What is Storage Fee (FBA)?

Storage Fee (FBA) refers to the charges Amazon applies to goods stored in its Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) warehouses. These fees are designed to cover the cost of warehousing space and vary by the physical volume your inventory occupies, the classification of your item (standard-size versus oversize), and how long an item remains in Amazon’s fulfillment centers. Understanding Storage Fee (FBA) is a foundational skill for any seller using Amazon’s logistics services because storage costs directly affect profitability and inventory decisions.

Amazon generally charges two broad kinds of storage-related fees: monthly inventory storage fees and long-term storage fees. Monthly fees are assessed on a per-unit or per-cubic-foot basis for the time your products sit in the warehouse during the monthly billing cycle. These rates are often higher during peak holiday months (commonly October through December) to reflect higher demand for space during peak selling seasons. Long-term storage fees are additional charges applied to units that have been stored for extended periods (Amazon regularly assesses aged inventory to identify slow movers). The exact age threshold, fee timing, and amounts can vary by marketplace and change over time, so sellers should check their region-specific fee schedules in Seller Central.

Size and packaging matter. Amazon groups items into size tiers (for example, standard-size or oversize; within those, small, large, or special categories) and charges storage based on cubic volume for many products. Bulky items that take up lots of cubic feet—such as furniture or large sporting goods—can produce higher Storage Fee (FBA) even if individual unit counts are low. Conversely, small, dense items may charge lower overall storage fees but could still incur long-term charges if they don’t move.

Practical examples help. Imagine you sell a small electronic accessory that fits in a single cubic inch; monthly storage fees for that item will be relatively low, and if it turns over quickly you may never pay long-term fees. Now contrast that with a seasonal inflatable pool that occupies several cubic feet and only sells during a three-month season: if you ship inventory to Amazon too early or don’t move it before off-season months, monthly storage charges and potential long-term fees can quickly erode profits.

Sellers can monitor Storage Fee (FBA) in Amazon Seller Central using inventory reports and the Inventory Performance Dashboard. Look for metrics like inventory age, units in Amazon fulfillment centers, and cubic feet by SKU. Amazon often provides alerts for aged inventory and has periodic long-term storage cleanups or assessments; sellers usually receive notices before long-term fees are charged so they can take action such as creating removal orders, running promotions, or adjusting pricing to move stock.

Why it matters: Storage fees compound with other FBA charges such as fulfillment fees, returns processing, and referral fees. For new sellers or businesses with tight margins, not accounting for storage cost is a common cause of unprofitable listings. Savvy sellers plan inventory shipments to balance availability with storage time, use forecasting to prevent overstock, and review historical sell-through to decide how much to send to Amazon.

Keep in mind that Amazon periodically updates its fee schedule and policies, including seasonal rate differences, long-term storage thresholds, and how size tiers are determined. Always consult your marketplace’s current fee tables and use Amazon’s provided reports to model potential charges before sending inventory. Understanding Storage Fee (FBA) helps you decide what to send to FBA, when to run promotions, and whether a blended approach (using FBA for fast movers and third-party warehousing or Fulfillment by Merchant for slow movers) makes more sense for your business.

In short, Storage Fee (FBA) is a core cost of using Amazon’s warehousing network. It is driven by space, time, and item size—so control those variables and you control a major component of your FBA cost structure.