Amazon to Enforce New Handling Time Regulations Starting June 29
Amazon will enforce mandatory handling time regulations for seller-fulfilled (FBM) orders. If a seller's set handling time exceeds actual shipping speed, Amazon will assume control over that SKU's handling time settings. Sellers are advised to enable 'Automatic Handling Time (AHT)' to avoid violations.
What are the key facts?
- 1Effective date: June 29, 2026
- 2Applicable to: U.S. seller-fulfilled (FBM) SKUs
- 3Core requirement: Handling time must accurately reflect actual shipping speed
What happened?
Amazon requires that the handling times for seller-fulfilled SKUs align with actual shipping performance. If a seller consistently ships one day earlier than the preset handling time, they will be marked as non-compliant. Amazon will automatically adjust handling times through data monitoring and provide 180 days of delayed shipping rate protection for affected SKUs.
What does this mean for cross-border sellers?
FBM sellers should immediately check their backend handling time settings and enable automatic handling time to prevent platform takeover, which could restrict operations.