Amazon Warns of Warehouse Delays Ahead of Peak Season

This article provides the latest Amazon warehouse congestion alerts (Jan 12-Jan 18) and combines them with Maitron Logistics' shipping schedule. It offers strategic advice for sellers to cope with congestion, including planning shipments in advance, selecting appropriate warehouses, and optimizing inventory management. This helps sellers mitigate risks and ensure smooth warehouse receiving. By proactively addressing potential delays, sellers can maintain efficient supply chains and avoid costly disruptions to their Amazon FBA operations.

As the busy shopping season approaches, Amazon sellers are facing renewed challenges with warehouse congestion that threatens to disrupt sales cycles. Recent reports indicate several fulfillment centers are experiencing significant backlogs, prompting concerns about inventory management and delivery timelines.

Current Warehouse Congestion Status (01.12-01.18)

The following Amazon facilities are reporting constrained appointment availability:

Earliest Available Appointments:

ONT8: 01/10/2026 06:00 PST
FWA4: 01/17/2026 00:00 EST
IAH3: 01/14/2026 23:00 CST
ORF2: 01/13/2026 07:00 EST
MQJ1: 01/14/2026 07:00 EST
TEB9: 01/15/2026 22:00 EST
MEM1: 01/11/2026 00:00 CST
RDU2: 01/10/2026 22:00 EST

Severely Congested Facilities:

RFD2, AVP1, OKC2, MC02, ABE8, MKC4, DFW2N (Walmart facility)

Moderately Congested Facilities:

ONT8, FWA4, IAH3, ORF2, MQJ1, TEB9, MEM1, POC2

Facilities Experiencing Appointment Cancellations:

ONT8, FTW1, RFD2

Strategies to Mitigate Warehouse Delays

E-commerce sellers can implement several approaches to navigate fulfillment center congestion:

1. Advanced Shipping Planning

Monitor Amazon's Inventory Performance Index (IPI) metrics closely and schedule shipments outside peak congestion periods when possible.

2. Strategic Warehouse Selection

Prioritize less congested facilities or consider utilizing Amazon's alternate warehouse options to bypass bottlenecks.

3. Inventory Optimization

Maintain lean inventory levels and promptly address slow-moving stock to improve turnover rates and storage efficiency.

4. Enhanced Shipment Tracking

Implement robust logistics monitoring to ensure timely delivery to Amazon facilities despite potential delays.

5. Third-Party Warehousing Solutions

During extreme congestion periods, utilizing external fulfillment centers can provide temporary inventory management relief.

Shipping Schedule Updates

Recent vessel schedules indicate available shipping windows that may help sellers coordinate their inventory movements more effectively. These schedules remain subject to change based on operational conditions.

Important Considerations

The information provided reflects current operational conditions but remains subject to change. Sellers should evaluate their specific circumstances when making shipping decisions and regularly consult Amazon's official communications for the latest facility status updates.