# Reimbursements (Lost & Found) {% hint style="info" %} **Difficulty:** ๐ŸŸก Intermediate ยท **Reading time:** \~15 min {% endhint %} {% hint style="success" icon="rocket" %} **Open this page in your dashboard:** [**Go to Reimbursements (Lost & Found) โ†’**](https://dashboard.sellermagnet.com/reimbursements) {% endhint %} ## ๐Ÿ“‹ Overview Amazon's FBA warehouses occasionally **lose**, **damage**, or **incorrectly charge** your inventory. The **Reimbursements** tool (also called **Lost & Found**) automatically scans your FBA account for these discrepancies and helps you file claims to recover the money Amazon owes you. > **FBA only:** This feature is available exclusively for products fulfilled by Amazon (FBA). FBM sellers will see an informational overlay. {% hint style="success" %} **The opportunity is bigger than you think:** Industry data suggests that **1-3% of all FBA inventory** experiences some form of discrepancy : lost units, damaged goods, incorrect fees, or missing customer returns. For a seller doing EUR 500,000 in annual FBA revenue, that represents **EUR 5,000 to EUR 15,000** in potential recoveries every year. {% endhint %} *** ## ๐Ÿ“Š Key Performance Indicators | KPI | Description | | -------------------- | ----------------------------------------------- | | **Total Detected** | Count and value of all detected discrepancies | | **Action Needed** | Issues ready for you to file a claim | | **Claims Filed** | Claims submitted to Amazon (pending resolution) | | **Total Recovered** | Amount Amazon has reimbursed so far | | **Missed / Expired** | Claims that were not filed before the deadline | {% hint style="danger" %} **Watch your "Missed / Expired" number.** If this is growing, you are leaving money on the table. Set a weekly calendar reminder to review and file all "Action Needed" claims. {% endhint %} *** ## ROI / Impact Calculator Use these benchmarks to estimate your potential recovery: | Annual FBA Revenue | Estimated Discrepancy Rate | Potential Annual Recovery | | ------------------ | -------------------------- | ------------------------- | | EUR 100,000 | 1-3% | EUR 1,000 - EUR 3,000 | | EUR 250,000 | 1-3% | EUR 2,500 - EUR 7,500 | | EUR 500,000 | 1-3% | EUR 5,000 - EUR 15,000 | | EUR 1,000,000 | 1-3% | EUR 10,000 - EUR 30,000 | | EUR 5,000,000 | 1-3% | EUR 50,000 - EUR 150,000 | {% hint style="success" %} **Real-world example:** A mid-size seller doing EUR 800,000/year discovered that Amazon had lost 312 units across 47 ASINs over a 12-month period. Total recovered: **EUR 8,740**, money that would have been completely lost without automated detection. {% endhint %} *** ## ๐Ÿ“ˆ Charts ### Recovery Trend A **line chart** showing your recovery amounts over time (toggleable: monthly, weekly, daily). > **Best practice:** Review the Recovery Trend chart monthly. An upward trend in detections might indicate a problem with a specific warehouse or product category. A flat line at zero might mean your claim process needs attention. ### Issue Distribution A **pie chart** breaking down detected issues by type: * Lost Inbound * Lost in Warehouse * Damaged in Warehouse * Damaged Inbound * Customer Return * Overcharged Fees * Destroyed Without Permission * Quantity Discrepancy * Reimbursement Reversal *** ## ๐Ÿ‘ฃ Step-by-Step Example: Filing a Lost Inventory Claim > **Scenario:** Amazon lost 50 units of your top-selling yoga mat (ASIN: B09YOGA001) during a warehouse transfer from FBA Frankfurt (FRA3) to FBA Wroclaw (WRO2). > > **What you see in SellerMagnet:** | Field | Value | | -------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------ | | Issue Type | Lost in Warehouse | | Product | Premium Yoga Mat - 6mm, Purple | | ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number) | B09YOGA001 | | Quantity | 50 units | | Unit Value | EUR 24.99 | | Total Value | EUR 1,249.50 | | Status | Action Needed | | Detected Date | 2026-03-15 | | Claim Deadline | 2026-05-14 (60 days) | > **Steps to recover:** > > 1. Click **File Claim** on the row. > 2. The modal opens with pre-filled details (product, quantity, value). > 3. Optionally add an **Amazon Case ID** if you have already opened a case in Seller Central. > 4. Add **Notes**: "50 units lost during transfer FRA3 to WRO2, shipment ID FBA16XXXXX." > 5. Click **Submit**. > 6. SellerMagnet updates the status to "Claim Filed" and begins tracking the resolution. > 7. Amazon typically responds within 5-10 business days. > 8. Once Amazon reimburses, the status changes to "Reimbursed" and the amount appears in your Total Recovered KPI. > **Pro tip:** Include specific details in your notes, shipment IDs, transfer dates, warehouse codes. Claims with supporting details have higher approval rates and faster resolution times. *** ## Claims Table ![Reimbursements dashboard - Lost and damaged inventory tracking](/files/aytVUjdeIQTK9NDRwIDg) | Column | Description | | --------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | | Checkbox | Select for bulk actions | | **Marketplace** | Country flag | | **Issue Type** | Color-coded badge (Lost, Damaged, Overcharged, etc.) | | **Product** | Product name, ASIN, SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) | | **Actual Fee** | Amount Amazon charged | | **Expected Fee** | Correct amount (calculated) | | **Overcharge / Unit** | Per-unit discrepancy | | **Occurrences** | How many times this issue occurred | | **Total Overcharge** | Total amount owed | | **Status** | Status badge (see below) | | **Detected Date** | When SellerMagnet detected the issue | | **Actions** | File Claim, Dismiss | ### Status Badges | Status | Color | Meaning | | ----------------- | -------- | ----------------------------------------- | | **Detected** | Blue | Issue found, pending review | | **Action Needed** | Orange | Ready for you to file a claim | | **Claim Filed** | Yellow | Claim submitted, awaiting Amazon response | | **Reimbursed** | Green | Amazon has paid out the claim | | **Denied** | Red | Amazon rejected the claim | | **Under Review** | Purple | Amazon is reviewing the claim | | **Dismissed** | Gray | You chose to ignore this issue | | **Expired** | Dark Red | Claim deadline passed without filing | *** ## Tabs | Tab | Badge | Description | | ----------------- | ----- | ------------------------------- | | **All** | Count | All detected issues | | **Action Needed** | Count | Issues ready for claim filing | | **Claim Filed** | Count | Claims submitted to Amazon | | **Reimbursed** | Count | Successfully recovered claims | | **Dismissed** | --- | Issues you chose to ignore | | **Expired** | --- | Claims past the filing deadline | *** ## Filing a Claim 1. Click **File Claim** on any actionable issue 2. In the modal, optionally enter: * **Amazon Case ID:** If you have already opened a case * **Notes:** Additional context for your records 3. Click **Submit** to file the claim ### Bulk Claims Select multiple rows using checkboxes and click **Bulk File Claims** to submit them all at once. > **Pro tip:** Use bulk claims during your weekly review session. Select all "Action Needed" items, file them in one batch, and move on. This turns a 30-minute manual process into a 2-minute task. *** ## Claim Filing Checklist Use this checklist every time you file a claim to maximize your approval rate: * [ ] **Verify the product and quantity.** Confirm the ASIN, SKU, and unit count match your records. * [ ] **Check the detected issue type.** Make sure the issue type (Lost, Damaged, etc.) accurately describes what happened. * [ ] **Gather supporting evidence.** For inbound claims, have your shipment ID and BOL (Bill of Lading) ready. For warehouse claims, note the dates involved. * [ ] **Cross-reference with Seller Central.** Open the corresponding transaction in Seller Central to confirm the discrepancy exists there as well. * [ ] **Add detailed notes.** Include shipment IDs, transfer dates, warehouse codes, and any Seller Central case IDs. * [ ] **File before the deadline.** Amazon's claim window is typically 60 days from the date of the issue. Do not wait until the last week. * [ ] **Follow up on "Claim Filed" items.** If a claim has been in "Claim Filed" status for more than 30 days with no response, consider opening a follow-up case in Seller Central. * [ ] **Document denied claims.** If Amazon denies a claim, record the reason. Some denied claims can be re-filed with additional evidence. *** ## ๐Ÿ” Filters | Filter | Options | | --------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Marketplace** | All Marketplaces, or select specific | | **Timeframe** | L7D, L30D, L90D, MTD, YTD, L6M, L12M, ALL, Custom | | **Issue Type** | Lost Inbound, Lost Warehouse, Damaged, Customer Return, Overcharged, etc. | | **Status** | Detected, Action Needed, Claim Filed, Reimbursed, Denied, Dismissed, Expired | *** ## ๐Ÿ“ค Export & Reports * **Export CSV:** Download all claims data with filters applied * **Generate Report:** Create a PDF/Excel summary of all claims and recoveries {% hint style="info" %} **Best practice:** Generate a monthly reimbursement report and include it in your P\&L review. Recovered funds are often overlooked in financial planning but can meaningfully impact your margins. {% endhint %} *** ## ๐Ÿ”„ Before & After: Impact of Automated Reimbursement Tracking | Metric | Before SellerMagnet | After SellerMagnet | | --------------------------------- | ---------------------------- | ---------------------------- | | Issues detected per month | 2-5 (manual spot checks) | 15-40+ (automated scanning) | | Claim filing time | 20-30 min per claim (manual) | 2 min per claim (pre-filled) | | Recovery rate | 10-20% of eligible claims | 80-95% of eligible claims | | Expired/missed claims | 60-80% of eligible issues | Under 5% | | Monthly time investment | 4-8 hours | 30-60 minutes | | Annual recovery (EUR 500K seller) | EUR 500 - EUR 1,500 | EUR 5,000 - EUR 12,000 | *** ## Seasonal & Timing Advice {% hint style="warning" %} **Q4 (October-January):** Amazon warehouses process dramatically higher volumes during peak season. This means more transfers, more receiving errors, and more lost/damaged inventory. Expect a 2-3x increase in detected issues during Q4. Check your Reimbursements page twice per week during this period. {% endhint %} {% hint style="info" %} **Post-Prime Day (July):** The weeks after Prime Day often show a spike in customer return discrepancies. Customers return items but Amazon may not properly restock them to your inventory. Monitor "Customer Return" issue types closely in the 30 days after major sale events. {% endhint %} {% hint style="info" %} **January:** Run a complete review at the start of each year. Filter by "ALL" timeframe and look for any "Action Needed" items from the previous year that might be approaching their 60-day claim deadline. {% endhint %} ***
โš ๏ธ Common Mistakes to Avoid {% hint style="danger" %} * **Mistake 1: Dismissing issues without investigation.** When you see a small discrepancy (e.g., 2 units lost), it is tempting to dismiss it. But these small issues add up. A seller with 500 SKUs might have hundreds of small discrepancies that total thousands of euros. * **Mistake 2: Filing claims without checking the details first.** Always verify the issue before filing. Occasionally, Amazon corrects a discrepancy on their own (e.g., units found during a warehouse audit). Filing a claim for an already-resolved issue wastes your time and may flag your account for excessive claims. * **Mistake 3: Not following up on "Claim Filed" items.** A claim sitting in "Claim Filed" status for 60+ days may have fallen through the cracks on Amazon's end. Open a follow-up case in Seller Central referencing your original case ID. * **Mistake 4: Letting claims expire.** Amazon has a strict filing deadline (typically 60 days). Once expired, there is no recovery possible. Use the "Expired" tab as a learning metric, if you see items expiring, increase your review frequency. * **Mistake 5: Not including your reimbursements in financial reporting.** Recovered funds should appear in your P\&L. Many sellers treat reimbursements as "bonus income" when they are actually cost recovery that directly impacts your gross margin. {% endhint %}
\## ๐Ÿ”ง Troubleshooting ### My claim was denied: what now? 1. **Read the denial reason carefully.** Amazon provides a reason code. Common reasons include: "No discrepancy found," "Already reimbursed," or "Outside claim window." 2. **Check for partial reimbursement.** Sometimes Amazon reimburses a portion of the claim. Compare the reimbursed amount to the original detected value. 3. **Gather additional evidence.** If you have shipping receipts, BOLs, or photos that prove the discrepancy, open a new case in Seller Central with this evidence attached. 4. **Re-file with more detail.** Some sellers successfully recover denied claims by re-filing with specific shipment IDs, FBA receiving records, or third-party shipping confirmations. 5. **Escalate if necessary.** For high-value denied claims (EUR 500+), consider escalating through Amazon's Seller Support management chain. ### Why am I seeing "No issues detected"? * **Your account may be clean.** Not all accounts have discrepancies at all times. * **Check your marketplace filter.** You may be viewing a marketplace where you have no FBA inventory. * **Allow initial scan time.** After first connecting your account, the initial scan can take 1-2 hours to complete. * **Check your date range.** If you are filtering by "L7D" (last 7 days), there may be no new issues in that window. Try "L90D" or "ALL." ### The detected value seems wrong: why? SellerMagnet calculates the claim value based on your product's average selling price and Amazon's reimbursement policies. If the value seems too high or low: * Check if the product's price has changed recently. * Verify the unit count: one high-value item lost is different from one low-value item. * Amazon may reimburse at a different rate than your selling price (they use their own valuation formula). ### I filed a claim but the status has not changed for weeks. Amazon's response time varies. During peak periods, it can take 30-60 days. If a claim has been in "Claim Filed" for more than 45 days: 1. Open Seller Central and search for the Case ID you entered when filing. 2. Add a follow-up message asking for a status update. 3. If the case is closed without reimbursement and you disagree, re-open it with additional details. *** ## โ“ FAQ
How far back does SellerMagnet scan for discrepancies? SellerMagnet scans your FBA transaction history going back up to 60 days, which aligns with Amazon's maximum claim filing window. Issues older than 60 days cannot be claimed.
Does SellerMagnet file claims automatically, or do I need to approve each one? You must approve and submit each claim (or use bulk filing). SellerMagnet detects and prepares the claims, but you maintain full control over what gets filed. This protects you from filing erroneous claims that could flag your account.
Can filing too many claims get my account flagged? Filing legitimate claims based on actual discrepancies is within your rights as a seller. However, filing claims that are later found to be invalid can draw scrutiny. Always verify the issue before filing. SellerMagnet's detection accuracy is high, but a quick sanity check is recommended.
What is a "Reimbursement Reversal"? A reversal occurs when Amazon initially reimburses you but later claws back the amount, usually because they found the inventory or determined the claim was invalid. SellerMagnet tracks reversals so you can dispute them if you believe the reversal is incorrect.
How does SellerMagnet detect "Destroyed Without Permission" issues? Amazon occasionally destroys inventory that it deems unsellable (damaged in warehouse). If Amazon destroys your units without explicit authorization from you, SellerMagnet flags this as a claimable event since you are entitled to reimbursement for unauthorized disposals.
Does this work for all Amazon marketplaces? Yes. Reimbursements work for all Amazon marketplaces where you have FBA inventory. NA (US, CA, MX), EU (DE, FR, IT, ES, UK, NL, SE, PL, BE), and other supported regions.
What is the difference between "Lost Inbound" and "Lost in Warehouse"? "Lost Inbound" means Amazon received your shipment but some units never appeared in your inventory, they were lost during the receiving/check-in process. "Lost in Warehouse" means units that were already in your FBA inventory went missing, typically during internal transfers between fulfillment centers.
How quickly should I file a claim after it is detected? File within the same week if possible. While you have up to 60 days, filing quickly has two advantages: (1) the evidence trail is fresh, making approval more likely, and (2) you recover the funds sooner, improving your cash flow.
*** ## ๐Ÿ’ก Tips > **Pro tip:** Check your Reimbursements page weekly. Amazon has a limited window for filing claims (typically 60 days), and issues detected early are easier to resolve. {% hint style="warning" %} **Deadline awareness:** Pay attention to the **expiration badge** on action-needed items. Claims approaching their deadline are highlighted with an orange warning. {% endhint %} > **Pro tip:** Set a monthly calendar event titled "SellerMagnet Reimbursement Review." During this 30-minute session, file all pending claims, follow up on claims older than 30 days, and review any denied claims for re-filing potential. > **Pro tip:** Cross-reference your reimbursements with your inventory management data. If a product frequently shows up in reimbursement claims, it may be stored in a problem warehouse. Consider adjusting your shipping plan to route inventory to different fulfillment centers. *** ## โžก๏ธ What's Next? {% content-ref url="/pages/073kGFTZ9tHJ4G50F2XW" %} [Fee Audit](/inventory-and-operations/fee-audit.md) {% endcontent-ref %} {% content-ref url="/pages/7nzjHrzcKyOjaN4wV9pT" %} [Inventory Planner](/inventory-and-operations/inventory-management.md) {% endcontent-ref %} --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.sellermagnet.com/inventory-and-operations/reimbursements.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.