When an FBA shipment runs into trouble, the cause is almost never exotic. It's a barcode that scans the manufacturer's UPC instead of the FNSKU. A poly bag without a warning. A carton that's two pounds over the limit. Each one takes seconds to prevent at the prep table and days to sort out once it's sitting in an Amazon receiving queue. The checklist below is organized the way you'd physically work through a shipment: unit, carton, pallet, then the product itself.
The most common FBA prep mistakes are unscannable or conflicting barcodes, missing poly bag suffocation warnings, sets not marked "Sold as set," cartons over Amazon's size or weight limits, missing or misplaced box labels, box contents that don't match the shipment plan, non-compliant pallets, and expiration dates in the wrong format. Since Amazon ended its US prep and labeling services on January 1, 2026, fixing these is entirely the seller's job. Depending on the problem, Amazon may hold units, charge to correct them, refuse them, or restrict future shipments.
What a Prep Mistake Costs
The fee for a fix is the smallest part of it. Units stuck in a problem-receive queue aren't available to sell, which can mean a stockout on a listing that's been ranking well. Repeated problems can lead to restrictions on your future inbound shipments. And if the issue is found late, you may pay for a removal order and a second trip in.
Timing makes it worse. Most prep problems surface during peak receiving periods, when check-in is already slower and any delay pushes your inventory past the selling window it was meant for.
Level 1: The Unit
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Two barcodes, and the scanner picks the wrong one
If a unit carries both a manufacturer barcode and an FNSKU label, the manufacturer barcode needs to be fully covered. Otherwise the receiving scanner can register the wrong product, which is how units end up assigned to someone else's listing or lost in reconciliation.
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Labels that won't scan
Smudged thermal prints, labels wrapped around a curved edge, or labels placed over a seam. Put the FNSKU on a flat surface, print at a quality your scanner can read on the first try, and test a few before labeling the whole run.
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Poly bags that don't meet the spec
Bags need to be clear, sealed and thick enough (Amazon specifies a minimum of 1.5 mil). If the opening is 5 inches or larger, the bag needs a suffocation warning, printed or on a sticker. And the barcode must scan through the bag or be on the outside.
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Sets that can be split
Multipacks and bundles need a "Sold as set" or "Do not separate" label, and the individual unit barcodes inside have to be hidden. Otherwise fulfillment center staff may separate and sell units individually.
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Fragile items without protection
Glass, ceramics and anything breakable should survive a drop test onto a hard surface. Bubble wrap or a box that prevents movement, with the barcode still scannable from outside.
Level 2: The Carton
Standard cartons must weigh 50 lb or less, unless a single item inside weighs more. Heavy single items need "Team lift" marking (and "Mech lift" above 100 lb).
For standard-size products, no carton side can exceed 25 inches. It's an easy one to miss when a supplier picks the box.
Each carton needs its own FBA box ID label, placed on a side rather than across a seam. Remove or cover any old shipping labels on reused boxes.
Box content information must match what's in each carton. Missing box contents can trigger manual processing fees, and mismatches cause reconciliation headaches.
Suppliers are the source of many carton problems. If your factory packs master cartons for FBA, send them Amazon's carton requirements in writing, including the weight limit, and ask for a photo of a packed carton on a scale before the full order ships.
Level 3: The Shipment and Pallet
- Quantities that don't match the plan. Send what you told Amazon you'd send. Discrepancies make it far harder to file a claim if units go missing later.
- Non-compliant pallets. Amazon expects 40 × 48 inch, four-way-access wooden pallets, no taller than 72 inches including the pallet and no heavier than 1,500 lb, with a pallet label on each side.
- Loose, overhanging or crushed loads. Cartons shouldn't hang over the pallet edge, and the load should be stretch-wrapped firmly enough to survive a truck ride.
- Missed delivery appointments. For freight shipments, a missed or late appointment can push your receipt back by days.
Level 4: The Product Itself
Expiration dates
Products with expiration dates need the date on each unit and on the master carton, in a format Amazon accepts (month-day-year or month-year), in large print on the carton. They also need enough shelf life left when they arrive. Amazon sets a minimum remaining shelf life at check-in (105 days for most products at the time of writing), so check your category's current rule before shipping short-dated stock.
Dangerous goods
Anything with batteries, aerosols, flammable liquids, some cosmetics and many cleaning products may be classified as dangerous goods. These usually need safety documents reviewed by Amazon before you can ship, and that review can take days. Submit the paperwork before the product is sitting at your prep partner waiting to go.
Listing and packaging mismatches
If the product that arrives doesn't match the listing (different quantity, different packaging, different size), expect it to be flagged. This comes up often after a supplier changes packaging without telling you.
A Pre-Ship Checklist
Run through this before anything leaves for Amazon. At a prep center, it should be part of the standard process. In-house, print it and tape it to the prep table.
Scan three random units
Each should return the FNSKU, and nothing else.
Check one bagged unit against the spec
Thickness, seal, warning if needed, scannable barcode.
Weigh and measure every carton
Under 50 lb, under 25 inches per side for standard-size products.
Confirm box contents against the plan
SKU and quantity per carton, entered correctly in Seller Central.
Check labels on every carton and pallet
One box ID per carton, on a flat side; four labels per pallet.
Verify dates and documents
Expiration format and shelf life; dangerous goods approval if relevant.
For what outsourcing this work costs, see how FBA prep is priced. And because Amazon's requirements change, check Seller Central's current packaging and prep guidelines before you rely on any checklist, including this one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most problems come from basic prep errors: barcodes that are unscannable or conflict with the FNSKU, poly bags without required warnings, sets not labeled "Sold as set," cartons over size or weight limits, missing box labels, box contents that don't match the plan, non-compliant pallets, and incorrect expiration date labeling.
No. Amazon discontinued its FBA prep and item labeling services in the US on January 1, 2026. Sellers must send inventory that is already prepped and labeled, either doing it themselves or using a prep center or 3PL.
Standard cartons must weigh 50 lb or less. A carton can exceed that only if it contains a single item heavier than 50 lb, and it must then carry a "Team lift" label, or a "Mech lift" label above 100 lb.
Yes. When a unit is labeled with an FNSKU, any other scannable barcode on the unit should be fully covered so the fulfillment center scans the correct identifier.
When the bag's opening is 5 inches or larger. The warning can be printed on the bag or applied as a label, and the bag must also meet Amazon's minimum thickness requirement.
Amazon requires a minimum remaining shelf life at check-in, which is 105 days for most products at the time of writing. Check the current requirement for your category in Seller Central before shipping.
Depending on the issue, Amazon may hold units in problem receive, charge to fix them, refuse them, or restrict future shipments. Units that aren't checked in aren't available to sell, which can cause stockouts on your listings.
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