5 Months – No Resolution – 120 FBA Units Missing – ASIN XXXXXXXX

“Five months after sending 120 units (ASIN XXXXXXXX) to FBA, the carrier shows delivery but Amazon never received them into inventory. I’ve submitted invoices and shipping docs multiple times and keep getting canned replies—no reimbursement, no adjustment. Metrics are suffering and we’re out of stock. How do I force a real investigation and get paid?” - FGN

You don’t wait for Seller Support to connect the dots—you hand them the dots, numbered, timestamped, and impossible to ignore. Missing FBA inventory is solvable when you run a tight evidence package, route it to the right back-office team, and apply pressure on a schedule. Here’s the playbook that gets results.

Step 1: Lock down your evidence package (make it audit-proof)

Build a single PDF or folder you can attach to every case. Structure it the same way every time:

• Shipment overview

• Shipment ID(s), ASIN(s), SKU(s), units sent, units received (0), FC name/location, and delivery date/time.

• Carrier proof

• BOL, PRO/tracking number, SCAC, carrier delivery confirmation with timestamp and geo, signed POD if LTL/FTL.

  1. For SPD: all tracking numbers, scan history, and “Delivered to Amazon facility” screenshot.

• Inventory documents

• Commercial invoice matching the shipment contents and quantities.

  1. Packing list with carton count, carton weights/dimensions, and FNSKU/ASIN.

  2. If LTL/FTL: pallet count, pallet IDs, and case labels/photos if available.

• Labeling compliance

• Proof of correct FNSKU labels, box labels, and pallet labels (photos work).

• Reconciliation summary

• A one-page timeline: shipped date, delivered date, first case date, follow-ups, canned responses received.

Keep file names clean and obvious. Example: “ShipmentID-1234_POD.pdf,” “ShipmentID-1234_Invoice.pdf.”

Step 2: Open the right investigation path (not generic support)

Route your case to the team that handles discrepancies:

• Go to: Help > Get Support > Selling on Amazon > Fulfillment by Amazon > Investigate shipment > “Units missing” or “Inbound shipment discrepancy.”

• Provide a numbered, bulletproof summary:

1) Shipment ID: [ID], ASIN: X004DW0OU3, Units sent: 120, Received: 0

2) Delivered to FC [Code/Name] on [MM/DD] at [HH:MM], attached POD and carrier scans

3) Attached: invoice, packing list, labels, carton/pallet details

4) Request: “Open FC-level investigation and reconcile against inbound logs; if inventory not found within SLA, issue reimbursement per FBA policy”

Attach your evidence bundle. Ask for a “reconciliation at the fulfillment center level” and “payout per FBA Lost and Damaged Inventory Reimbursement Policy” if not resolved.

Step 3: Escalate with precision and a clock

Don’t linger in reply loops. Run a 72-hour escalation cycle:

• If the first response is canned or misses attachments:

• Reopen the same case. Reply: “Previous response did not address the attached POD, invoice, and shipment timeline. Please route to Inbound Reconciliation/FC Operations. See items 1–4 above.”

• If still no movement after 72 hours:

• Open a fresh case referencing the original case ID(s) and request “Captive FBA Support / Inbound Reconciliation” or “FC Operations escalation.”

• After 7–10 days with no substantive action:

• Use Executive Seller Relations. Provide a concise summary (200–300 words), case IDs, evidence list, and the specific resolution requested: “Reimbursement for 120 units of ASIN XXXXXXXX or inventory location confirmation.”

Set calendar reminders. You’re running a process, not hoping for a different outcome.

Step 4: Quote policy and ask for the specific remedy

Use Amazon’s own rules:

• “Per the FBA Lost and Damaged Inventory Reimbursement Policy, when inventory is lost or damaged in Amazon’s custody and not located within the investigation window, Amazon reimburses the seller.”

• “Per FBA shipment reconciliation, I request an FC-level bin check and reconciliation. If the inventory cannot be located, reimburse for 120 units of ASIN XXXXXXXX at the current average selling price less fees, consistent with policy.”

Ask for one of two outcomes:

• Confirmed receiving into sellable inventory, or

• Reimbursement based on Amazon’s reimbursement methodology.

Step 5: Use data to remove excuses

Add these details to the case to cut through noise:

• The exact FC code (e.g., ONT8) and whether the FC accepted other shipments from you on the same day (proves inbound dock was operational).

• If you sent multiple ASINs on the same truck, list which ones were received and which weren’t.

• If SPD: the carton count, weight per carton, and scan history to show the chain of custody.

• If LTL: confirm the carrier appointment number and check-in/out times.

Specifics force an FC-level review rather than a generic script.

Step 6: Consider a reimbursement partner to apply leverage

If you want speed and volume management, use a reputable reimbursement specialist. They live and breathe inbound claims, know which phrases trigger action, and push cases at scale. Negotiate a fair contingency fee, and ensure they follow Amazon’s TOS (no duplicate claims, accurate documentation, no inflated values).

Step 7: Prevent repeat losses with better inbound discipline

You can’t control every FC error. You can control your process so evidence is ironclad:

• Carton-level accuracy

• Make sure your shipping plan quantities, carton counts, and carton content information (if used) are exact. No rounding, no guesswork.

• Labeling

• Fresh, scannable FNSKU labels; box IDs correct; pallet labels on all four sides for LTL/FTL. Photograph one labeled unit, one labeled carton, and one labeled pallet before shrink-wrapping.

• Documentation

• Keep a shipment packet per load: invoice, packing list, carrier BOL, appointment confirmations, and photos.

• Scan forms and timestamps

• For SPD, drop off with acceptance scans and keep the receipt. For LTL, capture check-in/out timestamps and get the signed BOL on exit.

• Carrier choice

• When possible, use Amazon-partnered carriers for LTL/FTL. Disputes move faster when Amazon owns the appointment and documentation flows.

Step 8: Protect your cash flow while the case runs

You’re pushing the claim, but you also need to keep selling and reduce the impact:

• Duplicate your top ASIN into a backup SKU for FBM if margins allow. Keep the Catalog clean and avoid duplicate listings in violation of policy—use a legitimate FBM offer under the same ASIN if that’s feasible.

• Adjust ads down on out-of-stock ASINs to avoid wasted spend.

• If the ASIN is core to your revenue, consider a short production run to bridge the gap. Your cash conversion cycle beats waiting indefinitely.

Step 9: Track resolution metrics like an operator

Build a simple tracker with columns:

• Shipment ID | ASIN | Units missing | Delivered date | First case date | Current status | Next escalation date | Last response summary | Outcome (received/reimbursed) | Amount

Review it twice a week. Close the loop on every open claim, and archive the entire case history when resolved.

Step 10: When you communicate, talk like this

Use a tight, repeatable template. Example:

Subject: Inbound Discrepancy – Shipment [ID] – ASIN XXXXXXXX – 120 Units Missing

Body:

• Delivered to FC [Code] on [MM/DD] at [HH:MM], POD and carrier scans attached.

• Shipment contents: 120 units, 10 cartons, weight/dims per packing list attached.

• Labels and documentation attached (invoice, FNSKU labels, box labels, pallet labels).

• Request: FC-level reconciliation. If inventory cannot be located, reimburse per FBA Lost and Damaged Inventory Reimbursement Policy.

Attachments:

• POD_[ID].pdf

• Invoice_[ID].pdf

• PackingList_[ID].pdf

• Labels_Photos_[ID].pdf

• Timeline_[ID].pdf

Short. Specific. Actionable. That gets routed and resolved.

Reality check you need to accept

• Some FCs misplace inventory and find it weeks or months later. Your job is to keep pressure on the clock and the policy. You’re not begging—you’re enforcing their own standard.

• If you don’t present airtight documentation, you invite delay. Tight documentation gets faster yeses and cleaner reimbursements.

If Amazon denies without cause

Push back with facts:

• Rebut any claim that “carrier did not deliver” using the POD and timestamps.

• If they say “quantity discrepancy,” point to the shipping plan and packing list, then request a bin check with FC Ops.

• If they claim “investigation closed,” respond that policy allows reimbursement when inventory lost in Amazon’s custody is not found, and you request a policy-compliant payout.

Include the exact case IDs and restate the request in one line.