Reference · checked September 2026
Amazon and Walmart claim windows: every deadline in one place
Most reimbursement money isn't refused. It runs out of time. Below is how long Amazon and Walmart give you for each kind of claim, when the clock starts, where the claim is filed and what evidence they expect.
Most Amazon FBA claims must be filed within 60 days, customer-return claims between day 60 and day 120 after the refund, and fee errors within 90 days. Amazon SAFE-T claims have 30 days. On Walmart, WFS inbound shortages are reported between day 10 and day 50, and WFS return disputes stay open 45 days once their window opens.
Amazon FBA
Source: Amazon Seller Forums announcements (September 5 and October 23, 2024; January 2026), Amazon "FBA inventory reimbursement policy" and "FBA Fees Reimbursement Policy: Weight and Dimensions". Checked September 2026.
| Claim | Window | Clock starts | Where it's filed | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lost or damaged in an Amazon warehouse, or while Amazon moves stock between warehouses (including AWD) | 60 days | The day Amazon marks it lost or damaged | Automatic in most cases; otherwise a Seller Central case (FBA issue → lost or damaged inventory) | Transaction item ID from the Inventory Ledger |
| Reimbursed below what you paid | 60 days | The payout date | Seller Central case disputing the reimbursement amount; cost set in Manage Your Sourcing Cost | Supplier or manufacturer invoice showing your unit cost |
| Refunded, but the return never came back, came back damaged or was the wrong item | Day 60–120 | The refund date | Seller Central case: FBA returns reimbursement, by order ID | Order ID; photos if a wrong or damaged item came back |
| Canada: refunded, but the return never came back, came back damaged or was the wrong item | Day 45–105 | The refund date | Seller Central case on Amazon.ca: FBA returns reimbursement, by order ID | Order ID; photos if a wrong or damaged item came back |
| Removal order lost in transit | Day 15–75 | The removal shipment's creation date | Seller Central case for the removal order | Removal order ID and what you actually received |
| Removal delivered damaged, incomplete or wrong | 60 days | Delivery back to you | Seller Central case for the removal order | Photos of the damaged, wrong or missing units and the packaging |
| Inbound shipment received short | Day 15–60 | Delivery to Amazon | Shipping Queue → shipment → Reconcile, once the shipment shows Closed | Non-editable invoice or packing slip, and proof of delivery (signed BOL for pallets) |
| FBA fulfillment or storage fees charged on the wrong size or weight | 90 days | Each fee charge | FBA Remeasurement and Reimbursement Tool, or a Seller Support research request | Your package dimensions and weight; one claim per fee charge |
| Low-inventory-level fee caused by Amazon inbound delays, or charged on an exempt item | No published limit | The month it was charged | Credited by Amazon the following month; a Seller Support case if the credit is missing | Inbound shipment dates and the fee line |
Amazon seller-fulfilled
Source: Amazon SAFE-T and A-to-z help pages, USPS Domestic Mail Manual 609. Checked September 2026.
| Claim | Window | Clock starts | Where it's filed | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAFE-T claims: not received, returned damaged or wrong, never returned | 30 days | The later of the return delivery scan or the refund date | Manage SAFE-T Claims | Order or RMA ID, tracking, return label, photos of what came back |
| A-to-z claim appeals | 30 days | The claim decision | Performance → A-to-z Guarantee claims → Option to appeal | Tracking, proof of delivery, buyer messages |
| Insured USPS package lost in transit | Day 15–60 | The mailing date | USPS claims, not Seller Central | Proof of insurance, tracking, proof of value |
Walmart WFS
Source: Walmart Marketplace Learn guides on WFS receiving issues, WFS returns disputes, WFS removals and referral fee disputes. Checked September 2026.
| Claim | Window | Clock starts | Where it's filed | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WFS received less than you shipped | Day 10–50 | Delivery to Walmart | Seller Center → Shipping Plans → Track items → Investigate shipment, once the plan is Complete | Carrier proof of delivery, or signed BOLs for LTL/FTL |
| WFS return refunded, not processed and no reimbursement | Day 90–135 | The day the return started | Seller Support case, one per order (find the return in the Customer returns report) | Order ID; files up to 5 MB each. Walmart asks 3 times for anything missing, then closes the dispute |
| WFS return processed, but the item never came back to you | Day 45–90 | Return-center processing | Seller Support case, one per order (find the return in the Customer returns report) | Order ID and the return-to-seller record |
| WFS return was the wrong item, missing, or damaged but graded sellable | 45 days | The day return tracking shows delivered | Seller Support case, one per order (find the return in the Customer returns report) | Photos showing the order ID and UPC, the label and tracking, the packing list |
| Charged for a WFS return on a non-returnable item | 45 days | The settlement date | Seller Support case, one per order (find the return in the Customer returns report) | The settlement line for the charge |
| WFS return graded in the wrong condition | 45 days | The return center's received scan | Seller Support case, one per order (find the return in the Customer returns report) | Photos of the item as received |
| Units lost or damaged inside a WFS warehouse with no credit | No published limit | The Inventory Reconciliation report | Seller Center Help → Support case | Inventory Reconciliation "Lost" lines with no matching Settlement credit |
| WFS fees charged on the wrong size or weight | No published limit | The fee charge | Seller Center Help → Support case | Your measurements vs the dimensions in the WFS Storage report |
| WFS removal delivered damaged or short | 60 days | The financial deduction | Seller Center removal order → dispute | Photos of damaged boxes or items, and the unit count received |
| WFS removal never delivered | 30 days | The financial deduction | Seller Center removal order → dispute | Removal order and carrier tracking |
| Wrong referral fee charged | 90 days | The settlement date | Seller Center Help → Support case | PO number, item category, fee percentage and the payment report |
Walmart seller-fulfilled
Source: Walmart Marketplace Learn guides on customer return disputes, failed-delivery disputes and appeals, and referral fee disputes. Checked September 2026.
| Claim | Window | Clock starts | Where it's filed | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Care refunded a return you should dispute | 45 days | The return date | Returns dashboard → Dispute | Return label with tracking and photos of the product |
| Refund on a failed delivery | 45 days | The refund date | Transactions → View details → Dispute this refund | Carrier signature or photo proof of delivery, or the customer email |
| Appeal a denied dispute | 30 days | The decision | Appeal from the dispute decision | Anything new that supports the dispute |
| Wrong referral fee charged | 90 days | The settlement date | Seller Center Help → Support case | PO number, item category, fee percentage and the payment report |
Walmart Canada
Source: Walmart Marketplace Learn Canada returns guides. Checked September 2026.
| Claim | Window | Clock starts | Where it's filed | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-store return never received, or received unsellable | Day 91–120 | The return date | Walmart.ca Returns dashboard → Dispute this return | Photos (required); check the reason code first |
| Return accepted outside the return policy | 45 days | The return date | Walmart.ca Returns dashboard → Dispute this return | Order date, return date and your return policy |
Method
How we check these windows
- Primary sources only. Every window comes from Amazon's or Walmart's own policy, help or announcement pages, listed under each table. No forums, no other agencies.
- One row per claim type. Where the marketplace counts from a different event (refund date, delivery scan, settlement date), the row says so.
- Re-read every month. We re-read each source page monthly and whenever a marketplace announces a change.
- Dates change only when rules do. The "checked" date moves when we re-read a source; the change log below records every window that actually changed.
Rule changes
What changed, and when
The Amazon changes that shortened windows or changed how claims are paid.
| Rule | Before | Now | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most FBA claim windows | 18 months | 60 days (returns: day 60 to 120) | October 23, 2024 |
| Automatic FBA reimbursements | Claim needed | Most warehouse losses paid without a claim | November 1, 2024 |
| Value of a lost FBA unit | Estimated sale price | Your sourcing cost, or Amazon's estimate | March 31, 2025 |
| Refund processing for seller-fulfilled returns | 2 business days | 4 calendar days, or the order loses SAFE-T eligibility | January 26, 2026 |
| SAFE-T claim window | 60 days | 30 days (US) | February 16, 2026 |
Using these windows
Four habits that keep money from expiring
- Check weekly, not monthly. The shortest windows are 30 days, so a monthly check can miss a whole claim.
- Mind the windows that open late. Amazon return claims open on day 60; some Walmart return disputes open on day 45 or day 90.
- Collect evidence before you need it. Invoices, bills of lading and delivery proofs are hard to find months later.
- Send each claim once, complete. Amazon discourages rushed or repeated requests, and Walmart allows only one appeal.
Sources: Amazon Seller Forums announcements (September 5 and October 23, 2024; January 2026), Amazon "FBA inventory reimbursement policy" and "FBA Fees Reimbursement Policy: Weight and Dimensions", Amazon SAFE-T and A-to-z help pages, USPS Domestic Mail Manual 609; Walmart Marketplace Learn guides on WFS receiving issues, WFS returns disputes, WFS removals, referral fee disputes, customer return disputes, failed-delivery disputes and appeals, and Walmart Marketplace Learn Canada returns guides. Marketplaces change these rules; confirm in Seller Central or Seller Center before filing.
Need a hand? See how we handle Amazon FBA reimbursements and Walmart WFS reimbursements.
Guides
Step-by-step guides for these deadlines
Free audit
Some of your claims are already on the clock
Send us your marketplace and store name. Within 48 to 72 hours of access you'll know which items are still inside these windows, and which have run out.