Amazon FBA reimbursement may just be the thing that helps you increase your cash flow and grow your Amazon FBA business. Curious? Keep reading.

With the volume of sales on Amazon and the amount of processed inventory, it’s not hard to see that mistakes or discrepancies do happen at a fairly high rate.

We’ll outline what FBA reimbursements are, along with the main discrepancy types so you can learn ways to increase your cash flow and flourish your Amazon business.

Amazon FBA Reimbursement - What Does it Mean?

When sellers choose Amazon FBA as their fulfillment route, they agree to pay specific fees, so Amazon handles the packing, prepping, shipping, and critical points of logistics of their products.

But it would be an oversight to assume as large an online marketplace like Amazon is that they don’t make mistakes in reimbursing you these fees when they go missing, or are damaged, or even destroyed.

An Amazon FBA reimbursement is reimbursement of some if not all fees when your inventory has been lost, damaged, destroyed, or disposed of.

Amazon FBA Reimbursement Types

So you’re probably thinking, great, show me the money!

We’ll get there shortly, but first, it’s essential to know that you may qualify for several different types of Amazon FBA reimbursements, and the best way to learn is to perform a full Amazon audit on all of your transactions. You’re able to review data in your Amazon selling account up to the last 18 months, looking for discrepancies.

See below for the main types of Amazon FBA reimbursements:

#1: Lost, Damaged, or Destroyed FBA Inventory

While we know Amazon has its service down to a science, we also understand that with the sheer volume of logistics in place combined with the number of processed orders, inventory does get damaged and goes missing.

Inventory can be damaged on transit to an Amazon FBA warehouse or lost in any fulfillment center. Local shipping companies delivering your orders on behalf of Amazon can also damage your inventory in transit. Lastly, there are times where inventory has supposedly shipped to various marketplaces in multi-channel fulfillment centers but is not received.

Damaged or disposed inventory can be inventory that was destroyed without a seller’s permission. Amazon has the authority to make these decisions, but the decision can be incorrect, causing you to lose inventory and profits. These instances qualify for Amazon FBA reimbursement.

#2: Customer Returns and Refunds

What happens with all those Amazon FBA returns? One of the benefits customers love about Amazon is its return policy. Often Amazon favors the customer and does its best to ensure a return or refund even if the product is not sent back, all to ensure customer satisfaction.

Unfortunately, certain peak seasons and or products will see a high return and refund rate. These returns and refunds can impact a seller’s bottom line. Luckily, in some of these instances, these returns and refunds qualify for Amazon FBA reimbursement.

Keeping tabs on your returns and refunds will help you navigate your inventory, but another great option is a complete Amazon audit if you have too many SKUs. Because returns and refunds are high on Amazon, and Amazon audit can help sellers find a more significant number of discrepancies.

#3: Overcharge of Amazon FBA Fees

Unfortunately, many Amazon sellers fail to understand the scope of accounting their Amazon FBA business requires. This means a lack of time and dedication to performing a comprehensive accounting audit which can leave sellers with missing funds.

Examples of overcharges in accounting and Amazon FBA fees can be incorrect chargebacks, incorrect charges for weight and dimensions, and possible approved FBA reimbursements that your account did not receive.

Find Your Missing Money with Amazon FBA Reimbursement Services

So if you’ve gotten this far, you’re probably wondering, okay, what’s the easiest possible way to recover your funds? Keep reading….

Finding Amazon FBA reimbursements is like a treasure hunt with a pot of gold on the other side of the rainbow, but it does take time, and it can be tedious work. It’s worth it, though, because it’s your money after all.

You can perform your own Amazon audit, and file Amazon claims yourself. The thing is, you also have to deal with the back and forth between you and Amazon seller central support. If you’ve been selling on Amazon for a while, you know the pain that can exist when having to navigate seller support, not to mention the time you will need to invest.

There are solutions out there that can help you recover your Amazon FBA reimbursements, but not every service will be equal. Always do your research and look for things such as:

1. Is the solution a part of the Amazon Service Provider Network?
2. How detailed of an audit do they perform?
3. What do they charge?
4. Are they known in the Amazon community?

Amazon FBA Reimbursement Solutions

• Amazon Service Provider Network

Before hiring anyone and providing access to your Amazon Seller Central account, properly vet all prospects. Many virtual assistants may provide Amazon FBA reimbursement services, but there can be risks with granting anyone not a part of the ASPN access to your account.

Being a member of the Amazon Service Provider Network means the solutions and or services have been carefully audited and vetted by Amazon and are trusted in your seller central to recover funds on your behalf. Always ask if your service or solution provider is a part of this trusted network.

A great way to leverage your time is by hiring an Amazon FBA reimbursement service or a virtual assistant. Because of the amount of data there is to review when looking for FBA reimbursements, a VA with experience in Amazon will be an asset. Be sure that they understand Amazon and are used to performing this type of detail-orientated work. You’ll want to recover the most amount of money back into your business.

• Amazon FBA Audits

It’s best to find an FBA reimbursement solution that provides extensive auditing. Discrepancy auditing is essential to your Amazon business so that your account is reviewed for the maximum amount of reimbursements you may qualify for. While each service or solution will likely audit your account to an extent, more detailed audits will prove worthwhile to your bottom line.

Filing audits and sifting through Amazon reports can be time-consuming and detailed work that you may not have time for. This is when outsourcing will prove beneficial as it will allow you to focus on other vital areas of your business while leaving reimbursements to the experts.

Another great tip is to ask your potential service provider if they submit manual audits or if their system is automated. Automation, in some cases, can leave hard to find FBA reimbursements behind. Remember, maximum recovery should be your goal!

• Fee Structures

Each solution or service will offer different fee structures. Some will charge a fee based on your sales, while others will charge only based on a model called Pay Per Recovery.

Pay Per Recovery means a fee is charged only based on the amount recovered. Say, for example, the pay-per-recovery fee is 25%, and the solution recovers $100; you are only charged $25.

Also, look out for long-term commitments or subscription fees. It’s worth it to understand how you’re being charged for your Amazon FBA Reimbursement solution so that you can scale your business effectively.

• Amazon FBA Community

Leaders in the Amazon industry, whatever type of service or solution, have a reputation to uphold. Review any service provider reviews and look out for any awards they may have won for their software.

You want a solution provider who is up to date with all things Amazon FBA and in the know, and therefore being active in the Amazon community is vital.

Conclusion

Amazon FBA cash flow is most Amazon seller’s biggest pain point, and while it can be challenging, there are certainly ways to manage cash flow better to support the growth of your business.

Mistakes will always happen in any business, regardless if you sell on Amazon or not. But, if you’re an Amazon seller, it’s wise to educate yourself a little about FBA reimbursements and learn about solutions like GETIDA that can help you recover the maximum amount of funds you are owed.

Get $400 free in Amazon FBA reimbursements with GETIDA.

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