What Does It Mean When an Amazon Product Is Labelled As ‘Inactive Out of Stock but With FBA Inventory’?
As an Amazon seller, you’ve likely encountered numerous challenges when it comes to managing your inventory effectively. One scenario that often confuses sellers is the ‘Inactive Out of Stock but With FBA Inventory’ status. In this blog post, we will help you understand what this status means, the reasons why you might encounter it, and, most importantly, the steps you can take to address it. Let’s get started.
What Does ‘Inactive Out of Stock but With FBA Inventory’ mean anyway?
When you come across a product labeled as ‘Inactive Out of Stock but With FBA Inventory,’ it suggests that the product, despite having inventory, is not available for immediate purchase and will not appear in search results. This status commonly occurs when the inventory is either in reserve status or undergoing transshipment.
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Reserve status means the product is temporarily unavailable due to inventory processing or operational reasons. Transshipment, on the other hand, involves the transfer of inventories from non-fulfillment warehouses to fulfillment warehouses. During this period, the inventory is not available for sale, thus rendering the product ‘inactive’ despite having stock.
Why Do Products Get Labeled As ‘Inactive Out of Stock but With FBA Inventory’?
There are typically three main reasons why a product may get labeled as ‘Inactive Out of Stock but With FBA Inventory.’ This includes:
Reserved Inventory
As explained above, products often get labeled as ‘Inactive Out of Stock but With FBA Inventory’ due to reserve status. This typically happens for several operational reasons, which may not be readily apparent to sellers.
For instance, when a customer places an order, Amazon moves the relevant items into reserve until the order is shipped. Also, when a customer returns a product, it goes into reserved status until it is processed and returned to the available inventory. In addition, Amazon might temporarily put items in reserve during routine inventory checks to maintain accuracy. During these periods, your product listing could show up as inactive out of stock, despite having inventory in FBA warehouses.
Suppressed Listings
Another common reason for the inactive status is suppressed listings. Amazon’s algorithms continuously evaluate listings against a set of performance metrics and quality standards. If a product listing fails to meet these standards, it may get suppressed. This leads to inactive listings, regardless of whether there is inventory in the FBA warehouse. Common triggers for suppressed listings include high return rates, poor customer feedback, low sales, policy violations, and issues with product detail pages, such as lack of product description, poor quality images, or missing crucial details.
Transshipments
Lastly, products may be labeled with the inactive listing status due to transshipment. Transshipment is when Amazon moves your inventory from a non-fulfillment warehouse to a fulfillment warehouse. During the transshipment process, the products are temporarily unavailable for sale, hence becoming inactive and out of stock.
What Can Sellers Do to Avoid the ‘Inactive Out of Stock but With FBA Inventory’ Label?
Unfortunately, there is not much you can do as a seller to avoid the ‘Inactive Out of Stock but With FBA Inventory’ issue completely. Factors like reserved inventories and transshipments are outside your control as they depend on Amazon’s operational decisions.
However, there are a few key steps you can take to minimize the likelihood of having your Amazon listings suppressed. This includes:
Maintain Accurate and Up-to-Date Product Information
This is the simplest and most straightforward way to prevent suppressed listings. Ensure that your product details, including the product title, description, images, and specifications, are accurate and comprehensive. Regularly review and update this information as necessary to provide customers with reliable and relevant information about your products. Misleading or incomplete information can lead to suppressed listings, resulting in an inactive Amazon listing despite having FBA inventory.
Monitor and Manage Inventory Levels
Proactive inventory management is another critical aspect of minimizing this issue. It is essential to monitor your inventory levels consistently to prevent both stockouts and excessive inventory. By using predictive analysis or inventory management tools, you can anticipate demand and maintain optimal stock levels. Consistently running out of stock may lead to suppressed listings and thereby an inactive status.
Monitor Customer Feedback and Ratings
Customer satisfaction is paramount in the Amazon marketplace. Therefore, it is crucial to closely monitor customer feedback and ratings. Negative reviews or low ratings can lead to a suppressed Amazon listing.
If you observe a consistent pattern of complaints or low ratings, it is vital to take prompt action to address the root causes. This might involve enhancing product quality, revising product listings to provide clearer information, or making improvements to customer service based on the feedback received.
Comply With Amazon’s Policies
Complying with Amazon’s policies is an absolute requirement that cannot be negotiated. Amazon has established clear guidelines for sellers to uphold a marketplace of superior quality. Any infringement of these policies, such as selling prohibited items, violating intellectual property rights, or failing to meet the required performance metrics, can result in suppressed listings or even suspension of your seller account. To prevent these issues and keep your listings active, always stay updated with Amazon’s policies and ensure your business operations are in compliance.
How to Tranship Items from a Non-Regular Fulfillment Center to a Regular Fulfillment Center
Occasionally, your products may become inactive due to the inventory being housed in a non-regular Fulfillment Center (FC). In such scenarios, you need to transfer the product to a regular FC to reactivate the listing. It’s important to note that the product will remain inactive until it reaches the regular FC.
To successfully tranship your products from a non-regular FC to a regular FC, follow the steps below:
Summary
Understanding the ‘Inactive Out of Stock but With FBA Inventory’ status is crucial for sellers using Amazon’s FBA system. While certain factors contributing to this issue may be beyond a seller’s control, there are remedies available to address and resolve the situation. By implementing the tips mentioned above, sellers can minimize the occurrence of this label and ensure a smooth selling experience on the platform.
Looking for expert assistance in managing your Amazon seller account? Enso Brands offers a comprehensive range of one-stop Amazon services tailored to optimize your performance and maximize your potential on the platform. Contact us today and discover how we can help your business thrive on Amazon!
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