Overview

Amazon will stop providing all FBA prep and item labeling services for U.S. shipments starting January 1, 2026. Sellers will need to handle every aspect of shipment preparation themselves — from labeling and poly-bagging to bundling and protective packaging. Non-compliant shipments will be rejected, creating potential delays and lost revenue during peak selling periods.

What's Changing

• All FBA prep services discontinued — Amazon will no longer label, poly-bag, bundle, or package any U.S. inbound shipments on sellers' behalf
• Applies across multiple programs — The policy covers FBA, AWD (Amazon Warehousing and Distribution), AGL, SEND, and other Amazon logistics channels
• Cutoff based on shipment creation date — Shipments created before January 1, 2026 can still use Amazon's prep services, even if they arrive after the deadline
• No grace period — Shipments created on or after the cutoff must arrive fully prepped or risk rejection
• Standards stay the same — Amazon's packaging and labeling requirements haven't changed, but the burden of compliance shifts entirely to sellers

Audit Your Catalog Now

Every product category has specific prep requirements that sellers must now manage on their own. Apparel typically requires poly-bagging with suffocation warnings, hazmat products need specialized labels and documentation, and fragile items demand protective packaging like bubble wrap or foam inserts. A single compliance failure can trigger a full shipment rejection, potentially costing weeks of lost sales while inventory is corrected and reshipped.

Sellers should review their entire catalog immediately and map each SKU to Amazon's current packaging and labeling standards. Identify which items need poly-bags, suffocation labels, protective materials, or bundling. Document findings in a prep guide that warehouse staff or third-party partners can follow consistently. Amazon's help pages on packaging and prep requirements remain the authoritative reference.

Three Paths Forward for Fulfillment Prep

Sellers generally have three options: build in-house prep operations, negotiate prep services with existing suppliers, or partner with a third-party logistics provider. Each comes with trade-offs around cost, quality control, scalability, and implementation speed.