The Amazon FBA Reimbursement report is a key resource for sellers using Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA). It details reimbursements issued by Amazon for lost, damaged, or returned inventory, as well as other issues, helping sellers track their compensation for discrepancies in the fulfillment process.
By regularly reviewing this report, sellers can ensure that all eligible reimbursements are properly processed and identify any issues that might need further attention.
Main Steps In Decoding The Amazon Reimbursement Report
The Report is a valuable tool for monitoring the status and specifics of your reimbursements. It helps sellers to stay informed about the progress of their claims.
In this article, we will cover these main steps when reviewing your report:
- Where to find it
- What do the report columns mean
- What do the reasons for reimbursement mean
- How to analyze the data
- How to make cross-references
Quick Overview Of FBA Reimbursements
Before we dive into the Amazon inventory Reimbursement report, let's reiterate key points from the FBA Reimbursement Policy.
What is an Amazon seller reimbursement?
A seller reimbursement is a compensation Amazon provides sellers for lost, damaged, or otherwise mishandled inventory within the FBA fulfillment process.
What are the inventory criteria for reimbursement eligibility?
- Your items must comply with FBA’s standards & be sent exactly as specified in your shipping plan.
- Items must not have pending disposal or be disposed of
- No defects or damage by customers.
- No shipment cancellations or deletions.
What are your account criteria for reimbursement eligibility?
- Your FBA registration has to be up-to-date.
- Your seller account should be in good standing.
For a more in-depth look, check out this article about Amazon Reimbursement Policy.
What type of claim to file?
It depends on the state of inventory in which the error occurred. There are four types of claims:
- Shipment to Amazon: inventory was damaged/lost while being delivered to Amazon FBA warehouses.
- Fulfillment Center Operations: inventory was damaged/lost while in the FBA facility.
- Customer Returns: inventory was damaged/lost while being returned.
- Removals: inventory was damaged/lost while being delivered from the FBA center to your warehouse.
Note 1: there can be other errors that happen during any of these states, such as incorrect fees, removal items returned not as expected, or other discrepancies.
Note 2: you will have to provide proof and other documentation when making a claim. Also, you'll have to raise a case within the specific time window.
Handling so many variables can be complex and time-consuming. Hiring a seller reimbursement service such as Regainables will take the load off you and increase your chances of winning cases and getting more refunds.
How Does Amazon Calculate Your Reimbursement?
In your Reimbursement report Amazon will either accept or deny your claim. If accepted, you will either receive a replacement or a refund.
When issuing a refund, Amazon considers several factors, including your median sales price for the item over the past 18 months, the median sales prices of other sellers for the same period, as well as both your current list price and the current list prices of other sellers. The maximum amount per unit is usually $5,000, but you can appeal this decision if needed.
How To Find Amazon Seller Central Reimbursement Report?
To find your report, follow these steps in Amazon Seller Central:
- Go to Reports > Fulfillment > Payments > Transaction View
- Click the “Reimbursements” transaction type
- Specify the date range
- Generate the report
- You can do this regularly to stay up-to-date
What Do The Columns Mean?
In the Reimbursement report for sellers, your data will be spread out in different columns. Here’s what each of them means:
Approval Date - the date when the reimbursement was approved.
Reimbursement ID - ID for the specific reimbursement transaction.
Case ID - ID for the raised case (if Amazon reimbursed you on their own, there won’t be a case ID; also, one case may contain a few reimbursements).
Amazon Order ID - order number associated with the reimbursement.
Reason - the reason for the reimbursement / the nature of the error.
SKU - the seller’s unique product number used internally in the store.
FNSKU - product number used in the shipping process.
ASIN - Amazon’s unique product number used for Amazon’s platform.
Product Name - your product’s title.
Condition - the condition of the product that’s being reimbursed.
Currency Unit - the currency in which the seller will be refunded.
Amount Per Unit - the value of reimbursement for a single unit.
Amount Total - the total value of all units for this reimbursement.
Quantity Reimbursed [Cash] - how many items were refunded.
Quantity Reimbursed [Inventory] - how many items were restocked.
Quantity Reimbursed [Total] - how many items were reimbursed in total (cash + inventory).
Original Reimbursement ID - the reason for the original reimbursement (for reimbursement reversals only).
Original Reimbursement Type - the ID of the original reimbursement, which is the subject of the reversal (for reimbursement reversals only).
A Closer Look At The Reason Column
Look through your Amazon FBA inventory Reimbursement report. Under the “Reason” column, you will see what the issue with the product was. There are a few common reasons:
Damaged: Inbound/Outbound - inventory was damaged in transit.
Damaged: Warehouse - inventory was damaged while in the FBA facility.
Lost: Inbound/Outbound - inventory was lost in transit.
Lost: Warehouse - inventory was lost while in the FBA facility.
Customer Return - inventory was damaged/lost while being returned.
Reimbursement: Reversal - Amazon decides to take back refunded money (reimbursement case had issues/inventory was found after the fact).
These are just a few examples that sellers run into most often. You may encounter other reasons as well, but usually, in the Reimbursement report FBA Amazon makes it self-explanatory.
How To Analyze The Report’s Data
First, to conveniently filter and analyze the data, download the Amazon seller Reimbursement report as a spreadsheet. Then, you’ll be able to create desired filters to organize and compare different parameters of your reimbursements.
Once you have all your data ready, look for patterns. Maybe a certain type of product keeps getting overcharged for the wrong size. Maybe damaged product correlations show you which packaging could be improved. Maybe a particular product gets returned more often than any other.
Noticing concurrences in the Amazon FBA seller Reimbursement report can give you insights about your inventory.
What Reports Should Be Cross-Referenced For Maximum Efficiency?
Seeing patterns within the report is good.
Seeing patterns across many reports is even better.
Consider comparing your Reimbursement report to the Customer Returns report, Received Inventory report, Inventory Adjustments report, Daily Inventory report, or any other that will give you more insight into the issue. This will ensure that you, as a seller, are fully reimbursed for all you are owed.
Reimbursement Services: Why It’s The Best Way
Partnering with a reimbursement service like Regainables offers numerous advantages. With us, you can simplify the process and maximize your refunds.
Handling The Workload
Regainables takes care of the entire reimbursement process on your behalf, from filing claims to managing appeals. Our team of experts fights for your cases, saving you time and effort.
User-Friendly Platform
Our services are easy to use, with a dedicated platform that allows you to track your reimbursements in real time. You can monitor the status of your claims and stay informed with minimal hassle.
Monthly Reports
We provide clear monthly reports, giving you a complete overview of your recovered funds and ongoing claims. This transparency helps you keep your finances in check.
Broader Fund-Recovery Scope
Unlike the competition, Regainables also specializes in removals and services across more EU countries. This broader scope increases the number of cases and chances of recovering additional funds.
Transparency and Fair Pricing
We operate with honesty and transparency, staying in touch with our clients. We charge only a success fee for the reimbursements we recover. Recovered inventory is free of charge, and we ensure that any clawbacks are credited back to you, guaranteeing you the full benefit of our services.
Regainables takes the hassle out of the process. Our advanced auditing technology continuously checks your account in real time, catching refunds that might otherwise be missed, even the tricky ones. You'll recover more funds by working with us than by handling the auditing yourself. Sign up today and let Regainables recover funds for your business—no manual work required!
