Amazon FBA Prep Supplies: Bags, FNSKU Labels, and Boxes
Amazon ended prep and item-labeling services for US FBA shipments on January 1, 2026: every unit now has to arrive already prepped and labeled, by you or a third-party prep provider. This page is the supply list for doing it in-house, down to Amazon’s published 1.5 mil bag floor.
| Poly bags | ≥1.5 mil · warning on 5 in+ openings |
| FNSKU labels | 30-up sheets · 2 5/8 × 1 in |
| Inbound cartons | ECT-32 · max 36×25×25 in · 50 lb |
| Fragile units | 2 bubble layers · 3-ft five-drop test |
Prepping FBA inventory yourself takes five supply families: poly bags at least 1.5 mil thick with a printed suffocation warning, 30-up label sheets for FNSKU labels, corrugated cartons inside Amazon's inbound size and weight limits, carton sealing tape, and bubble for fragile units.
Amazon Stopped Prepping Your Inventory on January 1, 2026
Amazon's FBA Prep Service help page now carries a discontinuation notice: as of January 1, 2026, Amazon no longer offers prep or item-labeling services for FBA shipments in the US store. The change covers every inbound route: direct FBA sends, Amazon Warehousing and Distribution, Amazon Global Logistics, Amazon SEND, and the Supply Chain Portal. The published consequence is blunt: shipments created after the cutoff that arrive without proper prep and labeling are not eligible for reimbursement if damaged or untraceable, and non-compliant packaging can be refused or disposed of at the seller's expense.
Amazon lists three ways forward: prep in-house, hire a provider from its vetted FBA prep-provider list, or reduce prep needs through the Ships in Product Packaging program. For the in-house math, the discontinued service formerly charged 0.70 to 1.04 dollars per unit for bagging and bubble wrap and 0.55 dollars per unit for labeling. Those legacy fees are the honest benchmark to beat with case-quantity supplies.
FBA Poly Bags: the 1.5 Mil Floor and the Suffocation Warning
Amazon's bagging requirements set the floor: at least 1.5 mil thick, completely sealed, and either transparent so the barcode scans through or carrying the barcode on the outside. The bag must not extend more than three inches past the product. Bagging applies to items that dust or leakage can damage, loose parts and sets, small items, and scented items; missing prep can trigger a preparation defect fee.
The suffocation warning applies to any bag with an opening of five inches or larger, measured flat, printed on the bag or applied as a label. Amazon publishes the exact wording: "WARNING: To avoid danger of suffocation, keep this plastic film away from babies and children. Do not use this bag in cribs, bed, carriages, or play pens. This bag is not a toy." Minimum print size scales with bag size, from 10 point on small bags to 24 point at 60 total inches; check any bag's printed warning against Amazon's table.
Here is the honest read on Packrift's suffocation-warning bags against Amazon's floor:
| Bag | Spec | FBA bagging call |
|---|---|---|
| 4x6 in 1.5 mil resealable poly bags | 1.5 mil, resealable, warning printed | Meets the floor. Sized for cables, accessories, and small parts. |
| 5x7 in 1.5 mil resealable poly bags, 1000 per case | 1.5 mil, resealable, warning printed | Meets the floor. The 5 in opening sits at the warning threshold, and the warning is already printed. |
| 6x6 in 1.5 mil clear resealable poly bags, 1000 per case | 1.5 mil, clear, resealable, warning printed | Meets the floor. Opening is over the 5 in line, so the printed warning is doing required work. |
| 9x12 in 1 mil clear poly bags, case of 1000 | 1 mil, warning printed | Not for FBA bagging. 1 mil is below Amazon's 1.5 mil minimum. Use for merchant-fulfilled or non-Amazon channels. |
| 12x18 in 1 mil clear poly bags, case of 1000 | 1 mil, warning printed | Not for FBA bagging, same 1 mil reason. Fine for FBM apparel and soft goods. |
Most suppliers would list all five under an FBA banner. Two do not clear Amazon's own threshold, and you should know that before check-in, not after. Use the poly bag size chart to size bags within the three-inch rule, and confirm current details in the poly bags and reclosable bags collections.
FNSKU Labels: the 30-Up Sheet Route
Every FBA unit needs exactly one scannable item identifier, with every other barcode covered so nothing mis-scans at receiving. The standard sheet-fed format for FNSKU printing is the 30-up letter sheet: the 2 5/8 x 1 in label, thirty per sheet. Packrift's 2 5/8 x 1 in opaque white blockout laser labels, case of 3000 are that format in blockout stock: the opaque face keeps scanners from reading the barcode underneath, and the permanent adhesive stays put through handling. For larger cover-ups and sold-as-set stickers, the 4x2 in blockout laser labels, case of 1000 give room to print Amazon's accepted set wording, such as "Sold as set" or "This is a set. Do not separate."
Two more label jobs come with self-prep. Any inbound carton over 50 lb needs a Team Lift or Heavy Package label on the top and all four sides, and Amazon does not supply those labels. The 4x6 in yellow thermal-transfer labels, case of 4 are a high-visibility stock for printing your own; the honest caveat is that thermal transfer needs a ribbon printer, so if you run direct thermal, confirm the right stock in the thermal labels collection first. And labels only work if they stay legible: a pass of 4 in clear label protection tape, case of 18 shields expiration-date and set stickers from scuffs and moisture. Keep it off the barcode itself if glare interferes with your test scans. The labels and tags collection covers the rest.
Unit Boxes, Inbound Cartons, Tape, and Cushioning
Amazon publishes two different box standards, and mixing them up is a common prep mistake. Unit-level boxing governs the box around a single sellable unit; inbound shipping requirements govern the carton you pack everything into.
| Prep task | What Amazon publishes | Packrift route |
|---|---|---|
| Unit-level boxing | Six-sided box that does not give under pressure, contents secured, sealed with tape, glue, or staples. Units over 10 lb need double-wall board. Scannable barcode on the outside. | Both boxes below are single wall. For units over 10 lb, source a double-wall size from the corrugated boxes collection instead. |
| Inbound shipment cartons | Amazon names ECT-32 regular slotted cartons among acceptable standard boxes. Maximum 36x25x25 in, width and height never over 25 in, maximum 50 lb per box. Strictly enforced. | 18x14x8 in ECT-32 kraft boxes, bundle of 20 for mixed-SKU cartons, 20x20x12 in ECT-32 kraft boxes, 15-pack for bulkier lightweight goods. Both sit inside the 25 in caps. |
| Sealing | Cartons and unit boxes closed so contents are secure. | 2 in x 110 yds clear box sealing tape, 2.0 mil, case of 36. Compare grades in carton sealing tape and packing tape. |
| Cushioning fragile units | At least two layers of bubble, every unit wrapped individually, barcode scannable without unwrapping. The wrapped unit must survive Amazon's drop test: five drops from 3 feet onto concrete. Bubble is not accepted for sharp items. | 3/16 in adhesive bubble roll, 12 in x 300 ft, 4-pack. The adhesive face grips without residue, which speeds double-wrapping. Still tape the wrap closed and run your own drop test. |
| Carton dunnage | Approved: bubble, full sheets of heavy kraft paper, air pillows, polyethylene foam. Prohibited: all packing peanuts including biodegradable, foam strips, crinkle wrap, shredded paper, Styrofoam. At least 2 in of cushioning; contents should not shift when shaken. | The same bubble roll doubles as dunnage. Browse shipping boxes for carton sizes around your cube. |
Freight: the Line That Decides Your Real Cost
Here is the part of FBA supply buying almost no supplier says out loud: on a small order, freight on packaging can rival the price of the packaging itself. Bags cube small, but corrugated and bubble do not. Order in case quantities so freight spreads across a thousand bags or twenty boxes instead of a handful, and combine bags, labels, tape, and cartons into one shipment rather than four. The packaging cost and cube index lays out the cost data so you can see the landed number before you commit.
Packrift Buying Paths
Each route below groups supplies by prep job. Open a collection to confirm current details before buying.
| Route | Use it when... |
|---|---|
| Labels and tags collection | You need FNSKU sheets, cover-ups, and set stickers in one order. |
| Shipping boxes collection | You are sizing inbound cartons to the 36x25x25 and 50 lb limits. |
| Corrugated boxes collection | You need double-wall options for units over 10 lb. |
| Packing tape collection | You want to compare general-purpose tape routes before buying a case. |
| Poly bag size chart | You are translating product dimensions into bag sizes within the 3 in rule. |
| Packrift tools hub | You want calculators and planning tools before placing a supply order. |
FBA Self-Prep Workflow
- Sort your catalog by prep category: bag, bubble wrap, unit box, sold-as-set, expiration-dated. Each has its own published rule set.
- Match bag sizes with the poly bag size chart. Hold the 1.5 mil floor and the 3 in fit rule.
- Print FNSKU labels on 30-up blockout sheets. One scannable identifier per unit; cover every other barcode, including set components.
- Bag and wrap. Seal completely, confirm the suffocation warning on any opening of 5 in or more, double-wrap fragile units, and run Amazon's 3-foot five-drop test yourself.
- Pack inbound cartons inside 36x25x25 in and 50 lb, with at least 2 in of approved dunnage and no peanuts of any kind.
- Label cartons before handoff: Team Lift labels on five faces of anything over 50 lb, expiration dates visible on the outside of prep where required.
Related Packrift Paths
- Best packaging for Amazon FBM
- Amazon FBM packaging cost
- Amazon packaging supplies alternative
- Best packaging suppliers for Shopify brands
- Poly bag size chart
- Packaging cost and cube index
- Packrift tools hub
FAQ
Did Amazon stop doing FBA prep?
Yes. Amazon ended prep and item-labeling services for US FBA shipments on January 1, 2026, across all inbound routes. Inventory must now arrive already prepped and labeled, done by the seller or a third-party prep provider. Shipments created after the cutoff that arrive unprepped are not eligible for reimbursement if damaged or untraceable.
What poly bags does Amazon require for FBA?
Amazon's bagging requirements call for bags at least 1.5 mil thick, completely sealed, transparent or carrying the barcode on the outside, and extending no more than 3 in past the product. Bags with an opening of 5 in or larger measured flat must carry the printed suffocation warning or a warning sticker.
What size are 30-up FNSKU labels?
The 30-up format is the 2 5/8 x 1 in label, thirty per letter sheet. Blockout stock is the safer choice for FNSKU work because the opaque face keeps scanners from reading the manufacturer barcode underneath the new label.
Can I use 1 mil poly bags for FBA prep?
No. Amazon's published minimum is 1.5 mil, so 1 mil bags fall short even when the suffocation warning is printed on them. Keep 1 mil suffocation-warning bags for merchant-fulfilled orders and other channels where the FBA bagging rule does not apply.
Does Amazon allow packing peanuts in FBA shipments?
No. Amazon prohibits all packing peanuts, including biodegradable ones, along with foam strips, crinkle wrap, shredded paper, and Styrofoam. Approved dunnage is bubble wrap, full sheets of heavy kraft paper, inflatable air pillows, and polyethylene foam sheeting.