Starting December 18, 2026, US-based FBM sellers must provide a prepaid return shipping label for returns. The previous option of simply sharing a return address with customers is therefore completely discontinued.
After a return request is submitted, sellers have seven calendar days to either upload a prepaid label via Manage Returns or issue a refund without requiring the return of the item. If this deadline is not met, Amazon may process the refund on its own and deduct the amount from the seller’s account.
Temporarily excluded from the new requirement are heavy and bulky items. Labels sent via Buyer-Seller Messaging do not meet the new requirement.
What do sellers need to consider?
New requirement starting December 2026: Starting December 18, 2026, FBM sellers in the US must provide a prepaid return shipping label for every return or issue a refund without requiring the return of the item. The previous option of providing only a return address will no longer be allowed. Heavy and bulky items are temporarily exempt.
Strictly follow the seven-day deadline: After a return request is submitted, there are exactly seven calendar days to upload the label via Manage Returns. Labels sent via Buyer-Seller Messaging are not considered compliant. If the deadline is missed, Amazon can automatically issue a refund and deduct the amount directly from the seller’s account, without the item being returned.
Cost check for low-priced products: Prepaid labels increase return costs, especially for lower-priced items where shipping costs make up a significant share of the selling price. Sellers should now evaluate whether, for specific SKUs, issuing a refund without a return is more cost-effective than providing a prepaid label, and adjust their return strategy and price calculations accordingly.
