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Amazon Stopped FBA Prep in 2026: What China Sellers Must Do Now to Stay Compliant
On January 1, 2026, Amazon quietly removed a service that thousands of FBA sellers had relied on for years.
No more FNSKU labeling. No polybagging. No bubble wrap. No bundling. Amazon's FBA prep and item labeling services in the US store are gone — permanently.
If your cargo is still leaving China without proper prep, it is arriving at an Amazon fulfillment center that will no longer fix it for you.
Here is exactly what changed, what it costs sellers who are not prepared, and how CDT handles the entire prep process from China before your cargo ever boards a vessel.
What Amazon Removed on January 1, 2026
Before this date, sellers could pay Amazon to handle prep and labeling at the fulfillment center. For many small and mid-size sellers shipping from China, this was the safety net.
That safety net no longer exists. What Amazon removed includes:
- FNSKU barcode labeling
- Polybagging for soft goods and small items
- Bubble wrap and protective packaging
- Product bundling
- Suffocation warning labels
No exceptions. No partial help. If your shipment arrives without compliant prep, Amazon will reject the inbound. The cost of a rejection — return freight, re-labeling in the US, lost sales velocity — runs between 4,500 per shipment depending on volume.
Every one of those costs disappears when prep is done correctly in China before the cargo ships.
Why Doing Prep in China Is the Correct Answer
Labor cost in China is a fraction of US third-party prep center rates. A prep center in the US charges 2.00 per unit for FNSKU labeling alone. At 2,000 units per shipment, that is 4,000 — on top of your freight cost.
CDT's China warehouse handles full FBA prep at no extra charge. The same shipment, prepped correctly before it leaves Shenzhen or Yiwu, adds zero to your invoice.
The math is straightforward. The execution is what most sellers get wrong by waiting until cargo arrives in the US.
What CDT's FBA Prep Service Covers
CDT has been doing FBA prep from China for 11 years. Since January 1, 2026, the volume of prep requests has increased sharply as sellers realize Amazon will no longer bail them out at the fulfillment center.
What CDT handles at the China warehouse, included in your shipping quote:
- FNSKU barcode printing and application
- Polybagging for eligible product categories
- Bubble wrap and protective packaging for fragile items
- Carton labeling and shipment ID application
- 100% cargo count before sealing
- FBA-compliant box dimensions and weight limits
Free domestic storage: 7 to 15 days at CDT's Shenzhen and Yiwu warehouses while prep is completed. No storage charge during this window.
The Timeline That Matters
Here is what the process looks like when CDT handles prep from China:
Day 1 — Cargo arrives at CDT's Shenzhen or Yiwu warehouse from your supplier. Free pick-up within 30km.
Day 1 to 3 — CDT completes full FBA prep: FNSKU labeling, polybagging, protective packaging, carton labeling.
Day 3 to 5 — AMS pre-filing completed. Cargo loaded for ocean or air transit.
Day 18 to 22 (sea) or Day 6 to 10 (air) — Cargo arrives at US port.
Day 20 to 25 (sea) or Day 8 to 12 (air) — Cargo delivered to Amazon FBA warehouse, ready to receive. No re-packing required at the dock. Cargo damage rate below 0.3%.
One Number That Covers Everything
CDT's DDP pricing includes freight, AMS pre-filing, US customs clearance (99% success rate), last-mile delivery to Amazon FBA, and full prep services.
No line items added after the fact. No US prep center fees. No rejection risk from incomplete labeling.
If you are currently using a freight forwarder that ships cargo without prep and relying on Amazon to fix it — that option ended six months ago.
Send CDT your product details, ASIN, and unit count. We will confirm the prep requirements and return a complete DDP quote within 2 hours.
Get your free FBA prep and shipping quote at cdtshipping.com