What changed
Prepaid return label required on most US seller-fulfilled returns; address-only labels end
When
From December 18, 2026
Who it affects
US sellers who fulfill their own orders (FBM), excluding heavy and bulky items for now
What to do
Upload labels or refund within 7 calendar days, inside the Manage Returns workflow

Key takeaways

  • From December 18, 2026, most US seller-fulfilled returns need a prepaid label; address-only labels stop counting.
  • Sellers have seven calendar days from the return request to upload a label in Manage Returns or refund in full.
  • Labels sent by buyer messaging do not count, and missed deadlines can trigger automatic returnless refunds.

Amazon seller-fulfilled returns in 2026

  1. Amazon announces all US FBM returns move to prepaid labels

  2. High-value exemption ends

  3. Notice on address-only labels reported

  4. Prepaid label or full refund within 7 days

What Amazon announced

In an email to sellers, the Amazon Services team said that from December 18, 2026, US returns on seller-fulfilled orders will require a prepaid return shipping label. Amazon framed the change as creating a consistent process for US and international returns. The email itself carries no send date; trade press first reported it on October 19 and 20, 2026.

This builds on an earlier change. Amazon moved all US seller-fulfilled returns into its prepaid return label program on February 8, 2026, ending the old high-value exemption. The December rule closes the remaining gap: an address-only label that leaves the shopper to pay postage will no longer satisfy the requirement, except temporarily for heavy and bulky items. If you need a refresher on the basics, our guide to the Amazon return policy for sellers covers the full process.

The seven-day deadline

The clock starts at the return request, not at delivery and not when the item arrives back. Within seven calendar days, a seller must do one of two things:

  • Upload a prepaid return label through the Manage seller-fulfilled returns workflow in Seller Central
  • Issue a full refund without requiring the item to be sent back

What happens if you miss it

If neither action happens in time, Amazon may issue a returnless refund automatically and deduct the amount from your seller account. Our explainer on Amazon returnless refunds shows how those deductions appear and how they differ from refunds you choose to give.

One detail catches many FBM teams: labels sent through Buyer-Seller Messaging, or any channel outside the Manage Returns workflow, do not count. Amazon only recognizes the label if it is attached to the return inside the workflow. A seller who emails a perfectly good label to the customer can still be charged.

What is still unclear

PPC Land compared the email with the current Seller Central help page and found gaps. The help page did not yet mention December 18 or the seven-day window, and it still lists a two-day window for merchant prepaid labels on international returns. The notice does not define heavy and bulky, give an end date for that carve-out, or say whether SAFE-T claims can recover an automatic returnless refund issued after the deadline.

Seller Essentials adds an important point: prepaid describes how shipping is arranged, not who pays. Cost still depends on the return reason under Amazon's existing rules, so this is a label requirement, not a rule that every return becomes seller-paid. Check the Manage seller-fulfilled returns help page in Seller Central for the final wording before December 18.

Why the timing matters

December 18 lands in the middle of the holiday peak, when return volume is climbing and many teams are short on time. Sellers who still process returns by hand, or rely on virtual assistants working from messaging, are the most exposed. Missed deadlines turn into automatic refunds that also affect return metrics and, over time, account health.

What sellers should do now

Use the eight weeks before the deadline to move every return into one workflow and give it an owner. These steps follow the notice and trade press guidance:

  • Find every SKU that still uses address-only labels or labels sent by message
  • Decide who uploads labels in Manage Returns, plus a named backup for holidays
  • Review open return requests daily so nothing passes day seven
  • Set returnless refund thresholds for low-value items where a return costs more than the product
  • Check which of your products Amazon classes as heavy and bulky before relying on the exclusion
  • Keep the separate 24-hour reply rule for returns that need manual authorization
  • Compare FBM return costs with FBA fees using our FBA vs FBM guide

Before December 18

  • Audit address-only label SKUs
  • Assign a returns owner and backup
  • Review open returns daily
  • Set returnless refund thresholds
  • Confirm heavy and bulky status

Where PPC Spider helps

PPC Spider manages Amazon accounts for brands, including returns workflows, account health and SAFE-T claims as part of Amazon account management. If you want a second pair of eyes on returns, fees and ad spend before the holidays, start with a free Amazon audit. More updates like this live on our Amazon policy updates channel.

Sources

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