When Amazon restock limits are imposed, it can be frustrating for brands selling through Amazon FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon). Especially in Q4, the most important time for eCommerce merchants, FBA inventory restrictions can break your neck.
What Are Amazon Restock Limits?
Inventory restrictions limit the amount of stock that a brand can store in Amazon’s fulfilment centres, which can make it difficult for the brand to meet customer demand. Especially in times of high demand, Amazon has often imposed restock limits.
In most cases, these restrictions are put in place to prevent overcrowding in their fulfilment centres. Amazon’s fulfilment centres are designed to efficiently process and ship orders, and when they become too crowded, it can lead to delays and other problems. By limiting the amount of inventory that a brand can store in a fulfilment center, Amazon is able to maintain a certain level of efficiency and ensure that orders are processed and shipped on time.
However, there are some things that brands can do to overcome Amazon restock limits and continue to sell successfully on the marketplace, even during peak seasons.
1 – Be Proactive
One way for brands to overcome Amazon’s restock limits is to be proactive and anticipate restrictions. This means monitoring your inventory levels and making sure you always have enough stock in your Amazon warehouse before Amazon imposes any restock limits. If your inventory is pretty much empty and Amazon suddenly sets inventory restrictions that make it impossible for you to send new, sufficient stock to the FBA center for peak-sales times.
However, if you plan well in advance and have the foresight to send in plenty of inventory before classic demand spikes where temporarily strict Amazon restock limits are usually imposed, then you have a good chance of having enough inventory to be in stock over Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas.
You can manage your stock levels with proper fulfilment software like Packshack’s, which allow you can track your stock levels in real time and be notified when you need to replenish your stock.
2 – Diversify Your Fulfillment Strategy
Another option is to diversify your fulfilment strategy. Instead of relying solely on Amazon FBA, consider using other fulfilment options such as self-fulfilment or using a third-party fulfilment provider like Packshack.
Working with a 3PL helps you maintain control over your inventory and avoid getting your sales hurt by Amazon restock limits. A professional fulfilment provider like Packshack allows you to quickly and flexibly switch from FBA to FBM, Fulfilment by Merchant. This way, your products are always in stock for customers to buy, even if they are temporarily not available through Amazon’s fulfilment program.
Another benefit of using a 3PL is that it’s usually cheaper to store most of your inventory in a third-party warehouse and only replenish smaller quantities at your FBA center, as the storage fees are much lower than Amazon’s.
3 – Work With Amazon
Amazon’s Restock Limits are annoying and can lead to many negative emotions towards the marketplace giant. Nevertheless, instead of contemplating how to destroy your greatest enemy – the Amazon seller support – you should consider working with Amazon to come up with a solution.
In some cases, Amazon may be willing to work with you to find a way that allows you to continue selling on their platform without being affected by inventory restrictions. This could involve working with Amazon to find additional storage space in one of their other warehouses, or finding ways to reduce the amount of inventory that you need to store in their fulfilment centres.
The Bottom Line
To sum it up: Amazon restock limits can be frustrating for brands selling on through FBA, but there are ways to overcome them. By being proactive, diversifying your fulfilment strategy, communicating with your customers, and working closely with Amazon to resolve your issue, you can continue to be successful on the platform even when faced with these restrictions.
If you’re looking for a reliable third-party fulfilment partner to help you diversify and add flexibility to your fulfilment strategy, reach out to Packshack. We have more than 30 warehouse facilities in the US, EU and UK, and work with best-in-class fulfilment software that allows you to track and manage your inventory and all order activity at any time.
