ESQgo 15X5 Amazon Hacks Webinar · Wednesday, September 30, 2026

Top inventory fees to optimize.

Five inventory costs, smallest to largest.
Then the money back. On a $1M/yr brand.
InventoryHero
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What we'll cover · $1M/yr brand

Five costs, then the money back.

  • 1Low-inventory fee
  • 2Inbound defect fee
  • 3Aged inventory surcharge
  • 4Inbound placement fee
  • 5Lost sales from stockouts
  • 6Reimbursements automated by Claude
InventoryHero
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1 of 5 · smallest first · $1M/yr brand

Low-inventory fee: $500 a year.

How it's charged
Per unit sold, under 28 days of supply.
Standard-size only. Both 30 and 90 day measures.
The fix
Keep 4+ weeks of supply at FBA.
AWD auto-replenishment is exempt.
Ideally keep 2 to 4 months at FBA.
InventoryHero
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2 of 5 · a process problem · $1M/yr brand

Inbound defect fee: $1,300 a year.

How it's charged
Per unit, when a shipment breaks the plan.
Wrong warehouse, deleted or abandoned.
The fix
Ship exactly the plan, where it says.
Hold your forwarder to it.
Dispute carrier errors.
InventoryHero
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3 of 5 · the overstock fee · $1M/yr brand

Aged inventory: $1,500 a year.

How it's charged
Monthly, on units in FBA over 181 days.
Snapshot on the 15th. The rate climbs with age.
The fix
Send less, more often.
Discount or remove aging stock before the 15th.
InventoryHero
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4 of 5 · the biggest fee · $1M/yr brand

Inbound placement: $2,400 a year.

How it's charged
Per unit, when you ship to too few locations.
One location costs most. Optimized splits cost nothing.
The fix
Use Amazon-optimized splits.
Or replenish through AWD. Check it against extra freight.
InventoryHero
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5 of 5 · the one you can't see · $1M/yr brand

Lost sales: $50,000 a year.

How it hits you
Not a fee. Revenue you never earned.
Days out of stock or running low. Estimated revenue, not profit.
The fix
Reorder from real lead time plus safety stock.
Buffer in AWD or a 3PL. Forecast without stockout days.
Inventory Hero lost sales analysis showing total lost sales, missed units and average days out of stock
InventoryHero
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Add it up · $1M/yr brand

Stockouts cost 9x every fee combined.

Low inventory
$500
Inbound defect
$1,300
Aged inventory
$1,500
Placement
$2,400
Lost sales
$50,000

About $56K a year on a $1M brand.

Shares of revenue applied to $1M a year. Lost sales is estimated revenue, not profit, and not an Amazon charge.

InventoryHero
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Money back · the hack · $1M/yr brand

Reimbursements: $3,000 a year.

How it works
Amazon owes you for lost, damaged and short units.
Only if you file in time.
The hack
Claude + the Inventory Hero MCP files them.
Straight into Seller Central. Most of it is inbound shortfalls.
Inventory Hero reimbursements view showing claims to review, cash reimbursed and open claims
InventoryHero
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Hack #10 · Andrew Erickson

About $59K per $1M, on the table.

$6K in fees + $3K in reimbursements + $50K in lost sales, for a typical $1M/yr brand.

  • 1Try the Inventory Hero MCP. Free trial.
  • 2Next: TikTok FBT refunds, est. $10K to $15K.
  • 3Learned something? Vote for hack #10.
Scan to start a free trial of Inventory Hero at inventoryhero.ai
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InventoryHero
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