How FBA prep works now
Amazon has wound down its US FBA prep services, so sellers are responsible for getting units warehouse-ready before they ship in — confirm the current program status in Seller Central. Prep is about survival and identification: the unit has to arrive undamaged, stay identifiable, and not create a hazard. What that takes depends on the product. A hardcover book needs almost nothing; a plush toy needs a poly bag; a glass candle needs protection and maybe its own box.
Why we don't print exact numbers
- Thresholds and fees change. Bag thickness minimums, warning sizes, box weight caps, and prep fees are revised periodically and differ by category — a number that's right today can be wrong next quarter.
- The source of truth is Seller Central. Every step here links to the guide that tells you where to confirm the current rule for your product.
- Getting it wrong is expensive. Non-compliant shipments get flagged, surcharged, or refused — verifying beats guessing.
Prep is easier when the packaging is designed for it. PackOS helps you spec labels, poly bags, and shippers that are right-sized and compliant from the start — get a quote, or build a full spec sheet to hand your printer.
Questions
Do I need to poly bag my FBA products?
Not always. Poly bags are generally required for units that are soft, porous, small enough to get lost, or already bagged, and for many loose or non-boxed goods. A boxed, rigid, barcoded unit often does not need one. The checker flags when a bag generally applies, and you confirm the current rule in Seller Central.
When does a poly bag need a suffocation warning?
A suffocation warning is commonly required when the bag's opening is five inches or larger, measured as commonly published, and the warning size generally scales with the bag size. Treat five inches as the common threshold and confirm the exact current requirement and warning text in Seller Central before printing.
Does Amazon still offer FBA prep services?
Amazon has wound down its US FBA prep services, which is why sellers now prep their own units. Program details change, so confirm the current status and any category exceptions in Seller Central rather than relying on a fixed answer.
Does this tool give me Amazon's exact requirements?
No, and that is deliberate. It tells you which prep categories generally apply to your product and points you to where the exact, current rule lives, because thresholds, warning sizes, box limits, and fees change and vary by category. The authoritative source is always Amazon Seller Central.
Spec packaging that preps clean.
Right-sized poly bags, compliant labels, and shippers built to pass — PackOS quotes them from a file, and the spec comes with it.