For Amazon sellers of heat-sensitive products (chocolate, gummies, wax-based items, etc.), the seasonal “freeze” on inbound to FBA is a critical operational constraint. With the recent announcement that Amazon will allow inbound of meltable inventory beginning September 22, 2025, it’s time to map your Q4 strategy.

In this post we’ll cover:

• What “meltable inventory” means for Amazon FBA

• The timeline and key dates you must know

• Step-by-step operational checklist for inbound, fulfillment, and removal

• Packaging, logistics & risk mitigation best practices

• Strategic implications for your brand’s Q4 planning

If you’re supplying or selling heat-sensitive SKUs, missing these dates or mis-handling the process could cost you storage fees, removals, or even disposal. Let’s dive in.

What is “Meltable Inventory”?

Amazon defines this as inventory that is heat-sensitive and may degrade or melt when exposed to elevated temperatures — typically over 155 °F (≈ 68 °C) for extended durations.

Common categories include:

• Chocolate bars, truffles, spreads

• Gummies, jelly-based candies or supplements

• Certain wax-based items (wax melts, balms)

• Heat-sensitive cosmetics or novelty items that lose integrity when softened or melted

It’s not just about the label if the ASIN is listed on Amazon’s official “meltable ASIN list”, the restrictions apply regardless of your packaging claims.

Why it matters: If you ship meltable goods outside the allowed window, they may be marked unfulfillable, disposed of, or incur unexpected fees.

Key Dates at a Glance – 2025

Here’s the essential timeline that Amazon has published (US marketplace context):

Key takeaway: For 2025, you have a critical inbound window from Sept 22 to Oct 12 to restock heat-sensitive inventory into FBA, so that by Oct 13 your products are eligible for customer fulfillment.

Why This Change Matters for Your Business

As your agency focuses on Amazon FBA for clients, here’s why you need to take this seriously:

1. Q4 Peak-Season Opportunity
   Meltable categories (chocolates, gifting gummies, wax-based holiday novelties) are often high-margin and big during Q4. The earlier you can get inventory into FBA, the better positioned you are for Prime Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas.

2. Avoiding Inventory Risk
   If you mis-time inbound or arrive after cutoff, you may face:

   • Inventory marked unfulfillable

   • Disposal fees

   • Suppressed listings due to melted/damaged goods

   • Loss of buy-box, negative seller metrics

3. Logistics & Cost Implications
   Shipping heat-sensitive goods requires packaging, lane selection, cold-chain considerations. If you scramble after restrictions lift, you could incur premium freight or emergency shipments.

4. Compliance & Account Health
   Inventory damage leading to customer complaints can harm your seller metrics. Properly handling meltable items under the policy safeguards your account health.

Step-by-Step Checklist: Pre-Inbound to Fulfillment

Let’s break this into operational phases: (A) Audit & Planning, (B) Inbound Logistics, (C) Fulfillment Window, (D) Post-Season Removal.

A. Audit & Planning

• Download the official “meltable ASIN list” from Seller Central. Confirm which of your SKUs appear.

• Tag and segment your heat-sensitive SKUs (chocolates, gummies, wax items).

• Review manufacturing date/expiry where applicable. Heat exposure may accelerate spoilage.

• Determine ideal FBA inventory cover for Q4. Work backward from your projected peak week (e.g., Black Friday week).

• Align with prep/packaging standards for meltables: robust sealing, inner bags, rigid cartons, insulation as needed.

• Confirm automated removal/retention settings in Seller Central – especially if you have liquidations or removals set by default.

• Update your team/clients (if acting agency-wise) about the inbound window opening Sept 22 and the fulfillment resumption Oct 13.

B. Inbound Logistics (Sept 22 → Oct 12)

• On or after Sept 22: Create your shipments in “Send to Amazon” for meltable SKUs.

• Prefer earlier arrival rather than last-minute: target early October to buffer for any receiving delays.

• Packaging best practices for meltables:

  • Use insulated liners or thermal bubble wrap especially for long transit lanes.

  • Avoid oversized voids in boxes (heat builds up).

  • Use rigid outer cartons to reduce crushing/heat transfer.

  • Place “KEEP FROM HEAT” labels and proper dunnage.

• Carrier/Transit considerations:

  • Choose reliable carriers with predictable transit times (prefer 2-day where feasible).

  • Avoid routing via hot hubs/warehouses with unknown thermal control.

• Track inbound performance: monitor receiving times at FCs, check for exceptions or rejects.

C. Fulfillment Window (Oct 13 onward)

• As of Oct 13, Amazon will resume fulfilling meltable inventory to customers. Ensure your listings are live and in “fulfillable” status.

• Monitor inventory health: heat-sensitive goods may have higher return risk or condition-discrepancy complaints — watch metrics.

• Run promotions / PPC early: since you’ve pre-positioned, capture early Q4 demand.

• Maintain reserve inventory: keep safety stock considering lead times and replenishment risk.

D. Post-Season Removal (Before April 15, 2026)

• Plan removals of meltable SKUs well before April 15, 2026. Inventory remaining past this date may be marked unfulfillable/disposed.

• Evaluate sales velocity: if certain SKUs aren’t performing, initiate removal to avoid spoiling or disposal fees.

• Consider selling off or transitioning to FBM (seller-fulfilled) if you want to keep the SKU beyond the allowance window.

Strategic Considerations & Tips for Your Clients

Since you help multiple Amazon brands, here are strategies you can recommend and implement:

• Wave inventory approach: Split inbound into two waves — one arriving early Oct, one arriving in early Nov. This prevents over-stock at FCs and aligns with peak sales surge.

• Margin buffer for premium packaging: Heat-sensitive packaging adds cost. Set cost of goods and landed cost accordingly (insulation, expedited freight, special cartons).

• Cross-market synchronization: If you list across multiple marketplaces (US, EU, etc.), check whether EU/DE/FR Amazon sites follow the same meltable policy or have variations.

• Marketing advantage: Heat-sensitive items can be positioned as seasonal gifts — “limited edition holiday chocolate” etc. Use the inbound window to align creative and promos.

• Fallback FBM strategy: If inbound to FBA is delayed, keep a backup pipeline via fulfilled-by-merchant (FBM) with cold-pack shipping. This ensures you don’t lose all sales.

• Quality control & returns management: Monitor complaint rates for melted goods. If you start receiving damage returns, escalate with Amazon to avoid account health issues.

• Inventory planning tool: Use your analytics to forecast demand, but layer in a “heat-risk” buffer. For example, reduce expected usable yield by X% if your transit includes hot zones.

• Documentation & compliance: Maintain records of packaging SOPs, temperature monitor logs (if used), and keep the ASIN exclusion list updated so you can document decisions to Amazon if necessary.

Common Seller Questions (FAQ)

Q: Can I send meltable inventory to FBA right now (before Sept 22)?
A: No — per Amazon’s announcement, the inbound window opens only on September 22, 2025. Shipments prior may be rejected or marked invalid.

Q: When will Amazon resume delivering meltable items to customers?
A: FBA customer fulfillment for meltables begins October 13, 2025. Shipments arriving between Sept 22 and Oct 12 will be ready for this date.

Q: What happens if my inventory arrives after April 15 next year?
A: Items arriving or stored past April 15 2026 may be marked unfulfillable and may be disposed of (with fees) starting May 1.

Q: My product is not on the meltable ASIN list but is heat-sensitive what do I do?
A: Submit a reclassification request via Selling Partner Support with manufacturer certification that the product can withstand 155 °F etc. Even then, Amazon may still suppress if customer complaints rise.

Q: Can I still sell meltable products via FBM during the restricted window?
A: Yes — Amazon’s restriction applies to FBA storage/fulfillment. If you can manage packaging, transit, and maintain condition, you can still sell via FBM/SFP though you take on shipping risk.

Final Thoughts

For you as an agency and for your clients, this meltable-inventory reopening represents a strategic nodal point for Q4. Properly aligned inbound (starting Sept 22) → fulfillment window (Oct 13 onward) → packaging & logistics strategy will give you a competitive advantage.