- Low-Inventory fees apply when both short-term (last 30 days) and long-term (last 90 days) supply drops below 28 days.
- Standard size surcharges range from $0.32 up to $1.11 per unit sold.
- New sellers, new-to-FBA parent ASINs, and products enrolled in Amazon Vine are exempt for initial periods.
- Maintaining an optimal 35–45 day stock buffer eliminates the fee completely while avoiding excessive aged storage fees.
Why Amazon Introduced the Low-Inventory-Level Fee
When a seller maintains insufficient inventory across Amazon's fulfillment network, Amazon cannot pre-position products near prime customers. This forces costly cross-country fulfillment.
To shift this cost, Amazon charges a per-unit Low-Inventory-Level Fee on dispatched orders whenever an ASIN's Historical Days of Supply (HDOS) drops below 28 days (4 weeks).
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2026–2027 Low-Inventory Fee Brackets (Per Unit Sold)
| Historical Days of Supply | Small Standard | Large Standard (≤ 1 lb) | Large Standard (> 1 lb) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28+ Days | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| 21 to 27.9 Days | $0.32 | $0.36 | $0.47 |
| 14 to 20.9 Days | $0.58 | $0.63 | $0.79 |
| Less than 14 Days | $0.89 | $0.97 | $1.11 |
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The Dual-Window Qualification Rule
An ASIN is only charged if BOTH metrics indicate low inventory:
- 1Short-Term HDOS (Last 30 Days) < 28 days, AND
- 2Long-Term HDOS (Last 90 Days) < 28 days.
If your supply temporarily dips below 28 days during a sudden flash sale, but your 90-day average remains healthy (e.g., 34 days), the fee is waived.
Test your numbers in the Inbound Placement & Low-Inventory Fee Calculator
Apply the formulas above with your actual selling price, package dimensions, and volume.
Frequently asked questions
Are out-of-stock ASINs charged this fee?
No. The fee is charged per unit shipped. If you have 0 stock, no orders ship, so no fee is assessed (though stockouts damage organic rank).
How do I avoid low-inventory fees without incurring aged storage fees?
Aim for a target inventory band of 35 to 60 days of forward supply. This stays well above the 28-day fee threshold while staying far below the 180-day aged storage penalty.