Amazon Estimation: Free Fulfillment Capacity Inside a Hurricane's Forecast Cone
Company: Amazon
Role: Product Manager
Category: Product / Decision Making
Difficulty: medium
Interview Round: Other
You are a PM at Amazon. A hurricane is approaching, and some Amazon warehouses sit inside its projected path. How would you work out the free storage space available inside those warehouses? Explain your method and give a rough estimate.
```hint Define the terms before the math
Both "in the path" and "available" are fuzzier than they look, and the number you produce depends on how you define them. Decide what the figure will be used for, then let that choice settle both definitions.
```
### Clarifying Questions
- What is the number for: staging relief supplies, moving inventory out of harm's way, or knowing how much capacity the network may lose?
- Should "in the path" mean the forecast track only, the full cone of uncertainty, or every site exposed to damaging wind and flooding?
- Which buildings count: only fulfillment centers that hold inventory, or also sortation centers and delivery stations?
- Should space be measured as floor area, cubic volume, or pallet positions?
### What a Strong Answer Covers
- Clear definitions of "in the path" and "available space", tied to the decision the number supports.
- A data-driven method that joins facility locations, rated capacity, live occupancy and scheduled inbound and outbound volume to the storm forecast.
- A top-down estimate with labeled assumptions, correct arithmetic and a sanity check.
- Adjustments for space that exists but cannot safely be used, such as flood-prone floors, buildings that may close, and storage types that do not fit the goods.
- How the figure is refreshed as the forecast changes, with uncertainty expressed as a range.
### Follow-up Questions
- The forecast track shifts overnight and a different set of sites is now in the cone. What in your calculation changes, and how fast can you refresh it?
- Leadership wants to fill this space with relief supplies. What would stop you from using all of it?
- Which single assumption moves your estimate the most, and how would you pin it down?
Overview: An Amazon product management estimation question about calculating the free storage space inside warehouses that lie in a hurricane's projected path. It tests how candidates define the exposure zone and usable capacity, combine facility and occupancy data, and build a top-down estimate with a sanity check.
