Overview

Amazon requires sellers to provide specific product attributes when listing items that have expiration dates. These requirements apply to any ASIN for a product with a shelf life, including food, supplements, cosmetics, and other perishable goods. Getting these attributes right is essential — errors or omissions can result in inventory being disposed of or returned at the seller's expense.

Key Points / What Sellers Need to Know

• Four mandatory attributes — Every expiration-dated product listing must include four specific expiration-related attributes at the time of ASIN creation. Missing even one can cause fulfillment issues.
• Accuracy is non-negotiable — Amazon uses these attributes to track expiration dates and prevent expired products from reaching customers. Inaccurate data puts your inventory at risk.
• Early disposal risk — If your expiration attributes are incorrect or incomplete, Amazon may dispose of or return your products before you expect, leading to lost inventory and revenue.
• Periodic audits — Amazon reserves the right to audit expiration attributes at any time and may correct values it deems inaccurate, which could affect how your inventory is handled.
• Applies to all fulfillment channels — Whether you fulfill orders yourself or use FBA, expiration-dated products require proper attribute documentation.

The Four Required Expiration Attributes

When creating a listing for any product that carries an expiration date, Amazon mandates four attributes. The first is the is_expiration_dated_product flag, which tells Amazon's systems that the item has a shelf life and needs expiration tracking. The second attribute is the product expiration date or the specific date by which the product should be used or consumed. Third, sellers must specify the shelf life of the product, typically measured in days or months from the date of manufacture. Finally, the fulfillment channel attribute indicates whether the product is fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) or by the merchant directly. Together, these four data points allow Amazon to manage inventory rotation, enforce expiration policies, and protect buyers from receiving expired goods.