Amazon FBA packaging requirements exist to protect products during the fulfilment process — from the moment they arrive at the warehouse through picking packing and delivery to the customer. When your products do not meet these requirements Amazon can reject your shipment charge you a compliance fee return your stock at your cost or in some cases dispose of non-compliant units. For wholesale FBA sellers who are sourcing branded products from suppliers and sending them to Amazon the packaging requirements apply at two levels — the individual unit level and the shipping box level — and both must be fully met before your shipment leaves your hands.

We are Brandhunterz Ltd — a UK registered wholesale sourcing company (Company No: 15342697) — and in this complete guide we cover every Amazon FBA packaging requirement that wholesale sellers need to know — from individual unit prep requirements through poly bagging bubble wrapping and suffocation warning labels to box and pallet level specifications and the specific product types that have their own additional packaging rules.

Understanding the Two Levels of FBA Packaging Requirements

Amazon’s FBA packaging requirements operate at two distinct levels. Confusing or conflating these two levels is one of the most common sources of shipment preparation errors for new sellers:

Level	What It Covers	Who It Applies To
Unit Level	How each individual product unit must be prepared labelled and packaged before going into a shipping box	Every seller — applies to every unit in every shipment without exception
Box Level	How shipping boxes must be packed sealed labelled and dimensioned to be accepted at the fulfilment centre	Every seller — applies to every shipping box in every shipment without exception

Unit Level Requirement 1 — FNSKU Barcode Labelling

Every individual unit sent to Amazon FBA must carry an FNSKU barcode label on its outermost surface. The FNSKU is the Amazon-generated identifier that links your physical product to your seller account and your specific inventory at the fulfilment centre. Without a correctly applied FNSKU label Amazon cannot receive or process your unit.

FNSKU Label Requirement	Specification
Label size	Minimum 22mm x 7mm — standard 30-up label sheet size 63.5mm x 38.1mm recommended
Print quality	Clear black and white — scannable at 15cm — no smudging or partial printing
Position on unit	Outermost surface — applied flat — not on curved surfaces — not inside packaging
Covering existing barcodes	Must cover all other scannable barcodes completely — EAN UPC and manufacturer codes
Number of labels per unit	Exactly one FNSKU label per unit — multiple labels cause scan confusion at receiving
Label adhesive	Must remain adhered through transport and warehouse handling — test adhesion before bulk applying

Unit Level Requirement 2 — Poly Bagging Requirements

Certain product types must be placed inside a sealed transparent poly bag before being sent to FBA. The poly bag protects the product during storage and transit in the fulfilment centre. Amazon identifies which products require poly bagging based on their packaging type and product category. Here are the product types that require poly bagging and the specific requirements for the bags themselves:

Product Type Requiring Poly Bag	Reason
Products with loose or exposed parts	Prevents parts from separating in storage and contaminating other units
Products with fabric or textiles not in retail packaging	Prevents dust accumulation and soiling during warehouse storage
Products that could leak — liquids creams gels	Contains any leakage and prevents contamination of adjacent inventory
Products with powders or small granules	Prevents powder escape and contamination during fulfilment handling
Multi-piece sets sold as a single unit	Keeps all components together — prevents individual pieces being sold separately by mistake

Unit Level Requirement 3 — Bubble Wrap for Fragile Products

Fragile products that could break or be damaged during fulfilment centre handling must be individually bubble-wrapped before being placed into shipping boxes. Amazon defines fragile products broadly — any item that could be damaged by a 1.5-metre drop test or by the mechanical sorting equipment used in fulfilment centres must be prepared with adequate protective wrapping.

Fragile Product Type	Prep Required
Glass bottles and jars — perfume candles cosmetics	Minimum 2 inches of bubble wrap on all sides — taped closed — must pass drop test
Ceramic or porcelain items	Full wrap — no exposed surfaces — secure with tape — fragile sticker on outside of wrap
Items with protruding parts or delicate components	Individual component wrapping — additional padding over protruding elements
Products in retail packaging likely to crush	Outer protective layer — card sleeve or bubble pouch — to prevent box compression damage

Unit Level Requirement 4 — Expiry Date Labelling

Food grocery supplement and health product units sent to FBA must carry a clearly visible expiry date in a format Amazon can read and verify. Amazon uses expiry date information to manage its first-in-first-out stock rotation and to ensure that units approaching expiry are removed from fulfilment centre inventory before they become unsellable. Units that do not carry a readable expiry date or whose expiry is within 90 days of the shipment arrival date are rejected at receiving.

Expiry Date Requirement	Specification
Required date format	MM-YYYY or MM-DD-YYYY — month and year as a minimum — day optional
Minimum remaining shelf life at FBA arrival	Minimum 90 days remaining from the date Amazon receives the shipment
Label position	Visible on the outermost surface of the unit — cannot be hidden under packaging or labels
If manufacturer date not readable	Apply an additional sticker label with the expiry date in the correct format

Box Level Requirements — Shipping Box Specifications

Once every unit is correctly prepped and labelled the boxes you pack them into must also meet Amazon’s specific requirements. Here is the complete box-level specification for standard FBA shipments:

Box Requirement	Specification	Why It Matters
Maximum box weight	50kg gross	Manual handling limit for warehouse staff — boxes over 50kg refused
Maximum dimensions — any single side	63.5cm maximum	Conveyor belt and automated sorting equipment limitations
Box construction	Double-wall corrugated	Must survive stacking in transit and warehouse — single-wall boxes collapse under weight
Box condition	No damage or holes	Damaged boxes rejected — stock inside may be refused if box is compromised
Sealing method	H-tape all seams	Prevents box opening during transit — tape both top and bottom seams in H pattern
Void fill	No movement when shaken	Products moving inside box cause damage and failed barcode scanning at receiving
Old labels and barcodes	Remove or cover all	Old barcodes confuse scanning systems — previous shipment labels cause routing errors
Box label position	Largest flat side — not on seam	Box label must be readable without rotating the box in the receiving area

Special Packaging Requirements by Product Type

Beyond the standard unit and box requirements certain product types have additional specific packaging rules. These apply on top of the standard requirements — not instead of them. If your wholesale products fall into any of the following categories you must meet both the standard requirements and the category-specific requirements:

Product Type	Additional Packaging Requirement
Liquid products — shampoo lotion cream	Must be in sealed leak-proof containers — additional poly bag required — openings taped or heat-sealed
Products sold as sets or multipacks	All components must be secured together as a single unit — labelled Do Not Separate on outer packaging
Footwear and shoes	Must be in original box — box placed inside a poly bag — FNSKU on outside of poly bag
Products with sharp edges — blades tools	Edges must be sheathed or covered — no exposed sharp edges that could injure warehouse staff
Products containing batteries — lithium	Special handling label required — UN3481 or UN3091 hazmat label on outer shipping box — check FBA dangerous goods policy
Loose powdery or granular products	Must be double-sealed — primary container sealed — then placed in a sealed poly bag — 6-drop test required

What Happens When Packaging Requirements Are Not Met

Amazon enforces packaging requirements through its fulfilment centre receiving process. When units or boxes arrive that do not meet the requirements Amazon has several response options — all of which cost the seller money and delay their stock going live. Understanding these consequences helps reinforce why meeting requirements correctly before dispatch is always cheaper and faster than dealing with non-compliance after the fact:

Non-Compliance Issue	Amazon Response	Cost to Seller
Missing or unreadable FNSKU label	Unit held — relabelling fee charged or return arranged	Relabelling fee per unit plus delay of 5 to 14 days going live
No box content information provided	Amazon manually scans entire box — compliance fee charged per unit	Compliance fee applied — typically £0.15 to £0.25 per unit
Expired product or under 90 days shelf life	Units refused — returned to seller or disposed of at seller cost	Return shipping cost plus possible disposal fee — full value of stock lost
Box over 50kg or over size limit	Box refused at dock — returned to sender	Return courier cost — repack and resend cost — delay of 7 to 14 days
Missing poly bag on required product	Units held — prep service applied at warehouse or returned	Per-unit prep service fee plus delay going live

The Pre-Shipment Packaging Compliance Checklist

Run through this checklist on every shipment before booking your courier. Every item must be confirmed before boxes leave your location:

Compliance Check	Confirmed
Every unit has one FNSKU label covering all original barcodes	☐
All FNSKU labels scanned and confirmed readable before boxing	☐
Poly bagging applied to all units requiring it — sealed and suffocation warning present	☐
Fragile units individually bubble-wrapped with minimum 2 inches protection	☐
Expiry dates visible and minimum 90 days remaining on all applicable units	☐
Each box weighed — under 50kg gross confirmed	☐
Each box measured — no side over 63.5cm confirmed	☐
All boxes sealed with H-tape on top and bottom seams	☐
Box content information entered in Seller Central for every box	☐
Amazon box label applied to largest flat side of every box	☐
All 10 checks confirmed — shipment ready to dispatch	✅ GO

Conclusion — Meet Every Requirement Before Every Shipment

Amazon’s FBA packaging requirements are not suggestions — they are enforceable standards with direct financial consequences when not met. Meeting every requirement correctly before your shipment leaves your location is always faster and cheaper than dealing with non-compliance issues after the fact. Build the compliance checklist into your standard shipment preparation process and confirm every item before you book your courier on every single shipment.

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