Amazon Q1 2026: 7 Changes Every Seller Needs to Know

1. End of commingling (31 March 2026)

This is one of the biggest changes in years. Until now, identical products from different retailers ended up in the same storage location at Amazon. That regularly caused problems: customers sometimes received goods of dubious quality, even though they had ordered from a reputable seller.

What does that mean in concrete terms?

• Registered sellers can continue to sell with the standard manufacturer barcode - as long as the original barcode is present
• Resellers must now always apply an Amazon barcode (FNSKU), even if the product already has an EAN/UPC
• Better traceability - counterfeits become harder, quality problems are easier to attribute

2. DD+7 payout rule (March 2026)

Until now, payouts were released shortly after shipping. Now Amazon waits 7 days after confirmed delivery before the money is paid out. This affects all sellers in Germany and the EU.

Why is Amazon doing this?

• Protection against chargebacks - Most returns happen within the first 7 days
• Fewer warranty cases - Amazon has to claw back less money
• Cashflow impact - Plan for 7-14 days longer waiting for your money

3. FBA Prep Service discontinued in the US (since 1 January 2026)

Amazon has discontinued the FBA Prep & Labeling Service in the US store. In the EU it continues: the European rate card valid from 1 February 2026 still lists the prep and labelling service, with labelling from €0.38 per unit. If you ship to US warehouses, your goods have to arrive already fully prepared. For EU shipments, compare the Amazon fee with doing it yourself or using a prep center. Corrected on 26 October 2026: an earlier version did not make clear that this change applies only to the US.

What you have to do now if you ship to the US:

1. Build up prep processes - Either label yourself or commission an external prep service
2. Get an FNSKU printer - Thermal transfer printers are the cheapest solution
3. Study the packaging guidelines - Amazon has strict requirements for polybags, bubble wrap, etc.
4. Avoid unplanned prep fees - If Amazon has to rework your goods, it costs extra

4. FBA fee increase (since 15 January 2026)

The fee increase sounds small, but for low-price products it can noticeably squeeze the margin. Here are the details:

5. New return fees for fashion

From 2026, Amazon is charging a Returns Processing Fee for the first time for product categories with high return rates. Particularly affected: clothing, shoes and fashion accessories.

If your return rate is above the category average, you pay an additional fee per return. This is meant to motivate sellers to improve product descriptions and size charts.

6. Overmax fees for XXL products

Since 15 January 2026, there is a new fee category: Overmax. Extra-large products (up to 68 kg) that exceed 244 cm on the longest side or 330 cm in length + girth are subject to a surcharge.

If you sell bulky products, recalculate your margins. In many cases, FBM (Fulfillment by Merchant) can now be cheaper than FBA for such products. Read more in our FBA vs. FBM comparison.

7. AI-powered PPC Prompts (March 25, 2026)

Amazon's new "Prompts" feature uses first-party data to show shoppers context-relevant product information - directly in Sponsored Products and Sponsored Brands campaigns. After a beta phase, it has been available to all US sellers since March 25, 2026.

For PPC campaigns, this means: Amazon automatically displays relevant product details that can improve the click-through rate. Make sure your bullet points and A+ Content are up to date and complete.

Bonus: Meltable products deadline (20 April 2026)

What you should do now

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