Amazon FBA Removal and Disposal Fees in Australia: Per-Unit Charges, Timing and When to Pull Stock

Amazon charges a per-item fee when you ask it to return or dispose of your inventory in an Australian fulfilment centre. Amazon staff confirm removal fees are charged per unit removed. As of October 2026 the AUD rate card is not on Amazon's public pages, so no per-unit figure is given here. Read the schedule in Seller Central, then compare it with the storage and aged inventory costs below.

What is the FBA removal fee in Australia?

Amazon's FBA page says sellers can have Amazon "return or dispose of your inventory in a fulfilment centre for a per-item fee". The page gives no amount. An Amazon staff member in the seller forum says "the removal fees are charged per unit removed," and points to a pricing page for the rates, without stating them.

That leaves what can be said with confidence:

• There are two actions: removal (Amazon sends the units to you or another address) and disposal (Amazon destroys or otherwise disposes of them).
• The charge is per unit.
• The rate depends on something Amazon sets in the schedule. Amazon does not say on its public Australian pages whether it varies by size tier or weight, so check the schedule.

Figures quoted online usually come from the US marketplace, in US dollars. Do not use them for Amazon.com.au.

Removal versus disposal: which should you choose?

Choose removal only when the units are worth more than the fee, your freight and your handling. Choose disposal when they are not. Neither decision should be made on the fee alone: the real comparison is against what keeping the stock will cost.

How long does a removal order take?

An Amazon staff reply says removal orders "may take 90 days or more to process and leave the fulfillment center," allow an additional two weeks for the carrier, and "this process cannot be expedited". The reply is about three years old and the page shows no calendar date, so treat it as a planning guide and check the current wording in Seller Central.

The timing has a direct cost. Stock waiting in the queue is still stored, and storage and aged inventory charges continue until the units leave. If a removal order is placed on day 260 and takes 90 days, the units will pass day 271 and the surcharge starts, assessed on the 15th of the month. That is why removal decisions need to happen well before the breaks.

When is removal cheaper than keeping stock?

The aged inventory surcharge is published, so you can test the maths. It is assessed on the 15th each month per cubic metre: A$155 at 271 to 300 days, A$175 at 301 to 330, A$185 at 331 to 365, and A$370 or A$0.12 per unit, whichever is greater, from 366 days, all excluding GST. Monthly storage is A$37.00 per cubic metre for standard-size from January to September and A$51.80 from October to December.

Here is an illustrative example. You hold 100 units, 0.2 cubic metres in total, at day 300. R is the removal fee per unit from your Seller Central schedule.

Add the figures: staying put costs about A$22.20 plus A$72.00 over the first two surcharge assessments, roughly A$94, and A$74.00 more at day 366. If 100 x R is less than that and the stock has no resale value, disposal wins. If the stock can sell at a discount, a markdown usually beats both. This arithmetic uses sourced rates and your own R; it is a method, not a recommendation for your product.

What is automated removal?

Amazon lets you set automated removal of fulfillable inventory aged 1 to 12 months or older than 12 months. It took effect on 20 March 2024 and standard removal fees apply. Use it carefully. A rule that removes stock aged one month will pull inventory out of the network on a schedule you may not intend, and you pay the removal fee on every unit. A rule set at "older than 12 months" is closer to a safety net. Check what the rule would catch before you switch it on.

Which stock gets free removal?

Under FBA New Selection, the first 30 units per parent ASIN get free removal within 180 days, and no storage fees for 90 days. Apparel and shoes get 100 units for 120 days storage-free. This applies to eligible new-to-FBA listings buyable on or after 28 October 2025 with an Inventory Performance Index of 300 or more from 1 December 2025. If you are launching a product through FBA for the first time, this is a cheap way to test demand. See is FBA worth it in Australia.

What about unsellable returns and stranded stock?

Unsellable customer returns are assessed for who caused the damage. Once you know the status, you can request removal or disposal of units you cannot sell. See returns processing fees. Stock Amazon cannot sell because of listing problems also sits in storage. Amazon's IPI includes a stranded inventory percentage, which feeds storage limits. Fix or remove it. For the storage side see storage fees and aged inventory.

How do you avoid needing removals?

1. Order smaller, more often. See Send to Amazon shipments.
2. Track days of cover, not only units. Compare forecast sales with units in stock each fortnight.
3. Start discounting early. Review stock at 240 days.
4. Test with small first shipments using the New Selection benefits if eligible.
5. Model all fees before buying. The FBA calculator and overview of seller fees help.

FAQ

How much does Amazon charge to remove inventory in Australia? Amazon charges a per-item fee, per unit removed. The amount is not on Amazon's public pages, so check the fee schedule in Seller Central before you place an order.

How long does an FBA removal take in Australia? An Amazon staff reply says 90 days or more to leave the fulfilment centre, plus about two weeks for the carrier, and cannot be expedited. That reply is roughly three years old, so check current guidance.

Is disposal cheaper than removal? Amazon does not publish Australian rates, so the answer is not public. Compare the two rates in your Seller Central schedule, and add your own freight and handling costs to removal.

Can I avoid the aged inventory surcharge by removing stock? Yes, if the units leave before the 15th assessment after day 270. Because removal can take 90 days or more, order well before 271 days.

Are removal fees charged for New Selection units? Not always. Amazon says the first 30 units per parent ASIN of an eligible new-to-FBA listing get free removal within 180 days, subject to conditions such as the Inventory Performance Index rule.

Is GST charged on removal fees? Amazon does not state a GST treatment for removal or disposal on public pages. Check fee invoices and confirm with the ATO or a registered tax agent; this is general information, not tax advice.

Next step

List every SKU past 240 days, price the keep, discount, remove and dispose options with your Seller Central rates, and act before day 271. Blooprint is an Amazon SPN verified partner that manages Amazon.com.au accounts remotely from Bengaluru, and Amazon FBA management in Australia covers aged stock reviews. The Australia hub links the rest of the fees guides.