Amazon Ends FBA Prep and Item Labeling Services in the U.S.

December, 2025
Abdullah Zafar

Amazon Ends FBA Prep and Item Labeling Services in the U.S.

Amazon’s 2026 FBA prep policy update will impact all sellers using Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) in the United States. Beginning January 1, 2026, Amazon will discontinue its optional FBA prep and labeling services for inventory sent to U.S. fulfillment centers.

What’s Changing?

Currently, Amazon offers paid prep services such as:

FNSKU labeling
Poly bagging
Bubble wrapping
Taping and bundling
Applying suffocation and other warning labels

Starting in 2026, Amazon will no longer perform these services on behalf of sellers. All inventory sent to U.S. FBA warehouses must arrive fully prepped and correctly labeled before arrival.

This change applies to:

Standard FBA shipments
Amazon Warehousing & Distribution (AWD)
Amazon Global Logistics (AGL)
Amazon SEND
Shipments created through the Supply Chain Portal

What Does This Mean for Sellers?

From January 1, 2026 onward, sellers will be fully responsible for ensuring that all products meet Amazon’s FBA packaging and labeling requirements before shipping. Sellers can either:

Prepare and label inventory themselves, or
Use a third-party prep provider outside of Amazon

Amazon has stated that inventory arriving without proper prep or labeling may face delays, rejections, or disposal, and sellers will not be eligible for reimbursement if improperly prepared items are damaged, lost, or become untraceable.

Why Is Amazon Making This Change?

Amazon has not provided a detailed explanation, but the update aligns with its broader efforts to streamline fulfillment operations, reduce complexity inside fulfillment centers, and shift more responsibility to sellers and their supply chains.

What Sellers Should Do Now

Although the change doesn’t take effect until 2026, sellers should begin preparing now by:

Reviewing current FBA prep and labeling requirements
Auditing suppliers to ensure they can label and prep correctly
Identifying reliable third-party prep centers if needed
Updating workflows and cost calculations to reflect this shift

This is a significant operational change for FBA sellers, especially those who rely heavily on Amazon’s prep services. Book a strategy call to get an effective plan to avoid disruptions, unexpected costs, or compliance issues once the policy takes effect.