Amazon FBA Reimbursement Complete Guide 2025 — Recover Every Dollar You’re Owed

What Changed in 2025 — The Two Key Policy Updates

Amazon implemented two major changes to its FBA reimbursement policy in 2025 that every seller needs to understand. These changes reduced how much sellers can recover if they continue using old processes or automated tools.

Change 1: The 60-Day Claim Window (January 2025)

Before January 2025, Amazon FBA sellers had up to 18 months to file reimbursement claims for discrepancies. Amazon reduced this window to just 60 days. Any discrepancy older than 60 days cannot be claimed — permanently, with no appeal, no exception.

This is the single biggest change to FBA reimbursements in years. It means:

• A lost inventory unit from 61 days ago is gone regardless of how valid the claim is
• Weekly or monthly auditing is no longer sufficient — daily auditing is the only safe approach
• Automated tools that batch-process claims periodically will consistently miss the window
• Sellers who do not audit daily are permanently losing money on every expired claim

Change 2: Manufacturing Cost Reimbursement (March 2025)

Before March 2025, Amazon calculated reimbursements based on the estimated selling price of the product. From March 2025, Amazon reimburses at manufacturing cost (COGS) — what it cost you to produce or source the item, not what you sell it for.

This change has two important consequences:

• You must submit accurate cost documentation (COGS evidence) with every reimbursement claim
• If you do not submit documentation, Amazon uses its own internal cost estimates — which are frequently 30–50% below your actual production cost

What Types of FBA Discrepancies Are Reimbursable

Amazon generates errors across six main categories. Each has a different cause, a different way of being identified, and a different documentation requirement.

The total for a mid-size FBA seller typically ranges from $1,000 to $5,000 per month in recoverable discrepancies — most of which go unclaimed without a systematic daily audit.

How to File a Reimbursement Claim on Amazon

Reimbursement claims are filed through Amazon Seller Central. The process differs slightly depending on the type of discrepancy, but the general steps are:

1. Identify the discrepancy — Review your inventory adjustments, shipment reports, customer returns reports, and fee charges in Seller Central
2. Prepare documentation — For 2025 claims, you need your manufacturing cost evidence (supplier invoice, purchase order, or landed cost calculation) and any supporting shipment or return data
3. Open a case in Seller Central — Go to Help → Get Support → Selling on Amazon → FBA issue and select the appropriate category
4. Submit with full evidence — Include the ASIN, FNSKU, the specific discrepancy date and quantity, your cost documentation, and a clear description of the issue
5. Track the case — Monitor for Amazon's response and be ready to provide additional documentation if the claim is denied
6. Appeal denials — Most denials are not final. A well-evidenced appeal with strengthened documentation is often successful

Manufacturing Cost Documentation Explained

Since March 2025, every reimbursement claim requires manufacturing cost evidence. Amazon uses this to calculate the payout amount. Without it, Amazon applies its own internal estimate which is typically far lower than your actual cost.

Acceptable forms of cost documentation include:

• Supplier invoices — The most straightforward evidence. Must show unit cost clearly in a currency Amazon can verify
• Purchase orders — Acceptable if they show per-unit pricing and have been fulfilled
• Landed cost calculations — A documented breakdown of product cost + freight + duties + other import costs per unit
• Manufacturing records — For private label sellers who manufacture their own products

The documentation must be current and accurate. Outdated invoices from 2 years ago for a product whose cost has changed significantly will not reflect your actual manufacturing cost and may be challenged by Amazon.

The 60-Day Window — Why Daily Auditing Is Now Essential

The 60-day claim window is not 60 business days — it is 60 calendar days from the date of the discrepancy. For a lost inventory event that happened on March 1, the deadline is April 30. After that date, the claim cannot be filed regardless of its validity.

This is why daily auditing has gone from "good practice" to "essential". Consider the math:

• An FBA seller receiving 200 shipments per month has a new discrepancy window opening every day
• A weekly audit means discrepancies from day 1–7 are already 7 days expired before you even see them
• If you also spend 1–2 weeks preparing documentation and filing, you are regularly working within 30–40 days of the deadline
• Any delay in case processing, denial and re-filing, or documentation preparation can push you past day 60

Common Mistakes That Cost Sellers Money

In working with FBA sellers across the US, UK and India, these are the most common mistakes that result in permanently lost reimbursements:

• Not auditing at all — A significant proportion of sellers have never filed a reimbursement claim. Money is being left in Amazon's account permanently
• Using automated tools without reviewing their output — Automated tools often miss complex discrepancies and submit generic claims that get rejected
• Missing the 60-day window — The most expensive mistake. Once expired, the money is gone regardless of how valid the claim was
• Submitting without cost documentation — Results in Amazon using its own (lower) cost estimate, permanently reducing your payout
• Not appealing denials — Most initial denials are not permanent. A strengthened appeal with better documentation is often successful
• Claiming fee overcharges at the wrong tier — If you claim a Large Bulky fee overcharge but your product is actually Large Standard, Amazon will reject the claim. Each fee overcharge needs precise tier and weight documentation

How Much Can You Typically Recover

Recovery amounts vary significantly based on account size, category, and volume. The industry benchmark is that FBA sellers typically lose 1–3% of annual revenue to reimbursable discrepancies that go unclaimed.

A free audit from SeahorseDesk takes 48–72 hours and will show you exactly what is recoverable in your specific account — no estimates, just actual identified discrepancies.

When to Use a Professional Reconciliation Service

Self-filing is possible if you have the time and expertise to audit daily, prepare cost documentation for every claim, and manage the appeals process. For most sellers, this is not practical alongside running the business itself.

A professional reconciliation service makes sense when:

• You sell more than $10,000/month on FBA — the recovery amount makes professional fees worthwhile
• You do not have dedicated time to audit daily and manage cases
• You are not confident in preparing manufacturing cost documentation correctly
• You have had claims denied and need help with the appeals process
• You want to ensure compliance with Amazon's current 2025 policies without risk to your account

SeahorseDesk charges a commission only on what we actually recover — so if we find nothing, you pay nothing. The free audit itself is a low-risk way to find out whether there is money to recover before making any commitment.