Account health, ads, inventory and fulfilment · Capacity, not demand
FBA restock limits
Restock limits cap how much inventory you can send. Plan within the limit instead of discovering it at the shipment screen.
Key facts
| What is limited | The quantity of inventory you can have in fulfilment centres, often split by storage type |
|---|---|
| Basis | Historical sales, inventory performance and available capacity; the exact formula is not published |
| Capacity manager | Shows current usage and the limit for each storage type |
| Excess | Shipments above the limit can be refused or charged; check before booking freight |
| Planning | Use sell-through and lead time, not last year's order quantity |
| Official source | Seller Central restock limits and capacity manager help pages |
Limits are capacity, not demand
A restock limit is a cap on units in the network, not a judgement about how much you could sell. Two sellers with identical demand can receive different limits because their sell-through, age profile and storage type mix differ.
The operational mistake is to order the container first and check the limit second. Freight is booked, the supplier ships, and the shipment sits or gets charged. Check capacity before the purchase order, not before the shipment.
How to plan within a limit
Calculate days of cover for each SKU, then rank by contribution per unit of capacity rather than revenue. A bulky low-margin SKU can consume the limit that a compact high-margin SKU needs.
If demand exceeds the limit, use a second fulfilment path for the overflow: seller-fulfilled, a 3PL, or a removal to your own warehouse. Do not let a capacity cap become a stockout on the best seller.
Frequently asked questions
Do restock limits apply to new sellers?
New accounts often start with lower limits and earn more capacity through sales and inventory performance. Check the capacity manager for your actual number.
How do I raise the limit?
Improve sell-through and inventory health, and reduce excess and aged units. The limit responds to performance over time.
What happens to inventory above the limit?
Shipments can be refused or charged, and existing excess can attract fees. The exact treatment depends on the marketplace and storage type.
Do limits differ by storage type?
Yes. Standard, oversize and other storage types can have separate limits, which is why a single total number can mislead.
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