Amazon ended all prep and labeling services for FBA sellers on January 1, 2026. This means you must now handle 100% of product prep yourself or hire a third-party provider.
If you relied on Amazon to label, bag, or bubble wrap your products, Meyer offers comprehensive FBA prep services to keep your inventory flowing without interruption. This post will provide an overview of what has changed and actions you can take immediately.
What Services Did Amazon End in 2026?
Starting January 1, 2026, Amazon completely stopped offering FBA prep and labeling services in the United States. You can no longer pay Amazon to handle these tasks for you.
The services that ended include:
- FNSKU barcode labeling on each unit
- Polybagging items in sealed plastic bags
- Bubble wrapping fragile products
- Applying safety warning labels
- Bundling multiple units together
- Boxing individual products
This change applies to all FBA inventory, including shipments through Amazon Warehousing & Distribution (AWD), Amazon Global Logistics (AGL), and SEND programs. There are no exceptions to this policy.
Amazon stated they made this change because most sellers now handle their own prep through manufacturers or third-party partners. The company wants to focus warehouse space on faster fulfillment instead of prep work.
When Did This Change Take Effect?
The deadline has passed: January 1, 2026. Amazon has now stopped all prep and labeling services. Here’s what happened and what you need to know now.
Amazon’s prep services ended on December 31, 2025. They offered one grace period for the transition: shipments created before January 1, 2026 still received prep services even if they arrived after that date. This meant sellers could create final prepped shipments in late December and Amazon would handle them.
As of January 2026, every new shipment must arrive fully prepped and ready. Amazon no longer accepts unprepared inventory under any circumstances. Any shipment that arrives without proper prep faces immediate rejection.
Amazon will either return your inventory at your expense or dispose of it with no compensation. You receive no reimbursement for damaged or lost items that aren’t properly prepped. The grace period is over and the new rules are fully enforced.
How Is This Affecting Your Amazon Business?
This change is creating three major impacts on your operations and costs right now. You need to address each one immediately.
First, compliance is now critical. Amazon doesn’t fix mistakes anymore. One missing label or incorrect bag means your entire shipment gets rejected. Rejected shipments cost you return fees, lost sales, and delayed inventory. During any busy period, these delays can devastate your revenue.
Second, your prep costs have changed completely. You’re now paying a third-party provider typically $0.40 to $0.80 per unit for prep services. Some sellers find professional prep partners like Meyer more cost-effective than Amazon’s old fees, especially when you factor in avoided rejections and faster processing.
Third, you’ve taken on new operational complexity. You must either build an in-house prep team or manage a 3PL relationship. In-house prep requires equipment like label printers, poly bags, bubble wrap, and trained staff. Working with a 3PL means vetting partners, tracking quality, and trusting someone else with your compliance.
What Are Your Options for FBA Prep Now?
You have three main paths forward. Each has different costs, risks, and requirements that you need to evaluate immediately.
Option 1: Handle Prep In-House
You can build your own prep operation inside your warehouse or facility. This works best if you move fewer than 500 units monthly with simple products.
You’ll need dedicated workspace, equipment (label printers, scales, poly bags, bubble wrap), trained staff, and quality control processes. The biggest hidden cost is your time. If you’re doing prep yourself, you’re not growing your business.
In-house prep typically costs approximately $0.20 to $0.50 per unit in materials and labor, plus approximately $2,000 to $5,000 in startup equipment.
Option 2: Partner With a Third-Party Logistics Provider
Working with a specialized 3PL makes sense for most sellers moving more than 500 units monthly. These companies know Amazon’s requirements and handle prep as their core business.
Meyer specializes in FBA prep services and can handle your entire transition from Amazon’s discontinued services. Meyer provides:
- Expert FNSKU labeling with 99%+ accuracy
- Professional polybagging with proper suffocation warnings
- Kitting and bundling services for multi-unit products
- Bubble wrapping and protective packaging
- Quality control systems to prevent rejections
- Fast turnaround to keep inventory moving
The biggest advantage of working with Meyer is peace of mind. You don’t worry about compliance mistakes or rejected shipments. Meyer handles all the details while you focus on growing your sales.
When evaluating any 3PL partner, look for Amazon certification, proven accuracy rates, fast turnaround times, and transparent pricing. Ask about their liability for mistakes and how they handle peak season volume.
Option 3: Have Your Supplier Prep Products
If you work with overseas manufacturers, you can have them prep products before shipping. This works best for high-volume sellers with simple, non-fragile products.
The main advantage is lower cost at scale (often $0.10 to $0.30 per unit). Products arrive at Amazon already compliant.
The big risk is quality control. Mistakes happen overseas, and fixing them after products ship costs a fortune. Lead times get longer and communication across time zones slows everything down. You need extremely detailed instructions and reliable suppliers.
What Prep Requirements Must You Meet?
Amazon’s prep standards haven’t changed, but enforcement is now at maximum strictness. Every item must meet exact specifications or Amazon rejects your shipment immediately.
Label requirements matter most. Every unit needs an FNSKU label in the correct position (usually lower-right corner of the front). Labels must scan on the first try. Existing barcodes on shipping boxes must be covered with opaque tape.
Polybagging rules are specific. Bags must be clear and at least 1.5 mil thick. Any bag with an opening 5 inches or larger needs a suffocation warning printed on it. The bag must be completely sealed. Barcodes need to scan through the bag or be labeled on the outside.
Product protection requirements vary by category:
- Fragile items need bubble wrap and FRAGILE labels on multiple sides
- Liquids require double sealing to prevent leaks
- Electronics need anti-static bags and corner protection
- Apparel must be hung, folded, or bagged per garment type
- Books need moisture-resistant packaging
Sets sold together must be labeled “Sold as set” so Amazon doesn’t separate them. Items with expiration dates need clear date labels following FIFO rotation rules.
What Steps Should You Take Right Now?
The deadline has passed. Amazon stopped offering prep services on January 1, 2026. If you haven’t secured a prep solution yet, you need to act immediately to avoid disruptions.
This week: Make your decision between in-house, 3PL, or supplier prep. You can’t send unprepared inventory to Amazon anymore. Every shipment you create now must arrive fully compliant or Amazon will reject it.
If choosing a 3PL like Meyer: Contact their team immediately to discuss your prep needs. Meyer can onboard you quickly and start handling your labeling, kitting, polybagging, and shipping. Get your first shipment processed as a test before sending large volumes.
If going in-house: Order your equipment immediately – label printers, poly bags, bubble wrap, and supplies. Train your team on Amazon’s exact requirements this week. Start with small batches to work out quality control issues before scaling up.
Right now and beyond: Monitor your Inbound Performance Dashboard in Seller Central daily. Amazon will flag any compliance issues and you need to catch problems immediately. Track how fast your prepped inventory gets checked in. One rejected shipment can cost you thousands in lost sales and return fees.
Switch to Meyer for Reliable FBA Prep Services
Amazon’s FBA prep change is no longer coming – it’s here. As of January 1, 2026, Amazon stopped handling all prep and labeling. Sellers who haven’t transitioned yet face immediate risks of rejected shipments and lost sales.
Every shipment you send now must be 100% compliant. Amazon offers zero tolerance for mistakes. One missing label means your inventory gets returned at your expense or disposed of completely.
Meyer provides comprehensive FBA prep services designed specifically for sellers transitioning from Amazon’s discontinued prep program. Our services include:
- FNSKU labeling with guaranteed accuracy
- Professional polybagging meeting all Amazon requirements
- Kitting and bundling for multi-product sets
- Bubble wrapping and protective packaging
- Quality control inspections before shipping
- Fast turnaround to minimize inventory delays
Don’t let unprepared inventory kill your sales in 2026. Contact Meyer today to discuss your FBA prep needs. Our team will help you transition smoothly so you can keep shipping to Amazon without disruption or compliance issues.