Weekly Updates from Amazon: Key Changes You Need to Know

Amazon has rolled out several important updates that sellers need to be aware of to optimize their operations and adapt to new requirements. Here’s a breakdown of the most significant changes this week:

1. Partial Shipment Splits Are Being Phased Out

Effective Date: February 20, 2025

Amazon will eliminate the partial shipment splits option, which means sellers will have only two choices when sending inventory to fulfillment centers:

1. Single Destination Shipment with a Fee: You can send your entire inventory to one designated Amazon fulfillment center, but this option will incur an inbound placement service fee.
2. Multiple Destination Shipments for Free: Distribute your inventory across five or more Amazon fulfillment centers without additional fees.

This change is designed to improve inventory distribution efficiency and streamline Amazon’s inbound shipment process. Sellers are encouraged to review their logistics strategies and calculate the costs associated with each option to determine the best approach for their operations.

2. New Inventory Defect and Reimbursement (IDR) Portal

Launched Today

Amazon has introduced the Inventory Defect and Reimbursement (IDR) portal, which aims to streamline operations and provide greater transparency for FBA inventory-related defects and reimbursements. This centralized tool helps sellers manage warehouse lost items, warehouse damage, and customer returns.

Key Features of the IDR Portal

• Complete Visibility: Access all inventory-related defects and their statuses in one place.
• Detailed Defect Information: View specifics for each defect, including type, creation date, actions taken, reasons, and current status.
• Comprehensive Insights: Consolidates data from multiple reports and policy checks to identify reimbursable opportunities.
• Defect Trends and Insights: Analyze defect frequency and understand the rationale behind resolutions.

What’s Not Included

The IDR portal does not cover:

• Items missing from inbound shipments
• Removals
• Warehouse disposals

How to Access the IDR Portal

1. Go to your FBA dashboard in Seller Central.
2. Under the Inventory dropdown, select Inventory Defect and Reimbursement.
3. Alternatively, access the portal through the Reimbursements report.

This tool is a step forward in helping sellers identify reimbursement opportunities and streamline inventory management.

What These Updates Mean for Sellers

• Impact of Shipment Changes: Removing partial shipment splits may require sellers to reconsider their fulfillment strategies, balancing cost and efficiency.
• Enhanced Reimbursement Visibility: The IDR portal simplifies the process of tracking defects and securing reimbursements, saving sellers time and effort.

Sellers can optimize their workflows, minimize losses, and ensure compliance with Amazon’s evolving requirements by staying on top of these changes.

You can also access the IDR portal through the Reimbursements report.

For more information, go to the Inventory Defect and Reimbursement (IDR) Portal.