Since January 1, 2026, Amazon no longer offers prep and item-labeling services for FBA shipments in the US. If you assumed Amazon would poly-bag, bubble-wrap, or barcode your inventory for you, that safety net is gone – and if you’re newer to wholesale reselling, this is one of those changes that’s easy to miss until an inbound shipment gets flagged.
What Amazon Actually Stopped Doing
Amazon discontinued item-level bagging, bubble-wrap application, barcode and FNSKU labeling, and carton prep as paid services for US FBA shipments. Before this change, a seller could ship unprepped inventory to Amazon and pay to have it prepped on arrival. That option is gone for shipments created after the cutoff – every unit now needs to already be properly prepped and labeled before it reaches an Amazon fulfillment center.
What This Means When You’re Buying Wholesale Inventory
If you’re sourcing pallets or cases of wholesale inventory to resell on Amazon, someone in the chain now has to handle individual unit labeling before it goes in – that’s on you, a third-party prep center, or built into your process if you’re already applying FNSKU labels as part of your standard receiving workflow. Some eligible products can skip part of this by enrolling in Amazon’s Ships in Product Packaging program, which lets certain items ship in their original manufacturer packaging without additional poly-bagging. For anything else, budget the extra time and, if needed, the cost of a third-party prep provider into your inventory planning rather than assuming Amazon will handle it on arrival.
The Real Cost of Skipping Proper Prep
This isn’t just an inconvenience. Shipments that arrive without proper prep can be rejected or delayed at receiving, and inventory that wasn’t properly prepped may not qualify for damage reimbursement or traceability claims if something goes wrong later. Getting your labeling right at receiving matters for the same reason a documented invoice matters for ungating – it’s part of the paper trail Amazon expects you to have in order.
Wholesale Distributors US ships every order with a real, itemized invoice so your paperwork is in order for ungating and reimbursement claims alike – apply for a wholesale account to see current terms.
| Prep Task | Who Handles It Now | What To Check Before You Order |
|---|---|---|
| FNSKU barcode labeling | You, or a 3rd-party prep center | Ask your supplier if cases already carry scannable manufacturer barcodes you can map to FNSKU |
| Poly-bagging (loose items, liquids, powders, fragile/sharp items) | You, or a 3rd-party prep center | Confirm which SKUs in your order actually require bagging under Amazon’s current packaging rules |
| Bundling/kitting multi-packs | You, or a 3rd-party prep center | Clarify whether your supplier ships pre-kitted multi-packs or individual units |
| Carton/box labeling and count accuracy | You, or a 3rd-party prep center | Verify case-pack counts match the packing slip before relabeling cartons |
| Expiration-date labeling (supplements, food, cosmetics) | You, or a 3rd-party prep center | Ask whether expiration dates are already printed and legible, or need an added label |
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Amazon stop offering FBA prep and labeling services?
Amazon stopped offering prep and item-labeling services for US FBA shipments starting January 1, 2026. Shipments created after that date need to arrive already prepped and labeled.
What prep tasks did Amazon used to handle that sellers must now do themselves?
Item-level bagging, bubble-wrap application, barcode and FNSKU labeling, and carton preparation – these are no longer available as paid services on inbound FBA shipments in the US.
What happens if my wholesale inventory arrives at Amazon without proper prep?
Improperly prepped shipments can be rejected or delayed at receiving, and inventory that was not properly prepped may not qualify for damage reimbursement if something goes wrong in transit.
Does this affect bulk or wholesale shipments differently than small private-label shipments?
Bulk and case-pack shipments carry more risk per shipment: if even one carton in a large pallet order is mislabeled or missing an FNSKU, it can hold up or trigger a rejection on the entire inbound shipment, not just one unit.
Should I prep inventory in-house or use a third-party prep center?
It depends on your warehouse space and labor. In-house prep gives you more control and can be cheaper at volume if you already have the space; a third-party prep center costs more per unit but is hands-off, which can be worth it for sellers without storage or staff.
Can I ask my wholesale supplier to pre-prep items before shipping to me?
Yes – this is worth asking any supplier directly before placing a bulk order. Some suppliers can ship retail-ready, pre-labeled inventory, which shifts the prep work upstream before it ever reaches you.
Is there any way to skip some of this prep work?
Amazon’s Ships in Product Packaging program lets certain eligible items ship in their original manufacturer packaging without additional poly-bagging, which can reduce (not eliminate) prep work for qualifying products.
Where can I find Amazon’s current, official prep and labeling requirements?
Amazon’s Seller Central Help pages cover current FBA prep and packaging requirements for logged-in sellers. The January 1, 2026 change itself was confirmed directly by an Amazon representative in the official Seller Forums, who stated Amazon would no longer offer prep and item-labeling services for FBA shipments in the US store.
Related reading: Amazon Ends Commingled Inventory: FNSKU Labeling Now Required for Wholesale Resellers | Amazon’s FBA Reimbursement Policy: What Changed in 2026 | Invoice vs. Receipt for Amazon Ungating: What Actually Counts (2026) | Case Pack vs. Pallet: Which Wholesale Buying Format Is Right for You | How to Verify an Authentic Wholesale Distributor
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