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Amazon Inbound Placement Fee and Low-Inventory Fee
The inbound placement fee is a per-unit charge Amazon adds when you send FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) inventory to fewer fulfillment centers than it would choose. Pick the Amazon-optimized split and there's no fee. The low-inventory-level fee is a per-unit charge on units shipped when your stock runs below 28 days of supply on both the 30-day and 90-day measures. One fee punishes sending stock the cheap way. The other punishes running too lean.
Key takeaways
- Inbound placement has three options: minimal split (one location), partial split (a few locations) and Amazon-optimized split (no fee).
- Rates were updated on 15 January 2026 and depend on size tier, weight and the destination region.
- The low-inventory-level fee applies only when both the 30-day and 90-day days of supply are below 28 days.
- Since 15 January 2026, days of supply is measured per FNSKU (each variation), and bulky items are included.
- Keeping roughly 5–8 weeks of steady stock at Amazon avoids the low-inventory fee without creating aged inventory.
What is the inbound placement fee?
When you create a shipment in Send to Amazon (Inventory > Send to Amazon in Seller Central), Amazon offers placement options. Each one tells you how many fulfillment centers your boxes go to and what placement fee you'll pay.
| Option | Where your stock goes | Placement fee |
|---|---|---|
| Minimal shipment split | One inbound location | Highest per-unit fee |
| Partial shipment split | Usually two to three locations | Lower per-unit fee |
| Amazon-optimized split | Several locations Amazon chooses | No fee |
The fee pays Amazon to move your inventory around its own network so it sits close to customers. If you send it all to one place, Amazon does that work, and charges you for it.
How much is the inbound placement fee?
The fee is per unit. It depends on:
- Size tier and weight. Since 15 January 2026, small standard has its own weight bands, large standard has more bands up to 20 lb, and bulky items are split into small bulky and large bulky.
- Option chosen. Minimal costs more than partial. Optimized is free.
- Destination region. Amazon can charge different rates depending on where the inbound location is.
As a rough guide, small and light standard-size units pay cents per unit on a minimal split, heavier large standard items pay more, and bulky items can pay several dollars per unit. Amazon shows the exact fee for each option before you confirm a shipment, so always compare them on screen. Extra-large items are not charged a placement fee.
New sellers can get help here. Amazon's FBA New Selection program offers credits, including a credit toward inbound placement costs, for eligible new products. See Amazon's FBA pricing page for current offers.
Worked example: is the free option really cheaper?
The optimized split has no placement fee, but you pay freight to more destinations. Here's how to compare. These freight and fee numbers are hypothetical, so plug in your own quotes.
Say you're sending 2,000 small standard units in 40 cartons.
| Cost line | Minimal split (1 location) | Amazon-optimized (4 locations) |
|---|---|---|
| Placement fee (example $0.25/unit) | $500 | $0 |
| Freight (example quotes) | $650 (one LTL pallet run) | $980 (four small-parcel or LTL shipments) |
| Total | $1,150 | $980 |
| Per unit | $0.58 | $0.49 |
In this example, optimized wins by $170. But change the numbers and the answer flips. Heavy or bulky goods going cross-country can make the minimal split cheaper overall. Always compare placement fee + freight, not the fee alone. Check this per shipment. Rates and freight quotes change.
Speed matters too. With a single location, your stock can take longer to spread across the network, so it may not be close to every customer in the first weeks after it's received.
What is the low-inventory-level fee?
Amazon wants enough stock in its network to deliver fast. If you run lean, it charges a per-unit fee on units shipped while your supply is low.
How it's calculated
Amazon measures historical days of supply:
Days of supply = average daily units on hand ÷ average daily units shipped
It checks two periods:
- Short-term: the last 30 days
- Long-term: the last 90 days
The fee applies only when both are below 28 days. If either one is 28 days or more, you're clear. The 90-day measure acts as a buffer, so one short stockout won't trigger the fee straight away. Amazon recalculates weekly.
Two important changes took effect on 15 January 2026:
- Days of supply is now measured per seller FNSKU (each variation on its own), not across the parent ASIN. One thin size or color can be charged even if the family is well stocked.
- Small bulky and large bulky items are now included. Grocery items are exempt.
Low-inventory-level fee rates
The fee rises the lower your supply is. Standard-size rates below are the published US rates as reported for 2026 (per unit shipped); bulky rates were added in January 2026 and we could not confirm them, so check Seller Central:
| Size tier | Weight | Under 14 days | 14–21 days | 21–28 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 3–20 lb | $1.11 | $0.87 | $0.47 |
| Small bulky | Up to 50 lb | Check Seller Central | Check Seller Central | Check Seller Central |
| Large bulky | Up to 50 lb | Check Seller Central | Check Seller Central | Check Seller Central |
Amazon can change these, so confirm the current rate for your ASINs in Seller Central's fee preview.
Exemptions
You won't pay the low-inventory-level fee on:
- Products that sold fewer than 20 units in the previous 7 days
- All products of new professional sellers, for 365 days after their first FBA inventory is received
- New parent products in the FBA New Selection program, for 180 days
- SKUs where most replenishment (70% or more) comes through AWD (Amazon Warehousing and Distribution) auto-replenishment
- Grocery items and extra-large items
Worked example: running lean
Say your large standard product (under 3 lb) sells 20 units a day.
- On hand, averaged over the last 30 days: 300 units → 300 ÷ 20 = 15 days
- Over the last 90 days the average is 360 units → 18 days
Both are under 28, so the fee applies. The rate band uses the higher of the two figures, 18 days, which is the 14–21 day band. At $0.70 per unit and roughly 600 units shipped a month, the fee is about $420 a month.
To clear it, you need either measure at 28 days or more. At 20 units a day, that's an average of at least 560 units on hand. In practice, aim higher so normal swings in sales don't drop you back under.
You can see how a fee like this changes your unit economics in our free FBA Profit Calculator.
How the two fees push against each other
These fees pull in opposite directions:
- Send big, infrequent, single-location shipments to save on freight, and you pay placement fees and risk aged inventory and storage surcharges.
- Send small, frequent shipments to keep storage low, and you risk dropping under 28 days of supply.
The sweet spot for most sellers is steady replenishment: enough stock at Amazon to stay comfortably above 28 days, but not so much that units age past 180 days. Many sellers aim for about 5–8 weeks of cover at Amazon, with more held in a 3PL or AWD to top up. Our inventory restock planning guide shows how to set reorder points.
Step-by-step: avoid both fees
- Check days of supply weekly. In Seller Central, the FBA inventory view shows historical days of supply per SKU. Flag anything under 35 days.
- Set reorder points from lead time. Reorder point = daily sales × (supplier lead time + shipping time + receiving time) + safety stock.
- Track each variation. Since 2026 the fee is per FNSKU, so check sizes and colors separately.
- Compare placement options on every shipment. Add the placement fee and your freight quote for each option. Pick the lowest total, not the lowest fee.
- Make cartons optimized-friendly. Packing identical cartons (same SKU, same quantity) makes it easier to split shipments across locations.
- Plan around peak. Amazon sets earlier inbound cut-off dates for big events. Missing them can leave you short just as sales spike.
- Review fees monthly. Check Payments > Transaction view or your fee reports for placement and low-inventory charges, then fix the SKUs causing them.
Common mistakes
- Choosing the minimal split by default without pricing the optimized option.
- Comparing fees but not freight. The free option isn't always cheaper overall.
- Watching the parent ASIN only. A single variation can trigger the low-inventory fee on its own.
- Cutting stock to avoid storage fees and landing under 28 days.
- Forgetting new sellers' exemptions end. Plan stock levels before your 365-day window closes.
For the rest of your fee stack, see our Amazon FBA fees 2026 guide.
Bottom line
The inbound placement fee charges you for sending stock to too few fulfillment centers, and the low-inventory-level fee charges you for running below 28 days of supply on both the 30-day and 90-day measures. Compare placement fee plus freight on every shipment, track days of supply per variation, and keep steady stock at Amazon. Good restock planning avoids both fees without tipping you into storage and aged inventory charges.
Frequently asked questions
How do I avoid the Amazon inbound placement fee?
Choose the Amazon-optimized shipment split when you create a shipment in Send to Amazon. It sends your inventory to several fulfillment centers chosen by Amazon and carries no placement fee. You will usually pay more in freight, so compare the total cost of each option before you confirm.
What triggers the low-inventory-level fee?
Amazon charges it per unit shipped when your historical days of supply is below 28 days on both the short-term (30-day) and long-term (90-day) measures. If either measure is 28 days or more, no fee applies.
Do new sellers pay the low-inventory-level fee?
New professional sellers are exempt for their first 365 days after their first FBA inventory is received, and new parent products in the FBA New Selection program get a 180-day exemption. Products that sold fewer than 20 units in the previous 7 days are also exempt.
Is the inbound placement fee charged on every shipment?
It is charged on standard-size and bulky units whenever you pick the minimal or partial split option. Amazon-optimized splits have no placement fee, and extra-large items are not charged the fee.
Where can I see my historical days of supply?
In Seller Central, the FBA inventory view shows a historical days of supply figure for each SKU, along with any low-inventory-level fee estimate. It displays the higher of the short-term and long-term figures.
Amazon fees, policies and features change often. Figures here were checked in October 2026; confirm current rates in Seller Central before making pricing or budget decisions. Sotrics is not affiliated with Amazon.