How to submit lost inbound discrepancies for Amazon FBA (without wasting weeks)

If you ship enough inventory into Amazon FBA, this will happen to you.

A shipment shows delivered, but not everything checks in
Units are short when the shipment closes
Amazon says the investigation is complete, but you still disagree

The frustrating part isn’t that inventory goes missing. It’s that many sellers miss the reimbursement window or submit claims incorrectly, then wonder why nothing happens.

This guide walks through the current, correct way to handle lost inbound discrepancies for Amazon FBA, what Amazon actually looks for, and how to avoid common mistakes that get claims denied.

No fluff, no theory.

What Amazon considers a “lost inbound discrepancy”

When sellers talk about lost inbound inventory, they’re usually referring to one of three situations:

1. Short receiving
You shipped a certain quantity, Amazon received fewer units, and the shipment eventually closes with a discrepancy.

2. Delivered but not fully received
The carrier shows delivery, but Amazon never fully checks in all units tied to that shipment.

3. Investigation completed but units still missing
Amazon finishes their internal count and closes the shipment, yet the received quantity still does not match what you sent.

All three fall under inbound discrepancies, and all three follow the same core reimbursement rules.

Timing matters more than anything else

Amazon does not allow inbound discrepancy claims immediately after delivery.

There is a waiting period to allow receiving to finish, followed by a hard cutoff window where claims are no longer accepted.

In practical terms:

• Filing too early usually results in an automatic rejection
• Filing too late means the claim expires permanently

This is why experienced sellers review inbound shipments on a recurring schedule, not “when they remember.”

If you take one thing from this article, make it this:

You should be checking recently closed shipments every single month, minimum

Before you open a case, confirm these three things

Do not contact support until all three are true:

1. The shipment is marked as closed
If the shipment is still receiving, Amazon will not research it.

2. Enough time has passed since delivery
Amazon needs time to complete receiving and internal reconciliation.

3. The discrepancy is visible at the SKU level
You should be able to see expected units versus received units inside the shipment contents view.

If any of these are not true, wait. Filing early does not speed things up.

Where to find the discrepancy inside Seller Central

Open the shipment and review the contents, not just the summary.

This is where sellers miss details.

You want to look at:

• Each SKU or ASIN
• Units sent
• Units received
• Units missing or adjusted

Amazon evaluates claims at the item level, not at the shipment total level, so this breakdown matters.

Choosing the correct action (this affects reimbursement)

When prompted to classify the issue, choose carefully.

If you shipped the inventory and Amazon is short:

• You are requesting research for missing units

If you did not actually ship those units:

• You are confirming they were not shipped

Choosing incorrectly can lock the shipment in a state that makes reimbursement impossible later.

Never guess here.

What Amazon actually wants as proof (and what they don’t)

Amazon is not looking for a long explanation. They want clear, verifiable evidence.

Proof that you owned the inventory

Examples that work well:

• Supplier invoices
• Purchase receipts
• Packing slips from the manufacturer or distributor

Best practice:

• Make sure the product name, quantity, and date are clearly visible
• Highlight or mark the relevant line items if the document includes multiple products

Proof that you shipped what you said you shipped

This usually includes:

• Carrier documentation showing delivery
• Box count and weight information
• Shipment labels or references tied to the shipment ID

Clean documents in non-editable formats work best.

Over-explaining hurts more than it helps.

How to submit the claim cleanly

If the shipment interface allows you to request research directly, do that first.

If not, open a support case under FBA inventory discrepancies and include:

• Shipment ID
• Delivery date
• Carrier and tracking reference
• List of affected SKUs with expected vs received quantities
• Attached documents
• Short, factual explanation

Avoid emotional language. Avoid assumptions. Avoid walls of text.

Think like an auditor, not a frustrated seller.

A message format that works

Keep it structured and boring. That’s a good thing.

Subject: Inbound shipment discrepancy request

Message body:

• Shipment ID
• Delivery date
• Summary of issue
• Itemized list of missing units
• Note that supporting documents are attached

That’s it.

If Amazon needs more information, they will ask.

Why sellers lose valid claims

Most denied claims are not because Amazon “lost nothing.” They’re denied because of process errors.

Common mistakes:

• Waiting too long
• Filing before the shipment is eligible
• Missing or unclear documentation
• Selecting the wrong issue type
• Mixing unrelated issues into one case

Inbound reimbursements are procedural. Treat them that way.

How often you should audit inbound shipments

If you ship regularly, this should be part of your normal operations.

A simple cadence:

• Weekly quick check on recently closed shipments
• Monthly deeper review with documents organized

If you wait until “something feels off,” you are already behind.

Reducing future discrepancies (you won’t eliminate them)

You cannot prevent all inbound issues, but you can reduce how often they happen and how painful they are.

Practical improvements:

• Consistent labeling
• Clear case packs when possible
• Fewer mixed SKUs per box
• Keeping shipment documents organized the day inventory ships

The easier your shipment is to receive, the easier it is to defend later.

Final thoughts

Lost inbound inventory is not rare. What separates experienced sellers from frustrated ones is not luck, it’s process.

If you treat inbound reconciliation as a repeatable system instead of a reactive chore, you recover more inventory, faster, with less back and forth.

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