FBA Prep Services UK: The Complete 2026 Checklist Before You Send a Single Carton

Amazon FBA shipments in the UK now need to arrive fully prepared, labelled and ready for inbound processing. If a unit needs an FNSKU, polybag, suffocation warning, expiry-date check or bundle label, that work must be completed before the shipment reaches Amazon.

One important date clarification: Amazon’s official UK Seller Central guidance states that FBA prep and label services ended in European stores on 1 July 2026. The 1 January 2026 date applied to the US store. For UK sellers, the practical result is the same: Amazon is no longer your prep department.

This checklist shows what to verify before you send a single carton into the UK FBA network.

Important: Amazon requirements can change by product type, fulfilment centre, programme and shipment method. Always check the relevant en-GB Seller Central guidance before dispatch.

1. Confirm who is responsible for prep and labelling

Before creating your shipment, decide who will prepare each SKU:

• Your own team
• Your supplier
• A UK FBA prep centre
• A 3PL warehouse fulfilment partner

In Seller Central, check the “Who preps units?” and “Who labels units?” settings in the Send to Amazon workflow. Selecting “By seller” means the units must leave your warehouse fully compliant.

Amazon’s previous prep service could involve bagging, bubble wrap, boxing and labelling. It is no longer available for UK FBA shipments. If the work cannot be completed at your premises, arrange outsourced fulfillment for Amazon sellers before stock leaves your supplier.

2. Check the ASIN, SKU and FNSKU

Every unit must be matched to the correct listing and seller SKU. A label that belongs to the wrong variation can make good stock untraceable.

Before printing:

• Confirm the ASIN and seller SKU.
• Check whether the listing uses an Amazon barcode or manufacturer barcode.
• Download the current FNSKU labels from Seller Central.
• Match the label to the correct product variation, size, colour and condition.
• Print a small test batch and scan it before labelling the full shipment.

If Amazon barcode tracking is being used, the FNSKU must be visible and scannable after all preparation is complete. Any other visible barcode, such as an EAN or UPC, may need to be covered so that Amazon does not scan the wrong identifier. Serial-number or Transparency codes may have separate requirements, so check the product-specific instructions.

Apply the label to a flat, smooth surface. Do not place it over a corner, seam, curve or opening. Avoid wrinkled labels, low-quality prints and reflective materials.

Amazon’s FBA barcode requirements should be your final reference.

3. Complete the correct product preparation

Different products need different forms of preparation. In Seller Central, review the Prep required or Prep may be required section for every SKU.

Polybags

Use a clear polyethylene bag where the product requires bagging. Amazon’s UK guidance states that the bag should be at least 1.5 mil (0.0254 mm) thick, completely sealed and suitable for protecting the product.

The barcode must either scan through the bag or be placed on the outside.

A polybag may be required for:

• Clothing, fabric and textiles
• Plush products
• Liquids, powders and granular products
• Small products
• Products that could leak or spill
• Items sold together as a set

If the opening measures more than 5 inches when laid flat, the bag must display a prominent, legible suffocation warning.

Adult products require black, opaque polybags or shrink-wrap.

Fragile and glass products

Fragile products must be protected with suitable bubble wrap or boxing. The prepared unit should withstand Amazon’s required drop-test conditions without breaking, and the barcode must remain scannable from the outside.

Glass bottles, jars and other breakable products may also require overboxing. Do not assume that the manufacturer’s retail packaging is sufficient.

Liquids, creams and powders

Check caps, lids and closures. Some products need additional sealing, bagging or boxing to prevent leaks. If a liquid is in a glass container, treat it as fragile as well as liquid.

Sharp products

Knives, tools, scissors and other sharp items must not have exposed edges that could injure warehouse staff or damage other inventory. Sharp products generally need protective packaging before they arrive at Amazon.

See Amazon’s product preparation guidance for the specific category.

4. Check expiry dates before packing

For products with an expiry or best-before date, confirm that:

• The date is present on the product or packaging.
• The date is readable after all prep is complete.
• The format is unambiguous.
• The date entered in the shipment plan matches the stock being sent.
• Units with different expiry dates are separated correctly where required.
• Damaged, expired or short-dated stock is removed before dispatch.

An expiry date hidden by bubble wrap, a polybag or an outer box can cause problems at receiving. Amazon may also require the expiry date to be visible on the outside of the prepared unit.

Check the expiry-date requirements for FBA products before shipping consumables, cosmetics, food, supplements or other dated products.

5. Confirm bundles and sets are built correctly

A physical bundle is not the same as a virtual bundle. If customers buy several items together as one packaged product, the components must be prepared as a single sellable unit.

Before dispatch:

• Confirm the correct parent or bundle SKU.
• Include every component promised in the listing.
• Secure the components so they cannot separate in transit.
• Place the correct FNSKU on the finished bundle.
• Cover individual barcodes if they could cause incorrect scanning.
• Mark the outside clearly with wording such as “Sold as set, do not separate”, where required.
• Ensure the set cannot be opened or split during normal handling.

The bundle must arrive at Amazon as one unit. Sending loose child items under a parent listing is a common way to create receiving discrepancies and stranded inventory.

6. Build cartons within UK limits

Use strong, rigid, six-sided cartons with intact flaps. Cartons must protect the contents during transport and Amazon’s receiving process.

For cartons containing one or more standard-size items, Amazon’s current UK shipping guidance states:

• Minimum carton dimensions: 15.2 cm × 10.0 cm × 2.5 cm
• Maximum carton dimension: 63.5 cm on any side
• Minimum weight: 0.15 kg
• Maximum weight: 23 kg

A carton containing one oversize unit may exceed the standard limits where the product itself is longer than 63.5 cm. Such a carton must not be significantly larger than the item and must not exceed 30 kg, unless the product is shipped through the relevant Heavy and Bulky programme.

Cartons weighing 15 kg or more require a “Team Lift” or “Heavy Parcel” label on the top and sides. Amazon’s guidance refers to five visible labels in total.

Do not use:

• Stretch wrap around individual cartons
• Cartons covered entirely in packing tape
• Staples or plastic corner protectors
• Wood or metal containers
• Cartons bundled together with straps or tape
• Packing peanuts, foam strips, shredded paper or Styrofoam

Use suitable cardboard, kraft paper, bubble wrap, air pillows or polyethylene foam sheeting instead.

7. Enter accurate box contents

In Send to Amazon, the shipment plan must match what is physically inside the cartons.

For every box, record:

• Shipment ID
• Merchant SKU
• FNSKU or external barcode
• Quantity of each SKU
• Product condition
• Expiry date, where relevant
• Packing method
• Packed carton weight
• External carton dimensions

Do not mix stock from different shipment IDs in one carton. Do not estimate weight and dimensions. Amazon may compare your submitted information with the physical carton, and inaccurate information can lead to delays, manual processing fees or shipment blocks.

The UK shipping and routing requirements explain the current box-content rules.

8. Apply carton and carrier labels correctly

Every carton needs its own unique FBA box ID label generated from the shipment workflow. A carton should also carry the required carrier label.

Before handing the shipment to the carrier:

• Print the correct labels for that shipment.
• Apply one unique FBA box ID to each carton.
• Keep barcodes flat, clean and scannable.
• Place labels on a visible side, not over a seam, corner or opening.
• Do not cover a carrier label with another label.
• Remove old shipment labels and barcodes from reused cartons.
• Confirm that the carton label matches the contents.

For palletised shipments, cartons still need their own box labels and pallets need the required pallet labels. UK pallet requirements can include approved four-way-access pallets, correct dimensions and maximum gross weights.

9. Complete a final pre-dispatch scan

Before the first carton leaves your warehouse, perform a final quality check:

• Scan a sample of every FNSKU.
• Confirm the label matches the physical unit.
• Check all polybags are sealed.
• Check suffocation warnings are visible.
• Confirm expiry dates can be read.
• Verify bundles are complete and secured.
• Weigh and measure every carton type.
• Confirm heavy-carton labels are applied where required.
• Check box contents against Seller Central.
• Confirm every carton has the correct FBA box ID.
• Photograph unusual, high-value or emergency shipments for your records.

Amazon may refuse, return or dispose of non-compliant inventory. It may also apply unplanned prep charges, delay receiving, block future shipments or restrict your account.

When a UK 3PL is the safer option

For many sellers, FBA preparation is no longer a simple label-printing task. It involves product classification, barcode control, packaging, inspection, inventory records and shipment-plan accuracy.

EA3PL by EA3PL provides practical amazon fba prep services for sellers that need stock checked, labelled, packed and dispatched from a UK operation. Our 3pl warehouse fulfillment process can support inbound inspection, FNSKU application, polybagging, bundling, carton checks and shipment preparation.

Whether you need regular amazon fba fulfillment services or urgent emergency Amazon FBA labelling, a UK fulfilment partner can remove the pressure from your team. Instead of trying to manage every carton from an office or supplier, you have a fulfilment center for amazon inventory that can inspect, prepare and dispatch stock against your approved instructions.

The goal is simple: every unit prepared correctly, every carton labelled accurately and no avoidable surprises when your shipment reaches Amazon.