Amazon Requires Accurate Handling-Time Settings for FBM
U.S. seller-fulfilled SKUs must have handling times matching actual shipping speed, with Amazon intervening based on approximately 30 days of performance.
What are the key facts?
- 1U.S. seller-fulfilled SKUs must have handling times matching actual shipping speed
- 2The requirement took effect on June 29, 2026
- 3Amazon will observe relevant SKUs for approximately 30 days
- 4Amazon may manage SKUs on the seller’s behalf when settings are inaccurate
What happened?
An Amazon announcement states that, from June 29, 2026, U.S. seller-fulfilled SKUs must have handling times that match actual shipping speed. Amazon said more than 87% of U.S. seller-fulfilled orders are processed within one day, but some sellers set SKU-level handling times substantially longer than their actual speed, causing the system to show consumers slower estimated delivery dates.
Amazon will observe the relevant SKU for approximately 30 days. If actual shipping consistently exceeds the seller’s stated time by at least one day, the seller will be flagged and given 30 days to make changes. If the seller still does not provide accurate handling times, Amazon may manage the affected SKUs on the seller’s behalf and provide 180 days of Late Shipment Rate protection.
Amazon recommends enabling Automated Handling Time, which automatically sets handling times based on recent shipping history. The requirement mainly affects U.S. FBM products and does not apply to customized products, handmade products, or heavy and oversized less-than-truckload shipments. Cross-border sellers using U.S. overseas warehouses, multiple warehouses, or different handling times by SKU should review templates and ERP-synchronized data.
What does this mean for cross-border sellers?
U.S. FBM sellers must align SKU handling times with actual shipping speed. Sellers using overseas or multiple warehouses, or operating SKUs with different service times, should review their settings carefully. Handling times that are too long may show consumers slower estimated delivery dates, while settings that are too short may increase late-shipment risk; Amazon may also intervene based on approximately 30 days of SKU performance.
What should sellers do now?
- 1Export or organize the U.S. FBM SKU list, compare each warehouse and SKU with actual shipping speed, and flag products whose handling times are clearly too long or too short.Platform Policy
- 2Review handling-time fields in the ERP, inventory templates, and Amazon Seller Central, and correct synchronization differences across warehouses and SKUs.
- 3This week, assess whether to enable Automated Handling Time for eligible standard FBM SKUs, and separately exclude customized, handmade, and heavy or oversized LTL products from the review scope.