Amazon FBA Reimbursements in 2026: Claiming What You Are Owed
Amazon holds your inventory, and sometimes it loses or damages it. You can be reimbursed, but the 2026 rules changed how much you get and how long you have to claim. Money is left on the table by sellers who do not check.
Amazon reimburses for inventory lost or damaged in its custody, but since 2025 payouts are based on your manufacturing cost, not retail price, and claims must be filed with documentation within 60 days. Audit your reports regularly, keep cost evidence, and file promptly. A 3PL that documents inbound counts gives you the proof you need.
What's in this guide
What you can be reimbursed for
Amazon reimburses when inventory is lost or damaged while in its custody: units lost in the warehouse, damaged by Amazon or a carrier, or mishandled during a removal. It does not reimburse for your own prep errors or customer returns you accept.
The cost-based change
The big 2026-era shift: reimbursements are now based on your manufacturing cost, not the retail price. That lowers payouts, and it means you should keep clear evidence of what each unit cost to make, or Amazon values it for you, usually conservatively.
The 60-day window
Claims generally must be filed within 60 days of the event with documentation. Miss the window and the money is usually gone. Because Amazon will not chase these for you, the discipline of checking your reports on a schedule is what turns owed money into recovered money.
What documentation you need
Typically: proof of the event from your inventory and reimbursement reports, and cost evidence such as supplier invoices. The cleaner your records, the smoother the claim.
How to audit for claims
Review your FBA inventory adjustment and reimbursement reports regularly for discrepancies: units marked lost or damaged that were never reimbursed. Our reimbursement estimator tool helps you gauge what you might be owed.
How accurate receiving helps
Claims are easier to win when you can prove what you sent. A 3PL that counts and documents every inbound gives you an accurate baseline, so when Amazon's numbers do not match, you have the evidence. We document inbound counts as standard. See our warehouse service or get a quote.