Amazon has specific packaging requirements for every product sent to their fulfilment centres. Products that do not meet these standards get rejected, returned, or disposed of — costing you money and delaying your sales. Here is everything you need to know.
The Golden Rule
Every product sent to FBA must arrive at the fulfilment centre in a condition that is ready to be shipped directly to a customer. Amazon does not repack or relabel your items — what you send in is what the customer receives. If your product is not properly protected, labelled, and packaged, it will not pass Amazon's receiving checks.
When Poly Bags Are Required
Products must be placed in a poly bag if they have a loose or textile component (clothing, fabric items), if the packaging is not sealed (an open box or container), if the product could be damaged by dust or moisture during warehouse storage, or if it is a multi-component set that needs to be kept together.
Poly bags must be transparent, at least 1.5 mil thick, and have a barcode that is scannable through the bag. If the bag opening is larger than 127mm (5 inches), it must display a printed suffocation warning in a legible font size. This is a safety requirement, not optional.
Bubble Wrap Requirements
Fragile items — glass, ceramics, electronics, anything that could break if dropped — must be wrapped in bubble wrap or otherwise protected to survive warehouse handling. Amazon expects products to withstand a drop from a reasonable height without damage.
The bubble wrap must not obscure the product's barcode. If it does, the FNSKU label should be placed on the outside of the wrap so it can be scanned.
FNSKU Labelling
Every unit sent to FBA must have a scannable FNSKU barcode label. This label identifies the product and ties it to your seller account. FNSKU labels must be placed so they are easily scannable — not on a curve, not obscured by packaging, and not covering the product's original barcode (unless Amazon requires you to cover it).
If you are using the manufacturer's barcode (opting out of Amazon's labelling service), the original barcode must be undamaged and scannable. Only one scannable barcode should be visible per unit — cover any extras with opaque labels or tape.
Sets and Multi-Packs
Products sold as a set (multiple items sold as one unit) must be packaged together and labelled with a "Sold as Set — Do Not Separate" sticker. Each set needs a single FNSKU label. Without the sticker, Amazon's warehouse staff might separate the items, listing them individually and creating inventory errors.
Expiry Dates
Products with expiry dates (food, supplements, cosmetics, medical items) must have the expiry date clearly visible on the outside of the packaging. Amazon will not accept products with fewer than 90 days until expiry, and typically requires at least 105 days. Products approaching their expiry date in the warehouse will be marked as unfulfillable.
Oversize and Heavy Items
Items over 15kg must have a "Team Lift" label on the box. Items over 23kg require a "Mechanical Lift" label. The packaging must be sturdy enough to support the weight without collapsing or tearing during handling and shipping.
Box-Level Requirements
When shipping to Amazon, your outer shipping boxes must meet specific standards too. Boxes should be standard corrugated cardboard, appropriately sized (not excessively large with excessive void fill), and clearly labelled with Amazon's shipping labels. Maximum box weight is 23kg for standard items.
Why This Matters
Non-compliant shipments result in delays, additional fees, or disposal of your stock. Amazon charges a "manual processing fee" for items that require additional work at the fulfilment centre due to incorrect prep. Repeated compliance issues can result in coaching warnings or even restrictions on your ability to send FBA shipments.
This is where a prep centre like Precision earns its value. We know Amazon's requirements inside out and prep every unit to standard — labels correctly placed, poly bags with suffocation warnings, bubble wrap where needed, and sets properly stickered. It eliminates the guesswork and the risk of rejected shipments.