Common Compliance Mistakes & How to Avoid Them – A Guide for Amazon Sellers

Selling on Amazon FBA is a great way to scale an e-commerce business, but it comes with strict rules. Amazon’s compliance requirements can be frustrating, and even small mistakes can lead to delays, extra fees, or inventory being rejected.

Many sellers make the same common compliance mistakes, often without realising it—until Amazon penalises them. The good news? These mistakes are completely avoidable if you work with an experienced FBA prep service like FA Prep.

Here’s a breakdown of the most frequent compliance issues and how FA Prep helps you avoid them.

1. Incorrect or Missing FNSKU Labels

Each unit sent to Amazon must have a unique FNSKU barcode so it can be tracked in Amazon’s fulfilment network.

Many sellers:

• Forget to apply FNSKU labels.

• Use UPC/EAN codes instead of FNSKU.

• Place labels where they can’t be scanned (e.g., under shrink wrap).

The fix:

• Always use FNSKU labels provided by Amazon, not UPCs or EANs.

• Ensure labels are placed on a flat surface and are fully visible.

• Work with FA Prep, which prints, applies, and verifies all FNSKU labels to meet Amazon’s standards.

  

  An FNSKU label correctly applied

  
  

2. Improper Packaging (Polybagging, Bubble Wrapping, Box Sealing)

Amazon has strict packaging rules depending on the product type.

Sellers often:

• Ship fragile items without bubble wrap, leading to damages.

• Fail to polybag loose items, plush toys, or liquids, risking contamination.

• Use weak packaging that gets crushed during transit.

  
  

The fix:

• Follow Amazon’s guidelines for bubble wrapping, polybagging, and box sealing.

• Ensure suffocation warnings are present on all polybags.

• Let FA Prep handle packaging correctly, so your products arrive safely and Amazon doesn’t reject your shipment.

  
  

3. Oversized or Overweight Boxes

Amazon has specific size and weight limits for inbound shipments.

Common errors include:

• Using boxes that exceed 25kg without marking them as “Team Lift.”

• Shipping individual units in packaging that’s too large for FBA.

• Overloading a box, causing it to break in transit.

  
  

The fix:

• Ensure all FBA shipments follow Amazon’s box weight and dimension rules.

• Use heavy-duty boxes for large shipments and reinforce them properly.

• Work with FA Prep, which ensures all shipments meet Amazon’s size and weight restrictions before they leave the warehouse.

  
  

4. Missing Expiry Dates on Perishable Goods

For grocery, beauty, and health products with expiration dates.

Amazon requires:

• Expiry dates to be printed on the individual unit (not just the outer box).

• Dates formatted as MM-DD-YYYY or MM-YYYY.

• Items with less than 90 days of shelf life to be removed.

  
  

The fix:

• Always include clearly visible expiry dates on products.

• Ensure labels are legible and placed correctly.

• Use FA Prep to double-check that all perishable items comply with Amazon’s shelf-life requirements.

  
  

5. Sending Restricted or Prohibited Items

Amazon has a long list of restricted and prohibited products, including:

• Certain hazardous materials (Hazmat).

• Unapproved supplements and health products.

• Counterfeit or branded items without authorisation.

  
  

The fix:

• Always check Amazon’s restricted items list before shipping.

• If selling supplements, ensure they’re Amazon-approved.

• Work with FA Prep, which verifies your products before they reach Amazon, avoiding costly removals or account suspensions.

  

  Most sellers will need approval to send items like alcohol.

  
  

6. Poorly Prepared Bundles & Multipacks

Amazon allows bundling, but many sellers fail to prepare multipacks correctly by:

• Not properly sealing bundles together.

• Forgetting the “Sold as Set” or “Do Not Separate” label.

• Using different barcodes for each item instead of one for the entire bundle.

  
  

The fix:

• Ensure bundles are securely wrapped and labelled as a unit.

• Apply the correct single FNSKU label for the set.

• Let FA Prep professionally bundle and label multipacks to meet Amazon’s requirements.

  
  

7. Incomplete or Incorrect Shipment Plans

Many sellers fail to complete shipment plans properly, leading to:

• Items being sent to the wrong fulfilment centre.

• Mismatched quantities in the shipment plan and actual shipment.

• Delays or lost inventory due to incorrect tracking.

  
  

The fix:

• Always double-check shipment plans before sending inventory.

• Follow Amazon’s assigned fulfilment centre instructions.

• Use FA Prep, which ensures your shipment plans are correct and properly tracked.

  
  

Why Work with FA Prep to Stay Compliant?

Amazon doesn’t give second chances when it comes to compliance. One mistake can lead to extra fees, delayed shipments, or even account suspension.

By outsourcing FBA prep services to FA Prep, you eliminate the risk of:

✅ Incorrect labelling causing inventory to be rejected.

✅ Packaging mistakes that lead to damaged goods.

✅ Oversized or overweight shipments getting flagged.

✅ Restricted products being blocked or removed.

✅ Non-compliant bundles being separated and sold incorrectly.

FA Prep handles every aspect of Amazon FBA prep, ensuring full compliance with Amazon’s rules so you never have to worry about compliance penalties again.

Final Thoughts

Avoiding Amazon FBA compliance mistakes isn’t just about saving time—it’s about protecting your business from costly errors, delays, and account issues.

By working with FA Prep, you guarantee that every shipment meets Amazon’s strict prep requirements, reducing risks and allowing you to focus on scaling your business stress-free.

Need a Reliable FBA Prep Service? Let FA Prep Handle It for You!

Get in touch with FA Prep today to ensure flawless compliance and a smoother selling experience on Amazon FBA.