Amazon FBA prep requirements in 2026: a practical guide

What changed in 2026

Amazon announced in July 2025 that its prep and item labeling services would no longer be available in the U.S. marketplace from January 1, 2026. The change covers inventory sent directly to FBA and inventory routed through AWD, Amazon Global Logistics, SEND and Supply Chain Portal (Amazon Selling Partner API changelog).

In practice, the seller is now responsible for every bag, label and wrap. Units that arrive without the prep they need can be refused, returned or repackaged at the seller's expense. If you used to tick "Amazon" for prep or labeling, you now need to do it yourself or use a prep partner such as Abanro's FBA prep service.

Labels: FNSKU and barcodes

• One scannable code per unit. If a unit carries an FNSKU, any other barcode on it (UPC, EAN) must be covered.
• Clean, readable labels. Black ink on non-reflective label stock, not damaged or photocopied. Amazon's guidance recommends labels between 1 and 2 inches tall and 2 to 3 inches wide.
• Amazon barcodes are required for some products, including consumable and topical products, used items and restricted or dangerous goods.
• Label outside the packaging, on a flat surface: on the bag or the bubble wrap, not under it.

Our labeling service checks each label against the unit before it's applied.

Poly bags and suffocation warnings

• Bags must be transparent and fully sealed.
• Any bag with an opening larger than 5 inches needs a suffocation warning.
• Bags shouldn't extend much beyond the product, so the label stays flat and scannable.

Check Amazon's current requirements for bag thickness and wording in Seller Central before you buy packaging in bulk (Amazon packaging and prep overview).

Fragile, glass and sharp items

Sharp, fragile, ceramic and glass items should be fully bubble wrapped rather than just bagged, with the label on the outside of the wrap. This is one of the most common prep gaps for beauty and kitchenware brands. See packaging.

Sets, bundles and multipacks

Items sold together that aren't an official set must be packaged together and marked on the outside, for example "Sold as set, do not separate". Only the set's barcode should be scannable. Our kitting and bundling service builds and labels sets this way.

Cartons and box labels

• Each carton needs its FBA box label, and old barcodes on reused boxes must be covered or blacked out.
• Amazon sets size and weight limits for boxes. For boxes of standard-size units these are commonly 25 inches on any side and 50 lb; confirm the current limits in Seller Central for your shipment.
• Use enough dunnage that units don't move in the box.

Food, beauty and dated products

Products with an expiration date have extra labeling rules on the unit and the carton, and some categories need approval before you can sell them. Food and topical products generally need Amazon barcodes. If you sell in these categories, read Amazon's category rules for your listing and see our pages for food product prep and beauty and cosmetic prep.

Mistakes that cause inbound problems

• Two scannable barcodes on one unit.
• Bags without suffocation warnings, or labels under the bag.
• Glass shipped in a bag instead of bubble wrap.
• Bundles not marked as sets, so components are received separately.
• Cartons over the weight or size limit, or without box labels.
• Units with the wrong FNSKU because similar SKUs were mixed in one carton.

A pre-shipment checklist

1. Every unit has exactly one scannable barcode, matching its listing.
2. Bags are sealed and carry suffocation warnings where needed.
3. Fragile items are wrapped, with the label outside.
4. Sets are packaged together and marked.
5. Cartons are within limits, packed tight and labeled.
6. The packing list matches what's in each carton.

If your inventory ships from outside the U.S., our guide to sending inventory to Amazon FBA from overseas covers the steps before prep.