Account Level Reserve: Determination for Withholding
Hi,
My team is trying to account for and reconcile payments we receive from Amazon, but we run into the roadblock of not knowing how the reserve amount is determined or withheld on an order level.
From my understanding of the Account Level Reserves, funds are withheld for a number of reasons but I am not sure any of them apply. For context, my shop has been live for a roughly 4 months with no history of chargebacks or A-to-Z Guaranteed refunds that I can see.
On an order level, how can I determine how much was held for reserves? I do not see this information available in any of the transaction reports I've viewed, I cannot find any information about this in seller central or the forums, and I did not see anything specific in the policies/agreements other than that there IS a reserve.
Account Level Reserve: Determination for Withholding
Hi,
My team is trying to account for and reconcile payments we receive from Amazon, but we run into the roadblock of not knowing how the reserve amount is determined or withheld on an order level.
From my understanding of the Account Level Reserves, funds are withheld for a number of reasons but I am not sure any of them apply. For context, my shop has been live for a roughly 4 months with no history of chargebacks or A-to-Z Guaranteed refunds that I can see.
On an order level, how can I determine how much was held for reserves? I do not see this information available in any of the transaction reports I've viewed, I cannot find any information about this in seller central or the forums, and I did not see anything specific in the policies/agreements other than that there IS a reserve.
9 replies
Seller_OvL8C4BJWiuS9
Have you gone through Amazon's Seller University?
Seller_kIukTwdhvntAp
"roadblock of not knowing how the reserve amount is determined or withheld on an order level."
Make it easy on yourself and your staff.
Just figure that ALL funds will be held until AMAZON decides to release some of the money.
They will NEVER give anyone a formula disclosing how they calculate an amount and/or determine when to release funds.
Back YEARS ago before the reserves came about they lost millions of dollars to scammers that figured out how to give fake tracking (or even legit tracking) and scam Amazon and their buyers.
Amazon may be a bit slow, but they are not totally stupid, at least when it comes to THEIR funds. Now they will reserve until they are 100% comfortable and the reserves MIGHT go away at some point.
There have been posts about sellers who have been here for years and still have reserves held.
If you seriously want to try and figure it out you are going to need a LOT more of a budget for Excedrin, Maalox, and booze. (Buy the booze now before all the tariffs kick in.)
Seller_rI7BZIczK8iAC
You see this in "Payments" under "Transaction View". For me it's about 50% of the Total Balance.
Seller_0q003sYx7d7jY
its delivery date + 7 days...
all expenses on a n order level are billed as they happen
Seller_0EiTWTPC4Lbig
you will never know why or how long. Accept and move past the issue.
We run Quickbooks on a cash basis and record sales and info and we keep the reserved amount as another "checking account" on the books (as its our money). When it transfers, do your reconciliation every 2 weeks and move on.
Realize that Amazon will hold your profits for 2-6 weeks basically. And if you are growing, it will be on the longer side.
You have 4 months history, which is nothing. I have 18+ years on one account (before there was this reserve scheme) and another that is 5 years old with PERFECT metrics. Amazon keeps the reserve on the second account and it is always 6-figures in reserve.
We will get the money, its just delayed. It is what it is. Amazon is its own universe, and you need to adapt to that as they will never adapt to you.
