Returnuary is always roughā¦
But with Amazonās 2026 fee increases kicking in mid-January, this year will squeeze margins harder than ever.

Here are the biggest pain points sellers face ā and the two smartest ways to stay profitable while everyone else gets crushed by returns.
ā ļø Returnuary 2026 Pain Points
-
šHigher FBA costs magnify every return
Increased pick/pack, storage, and return-processing fees = deeper losses per unit. -
š«Ā More ācustomer damagedā units
Beauty, toys, and electronics come back opened, used, or un-sellable at higher rates. -
š¦January ASIN volatility
Q4 tankers return to Amazon right as prices collapse, killing resale margins. -
šSlower reimbursements
New payout timing + mismatched return codes = more money tied up for longer.
ā Solution 1: Reduce Returns With Smarter Sourcing
One of the easiest ways to soften Returnuary is to shift more Q4 sourcing into low-return, practical categories ā the products customers keep, use, and donāt send back:
-
consumables
-
household essentials
-
kitchen staples
-
tools & hardware
-
functional, everyday items
These consistently deliver:
-
fewer āitem not as describedā (INAD) claims
-
fewer ācustomer damagedā headaches
-
more stable January pricing
š” Smarter Sourcing Starts With Better Leads
If you want fewer returns and more stable margins in January,feed your business leads from categories with naturally low return rates.
Thatās exactly how our Q4 lead lists were designed. Our lists have a good number of leads in Ā low-return categorieslike consumables, household goods, tools, and kitchen staples.
Start stacking wins like Ken, one of our long-time subscribers:
āāāāā
āMy experience with lead lists always turned into a dumpster fire until I subscribed to FBA Lead Lists.I have more than tripled my revenue and profits!ā – Ken
-
Instant access. 10+ fast-moving, high-profit OA leads every morning
-
85% avg ROI, $14+ avg profit/unit.Lists capped to prevent saturation
-
One flip can cover your monthās subscription. No lock-in periods.
ā Solution 2: Recover More Value From the Returns You Canāt Avoid
No matter how smart your sourcing is, returns are coming.
This is where Axiom Prep, which offers pro-level returns management, becomes essential.
š”ļøWhy Axiom is a Returnuary lifesaver:
-
Professional return evaluation with full documentation + photos
-
Optimized reimbursement claimsfor INAD fraud, damages, and miscoded returns
-
Refurb + resale pathsto avoid low-yield liquidation
-
No DIY hassle āno warehouse time, no labor, no guesswork
OA sellers using Axiom consistently recover more from returns with far less operational drag.
See exactly where youāre losing money in your returns workflow ā and how much Axiom can recover for you.
Some links may be affiliate links. We may get paid if you buy something or take an action after clicking one of these. We appreciate the support.
Delivered to your inbox every week.
Need-to-know seller content only. No spam. Unsubscribe at any time.
