What Does It Mean When an Amazon Product Is Labelled As ‘Inactive Out of Stock but With FBA Inventory’?
If you’re confused as to why you have an ‘Inactive Out of Stock but with Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) Inventory’ status, this guide will help you out. In this blog post, we will help you understand what this status means, the reasons why it might happen, and, most importantly, the steps you can take to address it. Let’s get started.
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What Does ‘Inactive Out of Stock But With FBA Inventory’ Mean Anyway?
When a product is labeled as ‘Inactive Out of Stock but With FBA Inventory,’ it means that although you have inventory, the product isn’t available for sale and won’t show up in search results. This happens when your inventory is either in reserve status or being transferred.
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 time, the inventory is not available for sale, which makes the product ‘inactive’ even though you have stock.
What’s the Impact of Having Out-of-Stock Listings?
When your products are out of stock, you’ll miss out on sales since your listings won’t show up in search results. Customers unaware of your products might buy from competitors instead.
Being out of stock also damages your search ranking which will cause a drop in click-through-rate (CTR), popularity, and sales velocity. Even after you’ve restocked, it can take a while for Amazon’s algorithms to improve the visibility of your listings. This can impact your organic ranking for a long time.
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’:
1) Reserve Inventories
As mentioned before, products are labeled as ‘Inactive Out of Stock but With FBA Inventory’ due to reserve status, which happens for various operational reasons.
For instance, when a customer places an order, Amazon sets it aside until it’s shipped. Returns also go into this reserve until they’re processed. Amazon might also temporarily place items in reserve during routine inventory checks.
2) Suppressed Listings
Inactive listings often happen due to suppressed listings, which occur when Amazon’s algorithms find that a product doesn’t meet certain standards. Common reasons for suppression include high return rates, bad customer feedback, low sales, policy violations, and issues with product details like missing descriptions or poor-quality images.
3) 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 this process, the products are temporarily unavailable for sale, hence becoming inactive and out of stock.
What Can You Do to Avoid the ‘Inactive Out of Stock but With FBA Inventory’ Label?
Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do to avoid the ‘Inactive Out of Stock but With FBA Inventory’ especially if it’s due to reserve inventories and transshipment. However, if your Amazon listings are suppressed, here are a few things you can do to avoid this issue:
1) Make Sure Your Product Information Is Up to Date
Make sure that your product information, like the product title, description, images, and specifications, is accurate, detailed, and up to date. Incomplete or misleading details can cause suppressed listings, which might result in an inactive Amazon listing.
2) Monitor and Manage Inventory Levels
Keep a close eye on your inventory level to prevent both stockouts and excessive inventory. Use tools to predict demand and manage your FBA stock levels smartly. If you’re frequently out of stock, your listings might get suppressed, which will result in an inactive status.
3) Monitor Customer Feedback and Ratings
Customer satisfaction is super important in the Amazon marketplace. So, keep an eye on feedback and ratings. Bad reviews or low ratings can get your Amazon listing suppressed.
If you notice a lot of complaints or low ratings, act fast. You might need to improve product quality, update your product listings for clearer information, or make changes to your customer service based on feedback.
4) Comply With Amazon’s Policies
Following Amazon’s rules is a must and non-negotiable. They’ve set clear guidelines to protect sellers as well as customers. Breaking these rules, like selling prohibited items or violating copyrights, can get your listings suppressed or even get your account suspended. To avoid these problems and keep your listings active, always stay up to date with all the policies.
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. In such cases, you need to transfer the product to a regular FC to reactivate the listing. To do this, follow the steps below:
FAQs
How long does a product remain in ‘Inactive Out of Stock’ status?
The duration can vary depending on the specific reason it’s inactive. Transshipments and reserve statuses are usually resolved within a few days to a couple of weeks.
Where can I find more information about managing my Amazon FBA inventory?
Amazon’s Seller Central provides comprehensive guides and tutorials on inventory management. Also, consider checking forums and webinars hosted by experienced Amazon sellers for practical insights and tips.
Can I sell products that are marked as ‘Inactive Out of Stock but With FBA Inventory’?
No, these products cannot be sold until they become active again. This happens once the inventory is fully processed and available for shipment.
Summary
While certain factors contributing to the ‘Inactive Out of Stock but With FBA Inventory’ status may be beyond your control, there are solutions available to address and resolve the situation. By following the tips mentioned above, you can reduce this status and have a better selling experience.
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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