Today's tip · Compliance
The kit you taped together has until January 11
Amazon is rewriting its bundling policy. From Jan 11, 2027, most bundles sold as one ASIN need to come packed by the people who made the products, not by you.
Plenty of good Amazon businesses started with a roll of tape. Buy a shampoo and a conditioner, pack them together, give the pair its own ASIN, and you have a product nobody else lists. Amazon's updated product bundling policy closes most of that door. Effective January 11, 2027, most product bundles listed as a single ASIN must be packaged by the original manufacturer or brand.
There are three ways through. If the brand owner or manufacturer gives you a letter of authorization to repackage with every other brand in the bundle, you can keep selling it, and you upload that letter to your Account Health dashboard if the bundle gets flagged after January 11. Bundles in gifting browse nodes and camera product types are exempt. And bundles built with the Virtual Bundles tool aren't packed together at all, so the rule doesn't reach them.
Anything else that's still listed on January 11 gets deactivated and becomes a listing violation on Account Health, with an email to tell you. The upside is timing. Amazon says you can keep selling noncompliant inventory until then, which hands you the whole holiday season to sell through the kits on your shelf. Just don't build more of them.
Simplified from Amazon's Seller Central announcement of the updated product bundling policy.
Source: Seller Central News, New requirements for product bundles starting January 11
Data desk by XENA IntelligenceThe weekend plan
- 01List every bundle ASIN
Pull each listing that combines more than one product under a single ASIN, including the ones you only sell in Q4.
- 02Sort them by who packed them
Bundles packed by the original manufacturer or brand are fine. Your own pack-outs go on the review pile.
- 03Check the exceptions
Gifting browse nodes, camera product types and Virtual Bundles tool bundles are allowed without manufacturer packaging.
- 04Ask brands for letters
For repackaged bundles you want to keep, request a letter of authorization covering every brand in the bundle.
- 05Plan the sell-through
Sell noncompliant units before January 11 and schedule a removal order for any FBA stock that is left.
Section 02
This week's checklist
6 jobs pulled from this issue, in the order the deadlines bite. Tick them off as you go. Your browser remembers the ticks, nobody else sees them, and a fresh list comes with each issue.
0 of 6 done
Section 03
The seller calendar
Every date Amazon has put in writing for the season, plus the two everyone knows. October is zoomed in on the chart because that's where the trouble is.
Peak fulfillment fees run Oct 15 to Jan 14. Plus $0.32 per unit on average, with the 3.5% surcharge on top.
| Date | What happens | Type | Countdown | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime Big Deal Days (Oct 6 to 7) | Shopping event | Done | About Amazon | |
| AWD arrival deadline for Black Friday Week | Inventory | Done | Seller Central News | |
| Holiday peak fulfillment fees begin | Fees | Done | Seller Central News | |
| Original Black Friday and Cyber Monday deal deadline (Amazon has since extended it to Nov 13) | Deals | Done | Seller Central News | |
| FBA arrival deadline, minimal shipment splits | Inventory | Done | Seller Central News | |
| FBA arrival deadline, Amazon-optimized splits (most sellers) | Inventory | Done | Seller Central News | |
| Business Hour Delivery Rate review: seller-fulfilled offers under 90% may be deactivated for Amazon Business customers | Offer | Done | Seller Central News | |
| Last day of off-peak storage for AWD with auto-replenishment | Inventory | Done | Seller Central News | |
| Confirm New Selection Program (2026) enrollment to keep launch fee credits | Fees | Done | Seller Central News | |
| Extended holiday returns begin: items bought Nov 1 to Dec 31 can come back until Jan 31 | Returns | Today | Seller Central News | |
| New commercial liability insurance requirements take effect: a $1 million policy for products in categories with enhanced safety listing requirements, with no sales threshold | Policy | Tomorrow | Seller Central News | |
| Virtual multipacks from the latest pilot wave become available to customers | Offer | In 10 days | Seller Central Help | |
| Black Friday and Cyber Monday deal sourcing closes (extended from Oct 20) | Deals | In 12 days | Seller Central News | |
| Ask Amazon: Seller Assistant live Q&A with Amazon's product teams | Shopping event | In 17 days | Seller Central News | |
| Black Friday | Shopping event | In 26 days | Calendar | |
| Cyber Monday | Shopping event | In 29 days | Calendar | |
| Last day to sign up for the free 12-month Amazon Quick Plus subscription | Offer | In 60 days | About Amazon | |
| Last purchase date covered by the extended holiday return window | Returns | In 60 days | Seller Central News | |
| Updated product bundling policy takes effect: most single-ASIN bundles must be packaged by the original manufacturer or brand | Policy | In 71 days | Seller Central News | |
| Holiday peak fulfillment fees end | Fees | In 74 days | Seller Central News | |
| Last day to return holiday purchases under the extended window | Returns | In 91 days | Seller Central News |
Add every date to your calendar (.ics)Works with Google Calendar, Outlook and Apple Calendar. Re-download after big announcements.
Sources: Seller Central News, Holiday 2026, About Amazon, Seller Assistant, Seller Central News, 2026 holiday return policy, Seller Central News, New AI tools for the holidays, Seller Central News, Black Friday Cyber Monday deals deadline extended, Seller Central News, Business hour delivery requirement for seller-fulfilled shipments, Seller Central Help, Virtual multipacks, Seller Central News, New commercial liability insurance requirements, Seller Central News, New requirements for product bundles starting January 11
Fee watch
The changes that cost money this year, newest last. If Amazon hasn't announced it, it isn't here.
Since Jan 15, 2026
2026 US fee update
FBA fees rose by an average of $0.08 per unit. Amazon added no new fee types for 2026.
Amazon, 2026 US referral and FBA fee updateSince Apr 17, 2026
Fuel and logistics surcharge
3.5% on FBA fulfillment fees, about $0.17 per unit on average in the US. Multi-Channel Fulfillment and Buy with Prime followed on May 2.
Seller Central News, Fuel and logistics surchargeSince Sep 2026
MCF Preferred Pricing Program
Discounted Multi-Channel Fulfillment fees plus FBA credits per unit shipped. Amazon says sellers save 15% to 25% on fulfillment fees for the first six months, with no contract and one-click enrollment in Seller Central.
About Amazon, Prime delivery for MCF merchants' websitesOct 15, 2026 to Jan 14, 2027
Holiday peak fulfillment fees
About $0.32 more per unit on average, with the 3.5% surcharge calculated on top.
Seller Central News, Holiday 2026Holiday deal events
Deal fees
$100 upfront per promotion plus 1.5% of promotional sales, capped at $5,000, for Best Deals, Lightning Deals and Prime Exclusive Price Discounts.
Seller Central News, Holiday 2026Nov 1, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027
Extended holiday returns
Orders placed Nov 1 to Dec 31 can be returned until Jan 31, 2027, for FBA and seller-fulfilled orders alike. Budget for a slower, larger return wave.
Seller Central News, 2026 holiday return policy2027
Next annual fee update
Not announced as of Oct 24, 2026. Amazon says it gives at least 90 days' notice, and the 2026 changes were announced in October 2025.
Amazon, 2026 US referral and FBA fee update
Section 04
By the numbers
Four figures worth knowing this week. Each one is Amazon's own, linked to where they said it.
date most single-ASIN bundles must be packed by the original manufacturer or brand
Seller Central News, New requirements for product bundles starting January 11ASINs you can combine in one Virtual Bundle
Seller Forums (Amazon), Learn about Virtual Bundlesdaily budget increase Amazon Ads suggests around Black Friday and Cyber Monday
Amazon Ads, How to boost your holiday sales in 2026largest Sponsored Products bid increase for Amazon Business placements
Amazon Ads, How to boost your holiday sales in 2026Section 05
The playbook
4 moves for this week, then a few quick ones for the train.
Listings
The same policy quietly opens a few doors
The headline is the restriction, but Amazon is also removing some old bundle limits. You'll be able to create bundles in Books, Music, Video, DVD and Video Game categories, which used to be off the table. Bundles that pair a product with a secondary generic product or a service plan are allowed, and so are bundles with gift cards.
Consumables sellers get one more. Multi-brand bundles in the Consumables category are allowed with letters of authorization. If you sell snacks or household goods and already work closely with the brands you stock, that letter might be one email away.
Do this: Before you retire a bundle idea, check whether it now fits one of the newly allowed types.
Source: Seller Central News, New requirements for product bundles starting January 11
- Bundles in Books, Music, Video, DVD and Video Game categories
- Bundles with a secondary generic product
- Bundles with a service plan
- Bundles with gift cards
- Multi-brand Consumables bundles, with letters of authorization
From Amazon's Seller Central announcement. The full rules are on the Product bundling policy help page.
Source: Seller Central News, New requirements for product bundles starting January 11
Data desk by XENA IntelligenceInventory
Seventy-one days to sell the kits you already built
Amazon says you can keep selling noncompliant bundle inventory before January 11. Count from today and that's seventy-one days, with Black Friday and Cyber Monday sitting in the middle. That's the best possible stretch to run a bundle down to zero.
So point your holiday deals at the kits you can't keep, not the ones you can. Deal sourcing for Black Friday and Cyber Monday closes November 13. Whatever FBA stock is still on hand in January needs a removal order, and paying to ship a pack-out home is the least festive way to end the year.
Do this: Stop reordering components for noncompliant bundles today, and add any bundle you plan to retire to your holiday deal list before Nov 13.
Sources: Seller Central News, New requirements for product bundles starting January 11, Seller Central News, Black Friday Cyber Monday deals deadline extended
- Day 0Nov 1: today
- Day 12Nov 13: deal sourcing closes
- Day 26Nov 27: Black Friday
- Day 29Nov 30: Cyber Monday
- Day 71Jan 11: bundle rule takes effect
Day counts from Nov 1, 2026. Dates from Amazon's bundling policy and deal sourcing announcements; Black Friday and Cyber Monday are calendar dates.
Source: Seller Central News, New requirements for product bundles starting January 11
Data desk by XENA IntelligenceBrand Registry
If you own the brand, build the bundle without the tape
Virtual Bundles are the exception that needs no letter. The tool lets you combine 2 to 5 ASINs that customers buy together from one detail page, and nothing gets packed together, because each item ships from inventory you already have at FBA. Amazon suggests pricing a bundle at or below what the items cost separately.
The catch is eligibility. You have to be the brand owner of the ASINs in Brand Registry, each ASIN needs active FBA inventory in New condition, and the products have to be physical. Gift cards can't go in, and Virtual Bundles can only be created in the US store. If your taped-up kit is made entirely of your own brand's products, rebuilding it as a Virtual Bundle may be the shortest route to January.
Do this: Pick your best-selling seller-packed bundle and check whether every item in it qualifies for a Virtual Bundle.
Sources: Seller Forums (Amazon), Learn about Virtual Bundles, Seller Central News, New requirements for product bundles starting January 11
Advertising
Business buyers shop in November too. Bid like it.
The same guide points out that business purchasing doesn't pause for the holidays, and Black Friday and Cyber Monday run on Amazon Business as well. You can raise Sponsored Products bids by up to 900 percent for Amazon Business placements.
Don't start there. Amazon's own suggestion is a 20 to 50 percent increase, run for about two weeks, then review and adjust. Start this week and you'll have real numbers before the Black Friday push.
Do this: Add a 20 percent Amazon Business bid adjustment to one proven Sponsored Products campaign today and put a review date two weeks out.
Values from the Amazon Ads 2026 holiday guide: a suggested starting range of 20 to 50 percent and a maximum of 900 percent.
Source: Amazon Ads, How to boost your holiday sales in 2026
Data desk by XENA IntelligenceQuick hits
05Advertising
Raise the budget before the crowd shows up, not after
Amazon Ads' holiday guide calls November through Cyber Monday the peak phase, and its advice is specific: increase daily budgets by 20 to 30 percent around Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and start scaling three to five days ahead of each event. With Black Friday on November 27, that means your budget change belongs in the calendar for the weekend before, not Thanksgiving night.
Section 06
The wire
What changed lately, straight from Amazon. We read the announcement so you can read the summary.
- Policy
Product bundling policy changes Jan 11, 2027
Most single-ASIN bundles must be packaged by the original manufacturer or brand. Letters of authorization, gifting and camera types, and Virtual Bundles are exceptions.
via Seller Central News, New requirements for product bundles starting January 11 - Ads
Amazon Ads publishes its holiday budget advice
Raise daily budgets 20 to 30 percent around Black Friday and Cyber Monday, starting three to five days before each event.
via Amazon Ads, How to boost your holiday sales in 2026
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Section 07
Straight answers
The questions sellers are typing into search bars and chatbots this week, answered in under a minute each. Every answer is grounded in Amazon's own announcement, linked below it.
What is Amazon's new product bundling policy for 2027?
Effective January 11, 2027, Amazon requires most product bundles listed as a single ASIN to be packaged by the original manufacturer or brand. Some bundles are still allowed without that packaging, including authorized repackaged products, bundles in gifting browse nodes and camera product types, and bundles created with the Virtual Bundles tool.
Source: Seller Central News, New requirements for product bundles starting January 11
Can I still sell my own bundles on Amazon after January 11, 2027?
Only if they fit an exception. You need a letter of authorization from the brand owner or manufacturer allowing you to repackage with every other included brand, or the bundle must sit in a gifting browse node or camera product type, or be built with the Virtual Bundles tool.
Source: Seller Central News, New requirements for product bundles starting January 11
What happens to noncompliant Amazon bundles after January 11?
Amazon says product bundles that are noncompliant after January 11, 2027 will be deactivated and become listing violations on your Account Health dashboard, and you'll be notified by email. You can sell noncompliant inventory before that date, and Amazon points FBA sellers to removal orders for any stock left over.
Source: Seller Central News, New requirements for product bundles starting January 11
Which new types of bundles does Amazon allow?
Under the updated policy, sellers can create bundles in Books, Music, Video, DVD and Video Game categories, bundles with secondary generic products or service plans, and bundles with gift cards. Multi-brand bundles in the Consumables category are also allowed when the seller has letters of authorization from the brands involved.
Source: Seller Central News, New requirements for product bundles starting January 11
Who can use Amazon Virtual Bundles?
Virtual Bundles are for brand owners whose ASINs are registered in Brand Registry. Each ASIN needs active FBA inventory in New condition and must be a physical product, and gift cards can't be included. A bundle combines 2 to 5 ASINs on one detail page and can only be created in the US Amazon store.
How much should I raise Amazon ad budgets for Black Friday 2026?
Amazon Ads' 2026 holiday guide suggests increasing daily budgets by 20 to 30 percent around Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and starting to scale three to five days ahead of each event. Black Friday falls on November 27, 2026 and Cyber Monday on November 30, 2026.