FNSKU labelling to Amazon's requirements
Every unit gets the right barcode – cleanly applied, scannable and with no foreign barcodes showing through.
What is an FNSKU?
The FNSKU (Fulfillment Network Stock Keeping Unit) is the identifier Amazon uses to assign a product unit to a particular seller. It differs from the ASIN and the EAN: while the ASIN and the EAN describe the product, the FNSKU links a physical unit to your seller account.
That is precisely why it is indispensable in an FBA warehouse. Without an FNSKU label your goods end up in what is known as commingled inventory and are mixed with other sellers' stock – with the risk that your customers receive another seller's goods and that you have to answer for their condition.
What Amazon requires of the label
The requirements are specific and are checked by machine at goods receipt.
- The barcode must be fully scannable – no creases, no curvature, no reflective film over it.
- Existing foreign barcodes (EAN, UPC, manufacturer codes) must be completely covered.
- The label must not be stuck across edges, openings or closures.
- On polybagged goods the label belongs on the outside of the bag, where it is visible.
- On sets and multipacks the outer selling unit carries the label, not the individual components.
- Labels must be produced by thermal or laser printing – inkjet smudges and is rejected.
How we work
You provide us with the labels as a PDF from Seller Central, or you send us the FNSKU and the quantity and we print the labels here. In both cases we check before application that the FNSKU, ASIN and quantity match the consignment you announced.
Each unit is then labelled individually: foreign barcodes are completely covered, the label is placed on a smooth, flat surface and finally checked with a scanner on a sample basis.
If we notice that a batch does not match the announcement – a different quantity, a different variant, damaged packaging – we report it before doing any further work.
Price and combination with other services
FNSKU labelling on its own costs €0.39 per unit. If a visual inspection, packaging and dispatch preparation are also required, FBA complete prep at €0.79 per unit is usually the better value – labelling is already included in it.
Additional labels, such as warning notices, best-before dates or language overlays, are charged at €0.25 per label. For FNSKU labelling only, carton receiving is charged at €1.50 per carton; it is free of charge only when the FBA complete prep is booked.
All prices are net plus statutory VAT. A minimum order value of €25.00 net per individual order applies to prep services.
Our services are aimed exclusively at businesses within the meaning of § 14 BGB (German Civil Code).
The most common labelling mistakes
By far the most common mistake is a manufacturer's barcode that has not been completely covered. The scanner at the fulfilment centre then reads the wrong code and the unit is assigned to the wrong stock.
Almost as common are labels on curved surfaces or on the edge of a carton: the barcode cannot be scanned in one pass, the unit has to be reworked manually and Amazon charges a fee for that.
The third classic is the wrong FNSKU from an earlier batch – for example when a variant has changed but the same set of labels has been carried over. That is why we run a check before every order instead of applying labels unchecked.
Frequently asked questions
Can I supply the labels myself?
What does covering an existing barcode cost?
Do you also label polybagged goods and bundles?
How quickly can this be done?
Related pages
Request labelling
Tell us the number of items and the type of packaging – you will receive a fixed-price quote within 24 hours on working days.