Updated September 22, 2026.
As the Gary Clark Jr. song says, “Things Are Changin’.” While he isn’t talking about retail fulfillment or the supply chain, the title reflects the ongoing Amazon marketplace environment.
Between tariffs, policy changes, rising fulfillment costs, and brands’ expanding sales channels, there’s the potential for a new operational requirement to appear at any time. FBA prep has become one of the areas where brands can no longer rely on Amazon to correct problems after inventory reaches its network.
The stakes are high. More than 60% of sales in Amazon’s store come from independent sellers, and more than 75,000 independent sellers surpassed $1 million in sales in 2025, according to Amazon’s 2025 Small Business Empowerment Report. If an inbound labeling or packaging problem interrupts a substantial revenue channel, it greatly affects brands that depend on the marketplace.
Amazon no longer provides FBA prep in the US
Effective January 1, 2026, Amazon discontinued its prep and item-labeling services for FBA shipments entering its US store.
Before the change, sellers could pay Amazon a per-unit fee to perform certain preparation tasks, including:
- Applying FNSKU barcode labels
- Adding bubble wrap or poly bags
- Applying suffocation warnings and “Sold as Set” labels
- Sealing or otherwise protecting eligible products
Those options are no longer available for new US FBA shipments. The change also applies when inventory moves into FBA through Amazon Warehousing and Distribution, Amazon Global Logistics, Amazon SEND, or the Supply Chain Portal.
Products must now be prepared and labeled before arriving at an Amazon fulfillment center. Amazon has also stated that improperly prepared or untraceable inventory may not qualify for reimbursement if it is lost or damaged. An Amazon representative confirmed these requirements in the company’s Seller Forums.
Amazon extended the same direction into Canada on July 1, 2026, when it ended FBA prep and item-labeling support for its Canadian store.
Brands now have three primary options: prepare inventory in-house, use an outside provider, or redesign eligible packaging for Amazon’s Ships in Product Packaging program.
Amazon also changed its barcode rules
The retirement of Amazon’s prep support was followed by another change affecting how products are identified before entering FBA.
On March 31, 2026, Amazon ended commingling across its fulfillment network and changed eligibility for manufacturer barcodes. Commingling allowed Amazon to fulfill an order using an identical product located close to the customer, even when that unit belonged to a different seller.
Under the current FBA barcode requirements:
- Brand owners with the Brand Representative selling role in Amazon Brand Registry can use eligible manufacturer barcodes, such as UPCs, on products that already have them.
- Resellers must apply an Amazon barcode, usually an FNSKU, even when the product carries a manufacturer barcode.
- Products without manufacturer barcodes require Amazon barcode labels regardless of seller type.
The changes make barcode status an important part of FBA prep planning. A warehouse cannot assume that every UPC-labeled product is ready for Amazon. The required label depends on the seller’s relationship to the brand and the product’s eligibility within Seller Central.
What Is FBA prep?
Brands that send merchandise to Fulfillment by Amazon are not able to simply place it in a carton and hand it to a carrier. Every unit must meet Amazon’s current packaging, labeling, barcode, and shipment requirements before it arrives at the assigned fulfillment center.
In short, FBA prep is the process of preparing inventory for Amazon’s fulfillment network by completing the required inspection, packaging, labeling, and shipment steps.
Depending on the product, that work may include:
- Inspecting units for damage or manufacturing defects
- Applying or covering barcodes
- Poly bagging, bubble wrapping, or sealing products
- Labeling multipacks and sets
- Adding expiration dates or required warning labels
- Building compliant cartons or pallets
- Creating shipment plans and carton-content records
- Routing inventory to Amazon’s assigned receiving locations
The exact process often differs by ASIN, product category, packaging type, and seller status. Requirements may also change, which makes relying on an old standard operating procedure risky.
Incorrectly prepared inventory can be delayed, marked defective, returned, or made ineligible for certain reimbursements. When these problems are repeated, it can also create inventory discrepancies and account-health concerns.
Product type changes the prep requirements
One missing label is not the only source of FBA trouble. Products require different protection depending on how they are constructed, packaged, or regulated. For example:
Fragile products may need bubble wrap or protective packaging that pass Amazon’s handling requirements.
- Liquids need secure closures and protection against leakage.
- Loose products may need poly bags, while multipacks must be clearly identified so Amazon does not separate the units.
- Sharp products require secure packaging with no exposed edges.
- Food, supplements, beauty products, and other dated inventory may need expiration information visible on both individual units and outer packaging.
- Products classified as dangerous goods may require documentation and handling processes beyond standard preparation.
- A capable operation should determine requirements at the SKU level rather than apply one packaging process to an entire catalog.
Should brands handle FBA prep in-house?
Since Amazon no longer provides the work, brands have the choice to complete FBA prep internally or outsource it to a qualified marketplace fulfillment partner.
Internal preparation may be practical for a small catalog with predictable volume and straightforward packaging. However, the brand must provide the space, labor, equipment, training, and quality-control processes needed to keep shipments compliant.
Volume can also become a problem quickly. Think about how promotions, Prime events, wholesale orders, and seasonal peaks and how they create competing demands for the same staff. If preparation falls behind, inventory may arrive at FBA after the sales opportunity has already passed.
Outsourcing makes sense when a brand has complex products, high unit volume, frequent labeling work, or inventory serving several channels. A third-party provider hold bulk inventory, prepare replenishment shipments based on sales velocity, and keep reserve stock outside Amazon’s network.
That model may also help a brand avoid sending too much inventory into FBA, where storage and aged-inventory costs will erode margins.
Choosing a 3PL with FBA prep experience
FBA prep should be considered when selecting a value-added services partner. Even if Amazon is not a major channel today, confirming that a 3PL can support it gives the brand room to expand later.
Here are the questions to ask.
1. Does the fulfillment center regularly prepare inventory for FBA?
General ecommerce fulfillment experience is not the same as Amazon experience. The provider should understand Seller Central workflows, current barcode rules, shipment creation, carton labeling, and Amazon’s inbound receiving processes.
It should also be able to explain what happens when requirements change and how those updates reach warehouse teams.
2. Can it manage packaging and labeling at the SKU level?
The 3PL provider should be able to create repeatable work instructions for each product. Those instructions may cover poly bags, bubble wrap, bundling, expiration dates, warning labels, barcode placement, and carton requirements.
Labels must remain scannable and cannot be placed across seams, curves, or other areas that interfere with reading. When an Amazon barcode is required, other visible product barcodes may need to be covered to prevent the wrong code from being scanned.
3. What quality-control process is used?
Preparation should include verification, not only task completion. Ask whether the provider scans products and labels, photographs completed work, tracks lot or expiration information, and performs outbound audits.
Inspection at receiving is a good way to catch leaking containers, damaged retail packaging, incorrect quantities, or manufacturing errors before those units enter Amazon’s network.
4. Can It Create and Track Inbound Shipments?
Preparing the unit is only part of the process. A provider may also need to build cartons, generate box labels, record carton contents, schedule transportation, and send inventory to the fulfillment centers assigned by Amazon.
Ask how shipment status, discrepancies, and proof of preparation are documented. Brands should be able to see what inventory is being prepared, what has shipped, and what remains in reserve.
5. Can It Support More Than One Amazon Fulfillment Model?
FBA may not be the right option for every SKU or every season. A provider with Fulfilled by Merchant experience can help maintain a hybrid strategy when FBA capacity, costs, or inventory availability changes.
The same inventory may also support DTC, wholesale, and other marketplaces. A connected fulfillment operation reduces the need to divide stock among separate providers before demand is known.
6. How Are Pricing and Turnaround Times Structured?
Ask what is included in the base rate and what creates an additional charge. Materials, storage, receiving, relabeling, bundling, inspection, carton forwarding, rush work, and minimum volumes can all affect total cost.
The service-level agreement (SLA) should also define turnaround time, particularly during peak periods. A 24- or 48-hour standard has little value if it excludes receiving time or changes when volume rises.
Other ways to improve FBA prep
Amazon’s Ships in Product Packaging program may reduce secondary packaging for eligible products. Products must pass Amazon’s certification requirements, but successful enrollment can lower packaging use and may qualify the seller for fulfillment-fee discounts.
Amazon is also using technology to help sellers make packaging decisions. The company reported launching more than 20 AI-powered FBA tools in 2025, including Packaging Recommendations that analyze product weight, dimensions, and materials. These recommendations can be useful, but brands and their fulfillment partners still need to verify the current requirements assigned to each product in Seller Central.
Inventory planning matters as much as physical preparation. Holding reserve inventory with a 3PL and replenishing FBA based on velocity can reduce excess storage while preserving stock for DTC and retail orders. It can also provide an alternative fulfillment path if an Amazon listing or account is temporarily interrupted.
The benefits of working with an FBA prep partner
A qualified marketplace fulfillment partner can help brands:
- Reduce labeling, packaging, and shipment errors
- Keep current with changing Amazon requirements
- Scale preparation without adding in-house labor
- Maintain reserve inventory outside FBA
- Inspect products before they reach Amazon
- Coordinate FBA, FBM, DTC, and retail fulfillment
- Track preparation status and inbound shipments
- Position inventory near Amazon facilities or transportation hubs
The goal is not simply to apply labels faster. It is to build a controlled process that keeps inventory traceable and ready for Amazon without disrupting the rest of the fulfillment operation.
Ready for the new FBA prep environment?
Amazon’s 2026 changes removed an important safety net. Brands are now fully responsible for ensuring that products arrive prepared, protected, and labeled correctly.
That responsibility includes understanding new barcode eligibility, creating product-level work instructions, maintaining quality control, and planning replenishment around Amazon’s receiving network.
Kase provides FBA prep services for brands that need compliant labeling, packaging, inspection, inventory storage, and inbound shipment support. Kase can also coordinate FBA with FBM, Amazon Shipping, DTC, and retail fulfillment, allowing inventory to support several channels from one connected operation.
Connect with Kase to discuss current Amazon requirements and build a preparation process suited to the brand’s products and order volume.
