Since January 1, 2026, Amazon no longer preps, bags, or labels inbound inventory on sellers’ behalf in the US — every poly bag, barcode, and suffocation warning has to be correct before your shipment ever leaves your hands. Get it wrong and Amazon can reject the shipment, charge you to have it fixed, or dispose of it with no reimbursement.
This guide walks through what FBA packaging actually requires — bags, boxes, labels, and weight limits — and, more importantly, how to build compliance into your supply chain from the start so you’re not scrambling to re-bag inventory in a garage the week before a shipment deadline.
Quick Answer
Amazon FBA requires every unit to be in a secure six-sided box or a sealed, transparent poly bag (at least 1.5 mil thick, with a printed suffocation warning if the opening is 5 inches or larger when flat), plus a scannable FNSKU barcode label. The most reliable way to meet these rules is to build them into your manufacturer’s or packaging supplier’s production spec from the first purchase order, rather than fixing non-compliant inventory after it arrives.
The Core Packaging Rules You’re Sourcing Against
Every single unit needs a scannable barcode. That’s either your own manufacturer barcode (UPC, EAN, GCID, or ISBN) if you enrolled in Amazon’s Transparency or brand registry programs to use it directly, or an Amazon-generated FNSKU label. The FNSKU sticker needs to print at a minimum of 300 DPI, sized roughly 1″x2″ or 1″x3″, and sit on a flat, scannable surface — not over a seam or curve. If your product already has a manufacturer barcode on the packaging, that barcode must be covered or the FNSKU must be placed over/instead of it so Amazon’s system doesn’t commingle it with another seller’s stock.
Poly bags need to be clear (so contents and labels are visible without opening them), a minimum of 1.5 mil thick, and sealed with tape or an equivalent secure closure — not just folded shut. If the bag’s opening measures 5 inches or more when laid flat, it needs a suffocation warning printed on the bag or applied as a label, in the wording Amazon specifies about keeping the bag away from children and cribs. The bag itself shouldn’t be oversized — Amazon wants it sized close to the product, not several inches of loose excess material.
Boxes (cartons) need to be sturdy six-sided containers that fully enclose the product — no exposed product edges, and no packaging so flimsy it collapses under normal stacking. Any barcode printed on the outside of a shipping carton that isn’t the FNSKU must be blacked out or covered so scanners at the fulfillment center don’t pick up the wrong code. Standard-size cartons top out around 50 lbs; if a single unit itself weighs more than 50 lbs, the carton is allowed to exceed that limit but must carry a “Team Lift” label (50–100 lbs) or “Mech Lift” label (over 100 lbs) so warehouse staff know to use assisted lifting.
Sets and bundles — anything you’re selling as one SKU made of multiple physical pieces — need to be clearly marked “Sold as Set” or similar language, and packaged so the pieces can’t separate in transit. Fragile items generally need bubble wrap or foam secure enough to survive drop handling, and in some cases an outer “over-box” for extra protection beyond the retail packaging.
How to Build Compliance Into Your Sourcing, Not Bolt It On Afterward
The cheapest and most reliable time to get packaging right is before your manufacturer ever runs production — not after a container of non-compliant inventory lands at a US port. When you brief a factory or packaging supplier, give them Amazon’s exact specs as part of the purchase order: poly bag mil thickness and dimensions, suffocation warning wording and placement, label size and DPI, and box weight/dimension limits for your product category. Most overseas manufacturers can source compliant poly bags and cartons locally once you specify it — it’s a minor cost difference, not a redesign.
If your manufacturer can’t handle FBA-specific packaging (some are set up for retail-style packaging only), work with a dedicated packaging supplier or prep center that specializes in Amazon-compliant poly bags, mailer boxes, and pre-printed suffocation-warning film. Many of these suppliers will send you samples before a bulk order, and can print your FNSKU or brand barcode directly onto the bag or box during manufacturing rather than requiring a separate labeling step later — which also looks more professional to customers than a bag labeled by hand with a sticker gun.
Order a small test batch before committing to a full production run. Actually run that test batch through your own FBA prep checklist — measure the bag opening, check label placement and scan-ability, weigh the finished carton — before you approve thousands of units at the same spec. Since Amazon no longer catches or fixes these issues at the fulfillment center, a bad spec now ships straight through to a rejected or returned shipment.
Keep a written packaging spec sheet (bag thickness, dimensions, label placement, box weight limits) that you hand to every new manufacturer or packaging vendor. Treat it the same way you’d treat a quality control checklist for the product itself — because as of 2026, packaging errors are just as likely to block a shipment as product defects are.
Tips and Common Mistakes
Don’t assume a factory’s “standard” poly bag meets the 1.5 mil minimum — cheap bags are often thinner, and Amazon’s prep audits do check thickness. Ask for the mil spec in writing.
Don’t forget the suffocation warning just because a bag looks small — Amazon measures the opening flat, not the resting size, so a loosely-cut bag can cross the 5-inch threshold even if it looks snug on the product.
Don’t place the FNSKU label over a curved edge, a seam, or another printed barcode without covering it — scan failures at receiving are one of the most common causes of inbound shipment delays.
Don’t over-order packaging before testing it. A test run of a few hundred units against your own prep checklist is far cheaper than reworking a full container load of non-compliant inventory.
Don’t rely on Amazon to catch mistakes for you. As of January 2026, Amazon will no longer prep, bag, or label units for a fee — non-compliant shipments are now rejected, returned at your cost, or disposed of.
Explore more: More Amazon FBA and ecommerce business guides.
Amazon FBA packaging requirements FAQs
Does Amazon still offer paid prep services for FBA sellers?
No. Amazon discontinued its in-house prep and labeling services for US FBA shipments starting January 1, 2026. Sellers must now handle all poly-bagging, labeling, and boxing themselves or through a third-party prep center before inventory arrives at a fulfillment center.
What thickness does an Amazon FBA poly bag need to be?
Amazon requires poly bags to be at least 1.5 mil thick and fully transparent so the product and any labels are visible without opening the bag.
When does a poly bag need a suffocation warning?
Any poly bag with an opening of 5 inches or larger, measured flat, needs a printed suffocation warning either on the bag itself or as an applied label.
Can I use my own manufacturer barcode instead of Amazon’s FNSKU?
Only if you’re enrolled in a program like Amazon’s Transparency or Brand Registry that allows your GS1-registered barcode to be scanned directly. Otherwise, every unit needs a unique FNSKU label, and any existing manufacturer barcode must be covered so it isn’t scanned by mistake.
Source Smarter With Packaura Direct
Find packaging suppliers, surplus inventory, and certification — all on Packaura Direct. Try Packaura Direct.