily. Clear and precise submissions have better chances of approval.
Amazon usually takes 7-10 business days to review claims. This can change based on how complex the claim is. Keep an eye on your email and Seller Central for updates or requests for more information.
The new 2025 policy gives you 60 days to submit most claims after something happens. Quick action is key. Amazon now bases reimbursements on manufacturing costs, so your documents should clearly show your actual product costs.
Track, Follow Up, and Handle Reversals
Getting your Amazon reimbursement claim submitted is just the first step. You need to watch its progress and deal with any problems that pop up. Amazon usually takes about a week to resolve claims. Success depends on how well you stay on top of things during this time.
How to monitor claim status
After submitting your amazon reimbursement claim, here's how you can make sure nothing gets missed:
- Log into your Seller Central account
- Click the "Help" section in the top-right corner
- Select "Case Log" to view all your open and resolved cases
- Find your specific claim using the case ID from your submission
- Look at the current status and any notes from Amazon representatives
Amazon sends claim updates to your registered email address. You should check both your email and Seller Central case log because updates might show up in one place first.
The time it takes to process your reimbursement depends on how complex your claim is. Your funds should show up in your account within 1-5 business days after approval. Many sellers give up on claims they could win. Staying persistent often makes all the difference in getting your money back.
What to do if a claim is denied or reversed
Amazon might reject your claim even if you prepared it carefully. Here's what you can do to improve your chances of turning that decision around:
Take a good look at why Amazon denied your claim. They usually reject claims because:
- Problems with account standing
- Claims filed after the 60-day window
- Not enough documentation or evidence
- Item matches what the seller described
- Amazon can prove delivery happened
- Customer changed their mind rather than having product issues
You have 30 days to appeal after a rejection. Make your appeal stronger by:
- Cross-verify all claim details – Make sure your dates, order IDs, and inventory numbers are right
- Reply directly to the case – Show new evidence or clear up anything related to why they rejected it
- Think about escalation – Big claims might need the Executive Customer Relations team's attention
Sometimes Amazon might take back money they already gave you. This happens when they find the missing inventory, spot mistakes in their first decision, or figure out the claim wasn't valid.
Keep detailed records of everything you send and receive to handle these reversals. Amazon expects sellers to prove any problems exist, so the ball's in your court to show the discrepancies.
Your best bet for getting amazon seller reimbursements is to keep communications professional and stick to facts you can prove. This approach works better than anything else.
Build a Repeatable Reimbursement Workflow
A repeatable workflow revolutionizes amazon reimbursements from random tasks into steady revenue recovery. Amazon sellers might lose 1-3% of their yearly revenue due to FBA discrepancies. A systematic approach helps capture this missing money.
Set a monthly audit schedule
Regular monitoring serves as the life-blood of successful reimbursement claims. Your audit calendar should:
- Choose a regular timeframe – weekly for high-volume categories, monthly for everything else
- Block dedicated time on your business calendar
- Arrange audits with Amazon's 60-day claim window
- Follow a standardized checklist for each audit session
- Document findings right after you find them
Sellers who check their reports regularly—weekly, fortnightly, or monthly—spot discrepancies faster and gather better documentation. This well-laid-out approach helps meet Amazon's tighter eligibility window that needs most claims within 60 days.
Larger catalogs need a digital filing system that includes:
- Shipping records by date and shipment ID
- Daily inventory snapshots
- Customer correspondence archives
- Case numbers and claim outcomes
This setup makes your auditing process smoother and helps flag discrepancies quickly.
Use templates to speed up documentation
Your amazon reimbursement claim process works better with ready-made templates for different scenarios. These frameworks boost claim success rates and save time.
Good templates must have:
- Clear section headings for each required document type
- Consistent formatting across claims
- Pre-filled fields for common information
- Checklists for complete documentation
Templates give you a solid starting point to craft persuasive claims. They provide a framework that helps avoid the biggest rejection reason—poor documentation accounts for about 60% of denied FBA reimbursement claims.
The quickest way to maximize your amazon fba reimbursements is to create specific templates for each category:
- Lost inventory claims
- Damaged product documentation
- Fee dispute evidence
- Return processing errors
- Inbound shipment discrepancies
This systematic approach turns amazon reimbursement checks from a tedious task into a smooth business process that puts money back in your pocket consistently.
Conclusion
Amazon FBA reimbursements give sellers a chance to get back their lost revenue. This piece shows how 2025 policy changes affect your ability to claim what Amazon owes you. The shortened 60-day claim window means you need constant alertness and systematic tracking of your inventory.
A regular audit schedule makes the difference between getting back 1-3% of your yearly revenue or missing out completely. Your strongest tool for filing claims is proper documentation, especially since Amazon rejects 60% of reimbursement requests due to lack of evidence.
The new manufacturing cost-based model changes your reimbursement amounts for each approved claim. You need accurate records of your sourcing costs to get the most money back under this system. Knowing which cases still qualify for full retail value helps you focus your claim efforts better.
Smart sellers set up monthly audit routines that work well with Amazon's new timeframes. This helps them catch more issues before they expire. Automating some parts of your reimbursement process saves time and helps meet tight deadlines.
Your dedication often decides if tough claims get approved. Amazon might say no to valid requests at first, but appeals with solid documentation often succeed when you follow a system. The gap between getting occasional and regular reimbursements comes down to how committed you are to the process.
Put these strategies to work today and get back what Amazon owes you. Your profits will grow as you turn potential losses into recovered money through smart reimbursement claims.
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