Understanding Amazon’s Aged Inventory Surcharge: What Sellers Need to Know

If you’re selling on Amazon, managing inventory is just as important as choosing the right product. One thing that can seriously eat into your profits is the Aged Inventory Surcharge—a fee Amazon charges when your inventory sits in their fulfillment centers for too long.

Let’s break it down, especially for items stored beyond 180 days, and why you should keep a close eye on your storage reports.

What Is the Aged Inventory Surcharge?

Amazon wants sellers to move inventory quickly. If your products sit in their warehouses for too long, they start charging you extra storage fees—on top of the regular monthly storage cost.

This surcharge applies to standard-size and oversized items that have been in fulfillment centers for more than 181 days. It gets even worse if your inventory crosses the 270-day mark.

Aged Inventory Surcharge Breakdown

180 to 270 Days in Storage

• Amazon will start charging an additional $1.50 per cubic foot for standard-size inventory.
• For oversized items, the surcharge is $0.75 per cubic foot.

270+ Days in Storage

• The surcharge jumps significantly to $2.00 per cubic foot for standard-size items.
• Oversized items get charged $1.50 per cubic foot.
• If your product is in a category with high storage fees, like apparel or shoes, expect even higher surcharges.

How to Avoid These Fees

1. Monitor Inventory Regularly – Use the Aged Inventory Surcharge Report in Seller Central to track old stock.
2. Run Promotions or Discounts – Move slow inventory before it hits the 180-day mark.
3. Create Removal Orders – If needed, remove unsold items before they reach the 270-day threshold.

If you’re gearing up to start selling on Amazon and are about to place your first order with a supplier, think carefully about how much stock you really need. A good rule of thumb is to order only what you expect to sell within 3-6 months.

Yes, your cost per unit might be higher if you can’t meet the supplier’s MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity), but trust me—it’s a small price to pay compared to the massive headache of overstocking. I learned this the hard way. I once ordered way too much inventory, thinking I was playing it smart, only to end up paying hundreds (if not thousands) in aged inventory surcharges.

Amazon’s storage fees aren’t cheap, and once your products sit in their warehouse for too long (180+ days), those costs start stacking up fast. Aged inventory isn’t just a financial drain—it also ties up your cash flow and limits your ability to launch new products.

Here’s the thing:
🔹 Running out of stock? A good problem to have—you can always reorder.
🔹 Too much stock? A nightmare—you’re stuck paying storage fees, and liquidating excess inventory can be tough.

So, be cautious, not aggressive. Start small, test demand, and scale up once you have solid data. It’s always better to sell out and restock than to sit on inventory that’s collecting dust—and fees!

Got questions? Drop a comment or send me an email.