seller
- What changed
- End of FBA commingling; seller-specific units for all new inbound stock
- When
- Inventory shipped on or after March 31, 2026
- Who it affects
- All FBA sellers; rules differ for brand owners and resellers
- What to do
- Resellers: FNSKU-label every unit. Brands: confirm Brand Representative role
Key takeaways
- Amazon ended commingling for inventory shipped on or after March 31, 2026.
- Brand Representatives with valid manufacturer barcodes no longer need stickers; resellers must sticker every unit.
- Amazon no longer applies labels in the US, so labeling is the seller's job.
How commingling ended
Amazon announces the end of commingling
Amazon stops US FBA prep and labeling
New rules apply to inventory shipped from this date
Returns and removals come from your own units
What was commingled inventory?
Under commingling, also called stickerless inventory, Amazon treated identical units with the same UPC or EAN as interchangeable. If three sellers sent in the same product with its manufacturer barcode, an order could be filled from whichever unit was nearest to the customer, regardless of who sent it.
That saved labeling work and sped up delivery, but it had a well-known downside. If one seller sent counterfeit, expired or damaged units, customers of other sellers, including the brand owner, could receive them. The resulting complaints and account health problems could land on a seller who had done nothing wrong.
What Amazon changed and when
Amazon announced in its seller forums that it would end commingling, with the new rules applying to inventory shipped on or after March 31, 2026. Amazon's explanation was that most sellers now keep inventory close to customers, so it can deliver quickly without pooling units. Trade coverage reported that inventory already in fulfillment centers before the deadline did not need retroactive action.
Under the new rules, returns and removals come from your own units rather than a shared pool, which makes it easier to trace a problem unit back to its source.
Rules for brand owners
Brand owners gain the most from the change. If you hold the Brand Representative selling role in Amazon Brand Registry and your products carry valid manufacturer barcodes such as UPC or ISBN, you no longer need Amazon barcode stickers to keep your units separate.
- Brand Representative role in Brand Registry required
- Valid manufacturer barcode on each unit
- Products with a GTIN exemption still need Amazon stickers
- Products with no manufacturer barcode still need Amazon stickers
Rules for resellers
Resellers, including authorized resellers and wholesale sellers without the Brand Representative role, must apply Amazon barcode stickers, known as FNSKU labels, to every unit, even when the product already carries a manufacturer barcode. Sellers who already used stickers can keep their current process.
Because Amazon also ended its US prep and labeling service on January 1, 2026, Amazon will not apply these labels for you. Labeling must be done in-house or by a prep provider. Our Amazon prep center guide explains the outsourcing option.
Labels should match the format Seller Central generates, showing the FNSKU with the product name and condition. Trade coverage of the Q&A notes white space requirements around the barcode of a quarter inch on the sides and an eighth of an inch top and bottom, so print a test sheet and scan it before labeling a full shipment.
| Brand Representative | Reseller | |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer barcode accepted | ||
| FNSKU on every unit | ||
| Sticker needed with GTIN exemption | ||
| Units kept separate |
Products with no manufacturer barcode need stickers either way.
How to comply, step by step
A short checklist keeps the next shipment from being delayed.
- Confirm your role in Brand Registry for every brand you sell
- Check each SKU's barcode setting in Seller Central
- Switch reseller SKUs to Amazon barcode labels
- Print FNSKU labels from Seller Central in the required format
- Cover manufacturer barcodes so only the FNSKU scans
- Brief your supplier or prep center on the new rules
- Spot-check the first shipments for label errors
Compliance checklist
- Confirm Brand Registry role
- Check barcode setting per SKU
- Switch reseller SKUs to FNSKU
- Cover old barcodes
- Brief prep center
- Spot-check first shipments
What happens to units that are not labeled correctly?
Trade reports on the change say units arriving after March 31 without the required identification can be treated as defective and are not eligible for reimbursement. Separately, Amazon has said shipments created after January 1, 2026 that arrive without proper prep and labels are not eligible for reimbursement if units are damaged or cannot be traced. Label errors can also trigger inbound defect fees. Our Amazon packaging requirements guide covers labels in more detail.
Why the change helps brand protection
For brands, the end of commingling closes a route that counterfeit and gray-market units used to reach customers. When every unit is tied to the seller who sent it, a bad unit can be traced to its source. That makes complaints about authenticity easier to investigate and protects the brand owner's account health.
It does not stop unauthorized sellers by itself. Brands still need Brand Registry tools, test buys and enforcement. Our Amazon brand protection service handles monitoring and reports, and Amazon Brand Registry explains the roles that now matter for labeling.
Costs to plan for
Resellers now carry label materials and labor on every unit, either in-house or through a prep center, plus the time to cover existing barcodes. Factor those costs into product margin and ACoS targets. Brand owners may save the sticker cost they used to pay to avoid commingling. If you want your margins rechecked after the change, request a free Amazon audit.
Sources
- Amazon Seller Forums: Commingling ends March 31, 2026 (sellercentral.amazon.ca/seller-forums/discussions/t/cd352647-7a0d-426f-83e7-e3dd4add6c5c)
- PPC Land: Amazon ends FBA commingling on March 31: what really changes for sellers (ppc.land/amazon-ends-fba-commingling-on-march-31-what-really-changes-for-sellers/)
- Packaging Insights: Amazon ends US prep and labeling services in 2026 (packaginginsights.com/news/amazon-fba-packaging-labeling-changes-2026.html)
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