Amazon's low-inventory-level fee, explained
Amazon adds a fee to every unit it ships when you keep too little stock in its warehouses for how fast the product sells. Here is exactly when it applies in 2026, what it costs, who is exempt, and how much stock keeps you clear of it.
Both figures are under 28 days, so Amazon adds $0.36 to the fulfillment fee of every unit it ships. Keeping about 104 more units at Amazon on average over the next month lifts the 30-day figure past 28 days and ends the fee.
How Amazon decides
Amazon measures each product's historical days of supply: the average number of units you had at Amazon each day ÷ the average number it shipped each day. It works this out twice, over the last 30 days and over the last 90 days.
- The fee applies only when both figures are under 28 days (four weeks). The higher of the two sets the rate.
- Stock means sellable units in Amazon's US warehouses, including units moving between warehouses and units being processed. Shipments still on their way in, unsellable units and units waiting for removal don't count.
- Shipped units include orders Amazon fulfills for your other sales channels (Multi-Channel Fulfillment).
- Since January 15, 2026 the figure is worked out for each FNSKU (your SKU) instead of the whole parent ASIN, and small and large bulky items pay it too. Amazon updates it weekly; the latest figure sets the fee for units shipped that week.
What it costs
Per unit shipped, added to the FBA fulfillment fee:
| Size tier | Under 14 days of supply | 14 to 21 days of supply | 21 to 28 days of supply |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small standard (up to 16 oz) | $0.89 | $0.63 | $0.32 |
| Large standard, up to 3 lb | $0.97 | $0.70 | $0.36 |
| Large standard, over 3 lb | $1.11 | $0.87 | $0.47 |
| Small bulky | $1.85 | $1.02 | $0.51 |
| Large bulky | $2.09 | $1.15 | $0.57 |
Who doesn't pay
- Products that shipped fewer than 20 units in the last 7 days.
- Extra-large items, and the Grocery category.
- New Professional sellers, for 365 days after Amazon first receives their inventory.
- New products enrolled in FBA New Selection, for their first 180 days.
- SKUs where Amazon Warehousing and Distribution auto-replenished 70% or more of the stock over the last 90 days.
If the fee is caused by an inbound shipment Amazon itself delayed (Amazon Partnered Carrier or Amazon Global Logistics, picked up on time and with tracking), Amazon refunds it automatically the following month.
How to avoid it
- Keep more than four weeks of stock. Many sellers aim for six to eight weeks so a good sales week doesn't tip them under.
- Fix the 30-day figure first. It moves fastest: keep your average stock over the next month above 28 days of sales.
- A strong 90-day history protects you. Because the higher figure counts, a sudden spike such as a Prime Day deal won't trigger the fee if you had plenty of stock before it.
- Watch FBA Inventory. It shows each product's historical days of supply and the fee it would pay per unit.
- Short of space? If a capacity limit stops you sending stock, free room by removing or liquidating slow sellers. The storage fee calculator shows what those are costing you.
Where it shows up
You won't find it as its own line in your payout: Amazon adds it to the FBA fulfillment fee on each order. Transaction View's fee explainer and the SKU Economics report show it separately.
MyProfit's free fee check compares what Amazon charged per unit on every order with your usual rate. It doesn't count a step the size of this fee as an overcharge unless Amazon's own measurements of the product changed, so you know which higher fees to claim back and which to fix with more stock.
Source: Amazon's "Low-inventory-level fee" page in Seller Central, checked October 2, 2026. Amazon can change its fees; FBA Inventory and your Fee Preview report are the final word.
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