As the year draws to a close, cross-border e-commerce sellers are grappling with an unexpected challenge: Amazon warehouses in the U.S. have temporarily halted inbound shipments following the peak sales periods of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. This disruption has left many sellers scrambling to adjust their inventory plans ahead of the Lunar New Year.
Warehouse Overload Prompts Temporary Receiving Pause
Numerous Amazon U.S. marketplace sellers reported receiving system notifications when creating shipments, stating that delivery windows between December 15 and December 31 were unavailable due to "high demand and limited appointment slots." The surge of goods during the holiday shopping season has overwhelmed fulfillment centers, forcing Amazon to prioritize processing existing orders for Christmas deliveries.
The announcement sparked immediate concern among sellers. Some cited extended Thanksgiving holidays causing shipment backlogs, while others worried about missing critical sales opportunities during both Christmas and Lunar New Year periods. Several sellers criticized Amazon for charging premium inbound placement fees while failing to guarantee timely receiving services.
Widespread Capacity Issues Create Operational Headaches
Seasonal warehouse congestion is hardly new for Amazon sellers, who routinely face appointment shortages, delayed receiving times, and inventory shortfalls during peak periods. Logistics providers indicate that numerous facilities have currently stopped accepting shipments, including major hubs like QXY9, RDG1, SBD3, and multiple others across the country.
Particularly severe bottlenecks have emerged at certain locations. The QXY5 and JOT1 warehouses reportedly face 80% rejection rates alongside unexplained appointment cancellations. At LGB8, constant rescheduling has become routine due to overcrowding, while RFD2 and GEU5 experience similar constraints with limited appointment availability.
Although Amazon's seller support team claims no official policy change, multiple merchants confirm recent inbound rejections. The company suggests potential adjustments to delivery and performance metrics may follow, but details remain pending.
Additional complications include shipments marked as "receiving" in late November still awaiting full processing, with some sellers requiring four attempts before successful warehouse acceptance.
Strategic Responses for Affected Sellers
Merchants facing these disruptions can consider several mitigation strategies:
- Accelerate inventory planning: Prioritize shipments before December 15 to avoid operational disruptions.
- Leverage third-party logistics: Utilize alternative warehousing solutions before transferring inventory to Amazon facilities.
- Enhance communication channels: Proactively engage Amazon support to expedite critical shipments.
- Monitor logistics networks: Track carrier updates and maintain contingency plans for Chinese New Year factory closures.
- Optimize inventory controls: Refine demand forecasting to balance stock levels and minimize storage costs.
- Diversify sales channels: Reduce platform dependence through direct-to-consumer or multi-marketplace approaches.
- Strengthen product differentiation: Compete through enhanced quality, design, and customer experience.
While the warehouse constraints present significant challenges, they also offer opportunities for operational refinement. Sellers who adapt quickly through strategic planning and flexible execution will be best positioned to maintain business continuity during this volatile period.