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.
FAQ
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 wasn’t properly prepped may not qualify for damage reimbursement or traceability claims later.
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)
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