Amazon Expands Bulk Storage Service Across Europe
Amazon is expanding its Amazon Warehousing & Distribution (AWD) service to Europe, giving sellers a new way to store inventory in bulk and replenish Amazon Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) centres based on demand.
The service will launch across Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom from 20 August 2026. The move expands Amazon’s logistics offering and gives sellers an alternative to sending all inventory directly to FBA fulfilment centres.
Bulk storage and automated replenishment
Under AWD, sellers can hold larger quantities of inventory in Amazon’s distribution network for extended periods. Instead of maintaining all stock at FBA fulfilment centres, inventory can be stored upstream and replenished automatically as demand requires.
This model is designed to help sellers manage inventory more efficiently, particularly when dealing with seasonal demand, changing sales volumes or limitations on FBA storage capacity.
Amazon says AWD provides flat-rate, long-term bulk storage and automated replenishment to FBA fulfilment centres across Europe.
The expansion could be particularly relevant for brands operating across multiple European marketplaces. By consolidating inventory within Amazon’s logistics network, sellers can reduce the need to continuously move smaller shipments into individual fulfilment centres.
Strengthening Amazon’s European logistics network
The launch represents another step in Amazon’s broader expansion beyond traditional marketplace and fulfilment services. The company has increasingly opened its logistics infrastructure to businesses, allowing merchants to use parts of the network for storage, transportation and delivery.
Earlier this year, Amazon introduced Amazon Supply Chain Services, making its logistics capabilities available to businesses beyond sellers operating exclusively on its marketplace.
AWD adds another layer to this strategy by positioning Amazon’s distribution network as a larger-scale inventory management solution.
For European sellers, the service could simplify supply chain planning by creating a bulk-storage layer between suppliers and FBA fulfilment centres. Inventory can remain in storage until Amazon’s systems determine that additional stock is required at fulfilment locations.
Implications for European sellers
The European rollout comes as e-commerce businesses continue to look for ways to balance inventory availability with storage and fulfilment costs.
For sellers with predictable demand and significant inventory volumes, bulk storage could provide greater flexibility than relying solely on FBA storage. It may also help businesses prepare inventory ahead of peak shopping periods while avoiding the need to move the entire stock volume into fulfilment centres at once.
However, the effectiveness of AWD will depend on individual sellers’ inventory profiles, product demand and logistics requirements.
With Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the UK included in the initial European rollout, Amazon is establishing AWD across some of the continent’s largest e-commerce markets.
The expansion further integrates storage, fulfilment and replenishment within Amazon’s ecosystem, potentially giving sellers a more streamlined approach to managing inventory across European markets.