Amazon FBA Drinkware Prep: Labels, Polybags and Carton Weight
Since Amazon stopped offering its own prep and labelling service for US shipments, drinkware has to arrive ready to sell. Here is what FBA prep means for bottles and tumblers, which cartons need repacking, and what your manufacturer can do before shipping.
By Feng, Head of After-Sales Service & Online Marketing Lead
FBA prep for drinkware means each unit arrives at Amazon labelled and protected, and each carton meets Amazon's size and weight limits. Amazon stopped offering prep and item labelling for US FBA shipments from 1 January 2026, so sellers must have it done before shipping, by their manufacturer or a prep centre. For bottles and tumblers, that usually means an FNSKU barcode label on each unit, a polybag with a suffocation warning where bagging is needed, Amazon carton labels, and cartons under the weight limit, which for standard shipments has long been 50 lb (about 22.7 kg). BG Drinkware, a drinkware manufacturer in Yongkang, China, can apply FNSKU labels, bag each unit with a warning, label cartons for Amazon and ship directly to Amazon warehouses. Check carton weights: some standard export cartons, such as a 30 oz tumbler carton at 24 kg, are too heavy and need repacking.
What changed for FBA prep in 2026?
Amazon stopped offering prep and item labelling services for US FBA shipments created from 1 January 2026. Shipments that arrive without proper prep and labels are not eligible for reimbursement if they are damaged or cannot be traced. For drinkware brands, the work now has to happen before the goods leave the factory or at a prep centre.
Amazon suggested three routes: do the prep in-house, use a third-party prep provider, or use its Ships in Product Packaging programme for eligible items. Having the manufacturer do it before shipping avoids an extra handling step. Check Amazon's current rules in Seller Central before booking, because the requirements are updated from time to time.
How should each bottle or tumbler be prepared?
Each unit needs a scannable FNSKU barcode, covering or replacing any other barcode, and enough protection to arrive unscratched. A colour box with the label on the outside is often enough. Loose bottles, or units with a separate lid or straw, are usually bagged, and bags need a suffocation warning.
| Inner pack | Typical FBA prep |
|---|---|
| Colour or kraft box | FNSKU label on the box; box closed so parts stay together |
| OPP bag or loose unit | Polybag with a suffocation warning, FNSKU label on the bag |
| Gift set | Set sold as one unit with one FNSKU; contents secured inside |
| Multi-pack | Marked "sold as set, do not separate" where units are bundled |
BG Drinkware can apply FNSKU labels and bag each unit with a warning before packing. Send the label files with the order, and approve one labelled unit on the sample.
Which drinkware cartons are too heavy for FBA?
Cartons for standard US FBA shipments have long been limited to 50 lb, about 22.7 kg, unless a single item is heavier, and the maximum carton dimensions have been 36 × 25 × 25 inches (91.4 × 63.5 × 63.5 cm) since 20 June 2025. Standard export cartons are packed for freight, not for Amazon, so some exceed the limit and must be repacked into smaller cartons before shipping.
| Product | Export carton | Gross weight | For FBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 380 ml travel cup | 50 pcs, 49 × 49 × 43 cm | 14 kg | Within the weight limit |
| 750 ml loop-cap bottle | 50 pcs, 44 × 44 × 59 cm | 17 kg | Within the weight limit |
| 30 oz straw tumbler | 50 pcs, 71 × 49 × 56 cm | 24 kg | Over the weight limit; repack |
| 1,800 ml teapot | 24 pcs, 74 × 48.5 × 47 cm | 26 kg | Over the weight limit; repack |
Ask for an FBA carton configuration when you quote, so the pieces per carton and carton size are set for Amazon from the start. Check the dimension limits in Seller Central as well. For export carton figures, see drinkware export packaging.
What goes on an FBA carton?
Each carton needs Amazon's carton label for the shipment, printed from Seller Central, on a side that is not a seam. Cartons should hold units of the same item unless the shipment plan says otherwise. Keep your own carton marks as well, so your forwarder and warehouse can identify the goods.
BG Drinkware labels cartons for Amazon and can ship directly to Amazon warehouses, including on DDP terms. Send the carton labels and the shipment plan before packing.
How do you order drinkware ready for FBA?
Tell the manufacturer at the quote stage that the order is for FBA. Send the FNSKU and carton label files, the inner pack, whether units are bagged, and the Amazon warehouse address. The standard minimum order is 500 pieces per model and colour and negotiable, and a sample of an existing model takes up to 7 days. Lower minimums for some start-up teams need an order-specific quotation. Different logos are counted separately for MOQ.
Bulk production takes a reference 7–12 days from receipt of the deposit, subject to timely approvals, and every vacuum bottle is temperature-tested unit by unit before shipping. For marketplace programmes, see ecommerce drinkware, and for packaging options, packaging.
FBA drinkware prep FAQ
Short answers to the questions Amazon sellers ask most about preparing water bottles and tumblers for FBA: who does the prep now, whether bottles need polybags, how heavy a carton can be and whether the manufacturer can ship straight to Amazon. Check Amazon's current rules before every shipment.
Does Amazon still prep and label FBA shipments?
Not for US shipments created from 1 January 2026. Amazon stopped offering its prep and item labelling services, so sellers must prep and label units themselves, through their manufacturer or through a prep centre, before the goods reach Amazon. Unprepared shipments are not eligible for reimbursement if damaged.
Do water bottles need polybags for FBA?
Not always. A bottle in a closed colour box with the FNSKU label outside is often enough. Loose bottles, or units with separate lids or straws, are usually bagged, and the bag needs a suffocation warning. BG Drinkware can bag each unit with a warning and label it before packing.
How heavy can an FBA carton be?
For standard shipments, Amazon has long limited cartons to 50 lb, about 22.7 kg, unless a single item weighs more. Some export cartons are heavier: BG Drinkware's 30 oz tumbler carton is 24 kg, so it needs repacking into smaller cartons. Check Amazon's current limits in Seller Central before you book.
Can you ship directly to an Amazon warehouse?
Yes. BG Drinkware can label units and cartons for Amazon and ship directly to Amazon warehouses, including on DDP terms. Send the FNSKU files, carton labels, shipment plan and warehouse address with the order, and approve a labelled sample unit before bulk production.
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Selling drinkware on Amazon?
Send the capacity, quantity, model, colour, logo method, packaging, payment terms and trade terms, and tell us the order is for FBA.
