Maintaining the proper amount of inventory at Amazon FBA can feel like an impossible math problem. If you have excess inventory in FBA, you’ll lower your IPI score. If you don’t have enough, you run the risk of incurring low inventory level fees. Or worst case scenario, your inventory reaches zero and you stock out, potentially costing 6 figure losses. Drip feeding inventory into Amazon is a great strategy to prevent excess inventory, avoid stocking out, and minimize your FBA fees.
In this article, we’ll explain everything you need to know about the process – so you can optimize your supply chain and reduce costs. We’ll also cover every common question about the process, and provide helpful tips along the way.
Use this outline to skip to any section of this page:
- What is drip feeding?
- Do many Amazon sellers drip feed their inventory?
- What is the minimum inventory I can hold at Amazon FBA warehouses?
- The benefits of drip feeding your inventory to Amazon
- What’s the alternative to drip feeding?
- Using an FBA prep center to store and drip feed inventory
What is drip feeding?
Drip feeding inventory to Amazon is a process of sending a small quantity of products at a time. This is done in order to avoid overwhelming the system and getting kicked out of the Amazon catalog. It can also help to ensure that products are being properly listed and categorized on Amazon, which can help with sales.
There are a few different ways to drip feed inventory to Amazon:
- Use an automated tool that sends a preset number of products per day or week.
- Partner with an FBA prep center, which can also inspect, package, label and prep your inventory.
- Create an inventory spreadsheet and upload it manually using the Amazon Seller Central portal. (This process can be time-consuming, but it gives you more control over the products being sent.)
No matter which method you choose, it’s important to test your products before sending them to Amazon. Make sure they are properly listed and that all the details (including images) are correct. You may also want to consider using a repricing tool such as Feedvisor, Repricer, and BQool to maintain your competitive edge on Amazon.
Do many Amazon sellers drip feed their inventory?
Drip feeding inventory is a very common practice among Amazon Sellers, especially following the pandemic in 2020. With wait times at the ports, FBA inbound, and Amazon Sales all reaching record highs during the COVID outbreak, drip feeding inventory quickly became a necessary strategy for successful sellers.
By doing this, they can ensure there’s enough inventory available to avoid stockouts. Plus, this can help minimize the amount of storage space that they need to reserve at Amazon’s fulfillment centers. Drip feeding also allows sellers to test which products are most popular with customers, and determine which items they should stock up on.
What is the minimum inventory I can hold at Amazon FBA warehouses?
Amazon does not have any minimum requirements for inventory at FBA. However, you want to be sure to never reach zero available sellable inventory at Amazon. This will trigger an “out of stock” status on your product. Amazon generally recommends new sellers keep at least 28 days worth of supply in FBA. For sellers that have been on the platform for a while, you will have Minimum Inventory Level Tool data that will help avoid a Low Inventory Level Fee.
When you first start out, it’s also important to make sure that your products are priced competitively on Amazon. This means that you’ll need to do some research to find out what other sellers are charging for similar items. If your prices are too high, you may struggle to sell products and make a profit.
The benefits of drip feeding your inventory to Amazon
Reduce long-term Amazon FBA storage fees
The main benefit of drip feeding your inventory to Amazon is that you can lower your storage fees. Amazon goal for its fulfillment centers is to be just that, a fulfillment center, not a long term storage facility. As a result, Amazon’s long term storage fees, or aged inventory surcharges, add up quickly and can cost a seller thousands.
Drip feeding inventory allows you to better manage your FBA inventory levels and avoid excess inventory.
- When a business has too much inventory, it can be a sign that they are not managing their resources well. This can be particularly problematic for Amazon, which operates on a Just-in-Time inventory system.
- Too much inventory at Amazon warehouses can lead to missed delivery deadlines and unhappy customers.
- In order to prevent this from happening, Amazon has been known to implement stricter guidelines for merchants who want to sell on its platform. These guidelines require merchants to have a certain inventory level and monitor their stock turnover rate.
This helps ensure that Amazon doesn’t have too much excess inventory lying around and that it can continue to deliver products on time to its customers
Easier access to inventory
By not sending all of your inventory to Amazon at once, you can manage your stock more effectively, ensuring you’re selling what you want to sell.
By storing some of your inventory with a trusted 3PL partner or your own warehouse, you can also access your inventory more easily. This can be helpful if you’re selling on other platforms as well. Drip feeding your inventory to Amazon can be a great way to make sure your products are always available, and it can help keep your sales consistent. We dive more into this in our article – Top 7 Inventory Management Tips for Amazon Sellers.
Allows you to send inventory to Amazon as needed
The reason why drip feeding your inventory is a good idea is because you can control the flow. You’re not under any pressure to send a large quantity of products all at once. You can do it gradually, as needed.
This gives you time to make sure everything is in order before sending your products to Amazon. It also allows you to take advantage of Amazon’s pricing and marketing programs as needed. Overall, it’s a very flexible approach that can work well for a variety of Amazon sellers.
What’s the alternative to drip feeding?
The alternative to drip feeding your inventory to Amazon is to use a third-party fulfillment company and skip FBA altogether. This will allow you to store your inventory in a warehouse and ship it out when orders come in. This can be a cost-effective option if you are not selling a lot of items, and it can also help you avoid the fees associated with Amazon Prime.
However, if you want to remain in FBA, you either have to send all your inventory to Amazon, or drip-feed it from a 3rd party warehouse (or your own). Beyond that, you’re fulfilling orders yourself.
Using an FBA prep center to store and drip feed inventory
An FBA prep center can be an extremely valuable tool for online sellers. By using a prep center, you can store your inventory and drip feed it to Amazon as needed. This can help ensure that you always have stock available on Amazon, and that you don’t have to worry about running out of stock.
Beyond drip feeding inventory, an FBA prep center is also best way to ensure your inventory is in good condition. They can help inspect your products and prevent removal orders and defects, while also helping you get your products ready for shipping to Amazon (which can save you time and hassle).
Using a prep center can also help you save money on shipping costs. By shipping your inventory to the prep center in bulk, you can save on shipping costs compared to shipping individual items. This can be especially helpful if you are selling a large quantity of items.
If you’re looking for a reliable and reputable partner, then look no further than our team at ZonPrep. We offer a wide range of services that will help you get your products ready for shipping to Amazon – including inspection, packaging, and labeling. We also have a team of experts who are well-versed in Amazon’s quality requirements and can help make sure your products meet all the necessary guidelines.
If you’re looking for a hassle-free way to prepare your inventory for Amazon, contact ZonPrep today. We’ll help you get your products ready for sale quickly and efficiently, so you can save money and focus on running your business.
Published: October 3, 2022
Updated: June 3, 2026