Most FBA receiving problems are really prep problems: a missing label here, an unbagged unit there, and suddenly cartons are held up or units are marked unfulfillable. Run through this checklist before every shipment leaves for an amazon.ca fulfillment centre and you will avoid the great majority of issues.
Poly bags and suffocation warnings
Apparel, fabric items, plush toys and anything Amazon classifies as needing bag protection must go in a sealed poly bag. The bag has to be transparent, at least 1.5 mil thick, and fully sealed — no open ends. Here is the Canada-specific part sellers miss: the suffocation warning must appear in both English and French to satisfy Canadian packaging rules. The barcode must remain scannable through the bag, so keep the label area clear of seams and wrinkles.
FNSKU labels
Every unit needs its Amazon FNSKU barcode unless you are enrolled in stickerless commingled inventory — and most Canadian sellers are not. The label must cover every other barcode on the product (manufacturer barcodes included) so the fulfillment centre scans the right one. Print on a laser printer at high quality; smudged or low-contrast labels are one of the most common reasons units get flagged at receiving. Place the label flat on the outside of the packaging, never on a curved seam.
Sets, bundles and expiry dates
Multi-packs must be clearly marked as a single unit: use "Sold as Set" and "Do Not Separate" stickers so individual pieces are never sold or shipped alone. For products with expiry dates, Amazon requires the expiry date on both the unit and the outer carton, and units must arrive with enough shelf life remaining — check the current policy for your category before shipping short-dated stock.
Carton labels
Every carton in the shipment needs its FBA carton label, printed from the shipping workflow and attached to a flat side of the box. Do not mix SKUs or shipment IDs in one carton unless the workflow specifically allows it. Keep cartons within Amazon's weight limits and make sure the box itself is sturdy — crushed cartons at receiving slow everything down.
Pallet shipments
For palletized freight, use standard sturdy pallets, keep the stack within the height limit, and stretch-wrap the load tightly so nothing shifts in transit. Label the pallet itself so it is identifiable without unwrapping, and mark it "Do Not Break Down" where appropriate so the fulfillment centre receives it intact.
The five-minute pre-shipment review
- Every unit bagged or wrapped as its category requires, with bilingual warnings where needed.
- FNSKU on every unit, covering all other barcodes, printed crisply.
- Sets marked "Sold as Set / Do Not Separate"; expiry dates visible.
- FBA carton label on every carton; no mixed shipments per box.
- Pallets wrapped, labelled and within height limits.
The bilingual detail Canadian sellers miss
Canada's packaging rules add a layer that US-based guides never mention: consumer-facing warnings and instructions generally need to appear in both English and French. The suffocation warning on poly bags is the most common tripwire — a bag printed with an English-only warning may pass a US prep centre's check and still fall short of Canadian requirements. The same principle applies to "Sold as Set" and "Do Not Separate" messaging where it functions as a consumer notice. When in doubt, bilingual is the safe default, and a Canadian prep partner will catch this before it becomes a receiving problem.
What happens when prep fails
Amazon's receiving process is unforgiving by design: it has to be, at their volume. Units with unscannable or missing FNSKU labels can be marked unfulfillable. Cartons without proper labels may be refused or delayed. Problems discovered at the fulfillment centre are far more expensive to fix than problems caught at the prep table — you are paying return freight, rework labour and lost sales rank all at once. A disciplined pre-shipment checklist, or a prep partner who runs one for you, is the difference between routine inbound and firefighting.
If this list feels like a lot of hands-on work on top of running your business, that is exactly what a prep centre is for. SellerOrbit handles FBA prep and labelling from our Oakville, Ontario warehouse — labels, bags, bundles and photo proof before anything ships. Chat with us for a quote.
Ready to put your business in orbit?
Chat with our assistant for a free, no-obligation audit. Tell us your marketplace, products and volume, and we will come back with a plan and a written quote.
Chat with Orbit