OB (Obsolete)

In the Amazon ecosystem, Obsolete (OB) refers to inventory or ASINs that are considered no longer viable for sale or replenishment. These products may have become outdated due to product upgrades, seasonal expiration, regulatory changes, or lack of customer demand.

Common reasons an item becomes OB:

• Superseded by a newer model
• Low or no sales velocity over time
• Regulatory restrictions or category changes
• Vendor has discontinued production
• Amazon Retail has marked the item as Non-Replenishable (NR) and flagged it for phase-out

Implications of OB status:

• No new purchase orders (POs) from Amazon (1P)
• May trigger removal notices for FBA sellers
• Listed as archived or hidden in search results
• Remaining stock may be liquidated, moved to Amazon Warehouse, or removed by the seller
• Affects catalog metrics like selection health and ASIN contribution

💡 Example: An outdated phone case for a discontinued iPhone model is marked OB, and Amazon stops ordering or displaying it in search results.

In short:
OB (Obsolete) indicates a product that is no longer active in Amazon’s catalog due to low demand, discontinuation, or lifecycle end - and is not eligible for replenishment or promotion.