Checklist: When Should You Request an Amazon FBA Reimbursement vs. Keep Investigating?
Not every missing unit or delayed shipment automatically qualifies for an Amazon FBA reimbursement. In many cases, inventory that's marked as "missing" eventually gets received, transferred, or reconciled by Amazon without any action on your part. Filing a reimbursement request too early can lead to unnecessary back-and-forth, while waiting too long could mean missing important deadlines or overlooking a bigger inventory issue.
Before opening a case, it's worth taking a few minutes to verify what's actually happening. This checklist will help you identify whether your inventory is simply delayed, still being processed, or showing signs that it's time to escalate and request reimbursement.
✅ Step 1: Confirm the inventory status
Check whether the shipment or inventory is still:
- In Receiving
- In Transit
- Under Investigation
- Closed
If Amazon is still processing the shipment, it may simply need more time.
✅ Step 2: Compare your shipped vs. received quantities
Review your shipment details and look for:
- Missing units
- Unexpected overages or shortages
- Units that haven't been checked in
Small discrepancies sometimes resolve automatically after reconciliation.
✅ Step 3: Check if Amazon has already acknowledged the issue
Look for notifications about:
- Lost inventory
- Damaged inventory
- Customer returns
- Inventory adjustments
If Amazon has already recognized the problem, additional investigation may not be necessary.
✅ Step 4: Gather supporting documentation
Before requesting reimbursement, make sure you have:
- Shipment IDs
- Tracking information
- Proof of delivery (if applicable)
- Invoices or supplier documentation (when requested)
Having everything ready helps avoid unnecessary back-and-forth.
✅ Step 5: Consider the shipment age
If the shipment is still within Amazon's normal receiving window, waiting may be the better option.
If it's well beyond the expected processing timeframe with no movement, it's usually time to investigate further.
✅ Step 6: Look for patterns
Ask yourself:
- Is this affecting multiple shipments?
- Is the same SKU repeatedly going missing?
- Has this happened before?
Recurring issues often require more than a standard reimbursement request.
✅ Step 7: Decide your next step
Continue investigating if:
- The shipment is still actively being received.
- Inventory counts are changing.
- Amazon has an open investigation.
- Required documents are still missing.
Request reimbursement if:
- The shipment has stopped progressing.
- Inventory has been confirmed lost or damaged.
- Amazon's investigation has concluded.
- You have the documentation needed to support your claim.
Final Tip
Many reimbursement requests are delayed or denied simply because they're submitted too early or without enough supporting evidence. Taking a few extra minutes to verify the issue first can save days of back-and-forth with Amazon.
Need a second opinion on your case? Seller Candy offers free consultations to help Amazon sellers determine the best next step before filing a reimbursement request.