Overview

Amazon announced that, starting soon, the practice of pooling identical items from multiple sellers in shared bins will end. Every unit shipped to Amazon’s fulfillment centers must now bear a unique FNSKU label that ties the product directly to the seller who sent it. The shift eliminates the “stickerless” option and is critical for sellers who want to protect their brand reputation and avoid counterfeit‑related penalties.

Key Points

• FNSKU mandatory for all units — No product, even if it matches an existing Amazon catalog entry, can be sent without a seller‑specific label.
• Commingled inventory discontinued — The previous system that let sellers skip labeling when their barcode matched Amazon’s catalog is being fully retired.
• Unit‑level traceability restored — Each item can be traced back to the originating seller, ensuring the buyer receives the exact source of the purchase.
• Counterfeit loophole closed — By assigning a unique identifier to every piece, counterfeiters lose the ability to hide fake goods among legitimate stock.
• Transition window provided – Amazon is supplying documentation, webinars, and a grace period for sellers to adjust their inbound processes.
• Global warehousing expansion – New long‑term storage options let sellers ship bulk inventory to worldwide hubs and shift stock between FBA and other fulfillment channels as demand changes.

How FNSKU Labeling Works

1. Generate the FNSKU — Sellers log into Seller Central, locate the product’s listing, and request an FNSKU code; for example, a seller of organic cotton towels would receive a code like “X001‑ABC‑123”.
2. Print and apply the label — Using a thermal printer, the seller prints the barcode and affixes it to each unit; a case of 50 towels would have 50 individual stickers, each placed on the product’s outer packaging.
3. Create a shipment plan — The seller includes the FNSKU‑labeled units in a shipment plan, specifying quantity and destination warehouse; Amazon then assigns a fulfillment center, such as PHX6, to receive the stock.