2026-09-03 · Étienne Laurent
Amazon's 2026 peak-season FBA schedule in Europe has moved. Storage limits, aged-inventory surcharges and inbound receiving windows were all updated between July and September, and each change shifts the maths of stocking up for Black Friday and Christmas.
Here is what changed and how to plan around it.
From 1 October to 31 December 2026, FBA storage fees in EU marketplaces run roughly 2× the off-peak rate. A standard-size unit that costs around €26/month outside peak will cost close to €50/month inside peak.
The trigger is the calendar, not your inventory level. Pull slow movers out before 1 October if you can — selling through at 30% off in September usually beats paying peak storage for ninety days.
Amazon applies an aged-inventory surcharge when a unit has sat in a fulfilment centre for more than 270 days. In 2026 the surcharge applies at 271 days, with higher fees once a unit passes 365 days.
For European sellers the practical rule is simple: every unit stored on 1 October 2026 reaches the 271-day threshold in mid-2027. Run a sell-through or removal order for any SKU whose age is approaching the 240-day mark now.
Amazon Europe publishes per-marketplace FBA receiving cutoffs in September each year. In 2026 the recommended last day to deliver to most major EU fulfilment centres falls around mid-November, with regional variation by country and category.
Do not assume last year's dates hold. Each marketplace issues its own seller-central announcement, and cutoffs have shifted by 7 to 10 days year-over-year. Confirm the cutoffs for every market where you stock, and book your freight forwarder now, as sea transit from Asia to a European port still runs 28 to 35 days.
Amazon caps peak storage per ASIN in most EU marketplaces. For standard-size items the cap typically sits between 6 and 8 m³ per ASIN during peak months, lower for oversized.
If your forecast pushes above the cap, split the ASIN into child SKUs or use Amazon's New Selection or Aged-Inventory Liquidation programmes before 1 October.
Before peak fees hit:
The 2026 peak-season FBA schedule is set and the costs are public. The work is operational: pull aged inventory early, confirm per-market cutoffs, book freight before peak surcharges cascade through your Q4 margin. A short audit of your aged-inventory report will surface the units worth addressing first.