What is the FBA New Selection program? Benefits & requirements

Most FBA sellers launching new products leave thousands of dollars on the table each year. The FBA New Selection program offers rebates averaging 10% on sales, free storage for months, and waived processing fees—but only if you know how to access these benefits.

This program rewards sellers who bring fresh inventory to Amazon’s fulfillment network. Think of it as Amazon’s way of saying “thanks for the new stuff” with actual cash back and fee reductions that can significantly impact your bottom line.

What is the FBA New Selection program?

The FBA New Selection program gives sellers financial incentives when they send products to FBA for the first time. Amazon wants to encourage inventory diversity, so it’s willing to pay sellers to expand their fulfillment network with new ASINs.

Here’s how the enrollment process differs based on your seller status. New sellers get enrolled automatically when they create their first shipment within 90 days of listing their first product. Existing sellers must manually enroll through Seller Central to start receiving benefits.

The program operates globally with a single enrollment. Once you’re in, benefits apply automatically across all Amazon marketplaces where you maintain active selling accounts. This global approach eliminates the need to enroll separately in each region.

Key program mechanics:

• Benefits apply only to parent ASINs that have never used FBA before
• Time limits create urgency—most benefits last 120 to 180 days
• Unlimited new products can qualify after enrollment
• Eligibility requirements must be maintained throughout participation

The program replaced several smaller incentive programs with one comprehensive benefit structure. This consolidation makes it easier for sellers to understand what they’re getting and when benefits expire.

What are the benefits of the FBA New Selection Program?

The rebate structure delivers the biggest financial impact for most sellers. Amazon calculates rebates by taking each product category’s referral fee percentage and subtracting 5%. Categories with 15% referral fees get 10% rebates, while categories with lower fees receive smaller rebates.

This calculation method explains why rebates range from 0% to 12% rather than a flat 10% for everyone. Electronics sellers might see minimal rebates due to low referral fees, while jewelry sellers could hit the maximum 12% rebate rate.

Storage and liquidation benefits provide immediate cost relief:

• Standard-size products: Free storage for first 100 units over 120 days
• Non-standard size products: Free storage for first 50 units over 120 days
• Free liquidations: Remove slow-moving inventory within 180 days at no cost
• Automatic liquidation: Products with zero sales get liquidated free after 180 days

The returns processing fee waiver covers up to 20 units per standard-size parent ASIN. This benefit applies only to apparel and shoe categories, where returns are more common and processing costs add up quickly.

Vine enrollment gets a 25% discount when you submit 3 to 10 units per parent ASIN. The discount applies once per eligible product, but the timing window is narrow—you must enroll within 5 to 60 days after your first shipment arrives at fulfillment centers.

Important rebate details:

• Applied to fulfillment fees the month after earned
• Unused amounts expire one year after first application
• Cannot combine with other Amazon rebates (with specific exceptions)
• Calculated at the order level for precise tracking

FBA New Selection requirements and eligibility

Professional selling accounts are required—Individual accounts don’t qualify for enrollment. The Inventory Performance Index (IPI) score creates the biggest hurdle, with a minimum threshold of 300 required for program benefits.

Amazon checks IPI scores daily, but eligibility assessments happen twice yearly on April 1 and September 1. You’ll stay eligible until the next assessment date even if your IPI score dips temporarily, providing some protection against short-term performance issues.

Product eligibility follows strict rules:

• Must be new to FBA across all Amazon marketplaces
• Standard and non-standard sizes qualify (excluding special non-standard)
• Media categories are completely excluded (books, DVDs, music, video games)
• Used items cannot participate regardless of category

Parent ASIN status determines eligibility, not individual child variations. A product with multiple color options only needs one variation to be new to FBA for the entire parent ASIN to qualify.

The timing requirement is crucial: you must be eligible on the exact date your first new-to-FBA inventory arrives at fulfillment centers. If your IPI score drops below 300 before that arrival date, those products won’t qualify for benefits even if your score recovers later.

Additional restrictions apply to rebates specifically:

• Unbranded items with five or fewer weekly sales don’t qualify
• Sales history is evaluated over a trailing four-week period
• Evaluation window closes one day before the first FBA inbound shipment

Amazon provides tools to check if your ASINs qualify before shipping. The FBA New Selection portal and product search tool can verify new-to-FBA status across all global marketplaces.

How do I enroll in the New Selection Program?

Existing sellers must visit the FBA New Selection enrollment page in Seller Central and accept the program terms. The enrollment process takes just a few minutes, but benefits don’t apply retroactively to products already sent to fulfillment centers.

New sellers enjoy automatic enrollment if they create their first shipment within 90 days of listing their first buyable ASIN. This automatic enrollment connects to the broader New Seller Incentives program, which may provide additional benefits.

Post-enrollment dashboard access includes:

• Program status and eligibility monitoring
• Enrolled ASIN tracking and performance
• Sales and savings calculations by month
• Credit usage for eligible additional benefits

The dashboard updates regularly to show which products are earning benefits and how much you’ve saved. This transparency helps with inventory planning and lets you track the program’s impact on your profitability.

Brand Registry members with Brand Representative roles get special treatment. The New Seller Incentives program takes precedence over New Selection rebates for the first year or first $1 million in branded sales. After that period, New Selection benefits activate automatically.

Vine discount coordination works similarly:

• New Brand Representatives get a $200 Vine credit first
• FBA New Selection’s 25% discount applies afterward
• Timing windows for Vine enrollment remain the same

Global enrollment means you’ll see benefits across all active Amazon marketplaces without additional setup. Your MCID and email address link accounts automatically, ensuring a consistent program application.

Launch new products and save money on fees

Strategic inventory planning maximizes program benefits within the unit limits. Sending exactly 100 standard-size units or 50 non-standard units per parent ASIN captures the full free storage period while testing market demand.

The 120-day free storage window provides enough time to gauge product performance without storage costs eating into profits. Products that sell well can be restocked with standard fees, while slow movers can be liquidated for free before the 180-day deadline.

Calculate potential savings before product launch:

• Multiply expected sales by your category’s rebate percentage
• Add storage fee savings (varies by product size and season)
• Include return processing savings for apparel/shoes
• Factor in the liquidation value for unsold inventory

Consider seasonal timing when planning new product launches. Storage fees fluctuate throughout the year, making the free storage benefit more valuable during peak seasons when rates increase.

Tools like InventoryLab streamline the prep and shipping process for FBA New Selection products. The platform helps track which ASINs qualify for benefits and ensures proper labeling and documentation for all shipments.

Inventory management best practices:

• Send minimum quantities initially to test market response
• Monitor sales velocity to predict restocking needs
• Use the liquidation option strategically for slow movers
• Track benefit expiration dates to maximize savings

The rebate calculation method rewards higher-margin product categories. Focus on new product launches in categories with higher referral fees to maximize rebate percentages.

Is FBA New Selection worth it for your business?

High-frequency product launchers see the biggest benefit from program enrollment. Sellers introducing multiple new ASINs monthly can accumulate substantial savings across their entire catalog over time.

The IPI score requirement creates the biggest barrier for struggling sellers. If maintaining a 300+ IPI score is challenging, focus on inventory performance improvements before enrolling in additional programs.

Program makes sense when you:

• Launch new FBA products regularly
• Maintain consistent IPI scores above 300
• Sell in categories with higher referral fees
• Have inventory management systems to track benefit periods

Skip the program if you:

• Rarely add new FBA products
• Struggle with IPI score maintenance
• Focus primarily on media category products
• Lack systems to monitor benefit expiration dates

The program integrates well with other Amazon seller tools and services. Sellers using Sponsored Ads, Brand Registry, or other Amazon programs can layer FBA New Selection benefits on top of existing strategies.

Prep center operators can leverage the program when processing shipments for multiple clients. The global enrollment and parent ASIN structure make it relatively easy to track which products qualify across different seller accounts.

Ready to optimize your entire FBA operation beyond just launch incentives? Try Seller 365 free for up to 14 days and get the complete toolkit used by successful sellers worldwide, including InventoryLab for streamlined FBA prep and shipping management that works seamlessly with New Selection benefits.