FBA Inventory Metrics Explained

Understanding your FBA inventory means knowing more than just how many units you have. Amazon splits inventory into several states, each telling a different part of the story.

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Fulfillable

Units sitting in Amazon's fulfillment centers that are ready to be picked, packed, and shipped. This is the only inventory that can fulfill a new customer order today. It is the primary number that drives your listing's availability and your in-stock status.

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Reserved

Units at Amazon that cannot fulfill new orders right now. Reserved Quantity includes all four sub-categories:

Customer Orders

Units that have been sold and are being picked or staged for shipment. These are leaving your inventory. They are not a sign that you have stock available - they are a sign that you recently did.

FC Transfers

Units being moved from one Amazon fulfillment center to another. Amazon does this automatically to position your inventory closer to customer demand. These units will return to Fulfillable once the transfer completes, usually within a few days.

FC Processing

Units that have arrived at an FC but are still being checked in, inspected, or processed. These will move to Fulfillable once intake is complete.

Staging

Units held in a staging area at an FC. This often indicates units being prepared for a removal or disposal order. Unlike the other reserved sub-types, staged units may not return to Fulfillable.

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Total On-Hand

A metric that matches what Amazon shows in Seller Central. Calculated as:

Total On-Hand = Fulfillable + FC Transfers

This represents your active inventory at Amazon - stock that is either available to sell or being repositioned within the network.

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Inbound

Units you have shipped or are planning to ship to Amazon. Split into three states:

Inbound Working

A shipment plan has been created in Seller Central but the boxes have not left your warehouse yet. This is an intent, not a commitment.

Inbound Shipped

Your shipment is in transit to Amazon. The carrier has picked up the boxes. This stock is on its way.

Inbound Received

Amazon has received your shipment at the FC and is processing it into inventory. These units will become Fulfillable shortly.

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Unfulfillable

Units that Amazon has determined cannot be sold. This includes items that are damaged, defective, or expired. You can request a removal order to get these units back or have Amazon dispose of them.

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What to watch for replenishment

When deciding whether to send more stock, the number that matters is:

Fulfillable + FC Transfers + FC Processing + Inbound Shipped + Inbound Received

Metric	Why it counts
Fulfillable	Available to sell right now
FC Transfers	Already at Amazon, returning to fulfillable in days
FC Processing	Received at the FC, being checked in
Inbound Shipped	Confirmed in transit, carrier has the shipment
Inbound Received	At Amazon's dock, about to be processed
Inbound Working	Not included - shipment plan only, boxes have not shipped
Customer Orders	Not included - selling down, not building up
Staging	Not included - may be queued for removal