Amazon has clearly been working hard to free up space in its Fulfillment Centers. First, preventing folks from sending in units when “sufficient supply existed in warehouses,” then increasing storage fees in July.  Well, out today, Amazon has announced that they will no longer exempt one unit of each product, from the long term storage fee.

Long Term Storage Fee Assessed on all inventory effective 15 February 2017

Per Amazon’s notification:

In the past, one unit of each ASIN in storage has been exempt from the twice-annual Long-Term Storage Fee. Effective with the February 15, 2017, Long-Term Storage Fee assessment, this exemption will end. A Long-Term Storage Fee will be assessed on all inventory that has been in a U.S. fulfillment center for six months or more. There are no additional changes to the Long-Term Storage Fee at this time, other than there will no longer be a single-unit exemption effective February 15, 2017.

I think it is positive that Amazon is giving us what I would say, is sufficient notice. In fact, Amazon is also providing free removal of one unit of every ASIN, for which you remove between 19 September and 14 October.

Is this a huge deal? Not really. In the big scheme of things though, its just one more straw on the camel’s back, and its been a rough few months for Amazon Sellers.

What do you think? Is the latest change in storage fees a big deal or not so big a deal?