All Glossary
Stranded Inventory
What is stranded inventory? It is FBA stock without an active listing that incurs fees. Learn how to fix listing errors and how to prevent stock disposal.
Table of Contents
Stranded Inventory refers to stock stored in an Amazon FBA warehouse that lacks an active product listing on the marketplace.
What is a stranded inventory?
Stranded inventory is stock stored in an Amazon FBA warehouse that no longer has an active product listing on the marketplace. The items remain in the warehouse, but customers can’t buy them because the offer is inactive.
You still pay monthly storage fees (and possibly long-term storage fees) even though the products aren’t selling. Unresolved stranded inventory can hurt your Inventory Performance Index (IPI) and may lead to automatic removal or disposal of the stock.
Status | What It Means | Financial Impact |
Active Inventory | Listing live & buyable | Generates revenue |
Stranded Inventory | No active listing | Storage fees + IPI damage |
Lost Inventory | Misplaced by Amazon | Eligible for reimbursement |
Why is my inventory stranded?
Inventory becomes stranded when the connection between your physical stock and its active listing on Amazon is broken. Common causes include:
Listing errors: The product listing was deleted, closed, or is incomplete (missing price, brand, condition, or required attributes).
Pricing issues: Your price falls outside Amazon’s allowed range, triggering a High/Low Pricing Error that suppresses the offer.
Compliance or restrictions: The ASIN may be under Hazmat review, flagged for IP complaints, gated, or require brand/category approval you don’t have.
Fulfillment changes: The listing was accidentally switched from FBA to FBM, disconnecting it from the warehouse inventory.
Where can I find stranded inventory?
You can find stranded inventory directly inside your seller dashboard on Amazon Seller Central.
Log in to Seller Central.
Go to the Inventory tab.
Click Manage Inventory.
Select the Fix Stranded Inventory tab at the top of the page.
Note: If the Fix Stranded Inventory tab isn’t visible, it means you currently have no stranded items.
How do I fix the stranded inventory listing error?
To fix a stranded inventory listing error, take action based on the specific “Stranded Reason” shown in your Amazon Seller Central account.
Relist the item: If the listing was deleted or closed, click Relist and recreate the offer using the same SKU and ASIN so it reconnects to your stock.
Correct the price: Adjust your price so it falls within your minimum/maximum thresholds to clear High/Low pricing alerts.
Switch back to FBA: If the listing was changed to Merchant Fulfilled, edit it and set fulfillment back to Fulfilled by Amazon.
Submit a removal order: If the product is restricted or unsellable, request removal or disposal to stop storage fees.
Contact Seller Support: If nothing looks wrong, open a case and ask support to refresh or relink the listing.
What are SKU and ASIN?SKU and ASIN are two key identifiers used to manage inventory on Amazon, and understanding them is essential for fixing stranded stock.
If you recreate a listing using a new SKU instead of the original one, Amazon treats it as a different offer. The existing warehouse stock stays disconnected. To relink the inventory, you must relist using the same SKU and ASIN combination. |
How can I prevent stranded inventory?
To prevent stranded inventory on Amazon, focus on preparation, listing accuracy, and automation:
Research before shipping: Confirm you’re ungated for the brand and category so your listing won’t be restricted later.
Complete the listing first: Add images, price, brand details, and descriptions before inventory reaches the warehouse to avoid inactive offers.
Match shipments accurately: Ensure the items you send exactly match the shipping plan to prevent “Unexpected Item” or reconciliation issues.
Enable auto-action settings: In Fix Stranded Inventory → Edit automatic action settings, choose to automatically return stranded items instead of letting them sit or be destroyed.
Stranded inventory is rarely an isolated issue — it’s often an early warning sign of deeper Presence problems (suppression, compliance flags, pricing logic conflicts).
ave7LIFT.AI monitors 35+ Presence signals 24/7 and alerts you before inventory disconnects from your listing. Get proactive monitoring before stranded stock costs you revenue.
Summary
Stranded inventory occurs when Amazon FBA stock loses its connection to an active listing, rendering the items unsellable while they continue to accrue storage fees. This common issue is typically caused by listing errors, pricing alerts, compliance restrictions, or accidental switches from FBA to FBM. Sellers can identify these items in Seller Central and must resolve them quickly—often by relisting with the correct SKU and ASIN or adjusting prices—to avoid stock disposal and damage to their Inventory Performance Index (IPI). Proactive measures, such as verifying restrictions before shipping and utilizing automated account monitoring, are essential for maintaining a healthy, profitable seller account.
Key Takeaways
Stranded Stock Costs Money: Unsellable inventory still accrues storage fees and damages your IPI score.
Broken Connections: Stranded status occurs when active listings disconnect from warehouse stock due to errors, pricing alerts, or compliance flags.
The Fix: You must relist items using the exact original SKU and ASIN to successfully reconnect inventory.
Disposal Risk: Amazon may automatically destroy or remove items if issues aren't resolved within 30–90 days.
Protection: ave7LIFT.AI provides 24/7 monitoring to catch and fix these threats instantly before they hurt your business.
Frequently Asked Questions
