New Amazon Rules Take Effect: Sellers Can No Longer ”List the Best” Fulfillment Times; Starting in September, the System Will Automatically Correct Them
Published: July 1, 2026

On June 29, Amazon U.S.'s new FBM (Fulfillment by Amazon) regulations officially took effect. All sellers using FBM on Amazon U.S. must set a shipping speed for each SKU that reflects their actual shipping speedTrue Matchthe lead time for stocking. This is not a recommendation; it is a mandatory requirement.

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I. What Do the New Regulations Specifically Say?

Policy 1: Requirements for the Accuracy of Stock Availability Information(Effective June 29)

The SKU fulfillment time set by sellers in the backend must reflect their actual shipping processing capacity. Amazon’s standard is that if you set ”1-day shipping,” you must be able to complete picking, packing, and order fulfillment within one day.

Policy 2: Mandatory Trigger for Automatic Stocking Time (AHT)((Effective September 1)

This is a true ”hard constraint”:

Effective September 1, 2026, if the stock availability time set for a particular SKU is “one day or more longer than the actual shipping performance” and this situation “persists for more than 30 days,” Amazon will automatically enable the ”Automatic Stock Availability Time (AHT)” feature for that SKU, and the system will take over the display of the stock availability time.

Simply put: If you set the shipping time to 1 day but it actually takes an average of 3 days to ship, once 30 days have passed, the system will automatically adjust it to 3 days. The shipping time buyers see on the search results page will then be 3 days, which directly affects your conversion rate.

manipulatetime intervalresult
Inaccurate lead time settingsViolations beginning June 29Record of Non-Compliance for the Store
Continuous violation for 1 day + failure to rectify within 30 daysEffective September 1System-Enforced Stock Preparation Time
The lead time has been extendedThe system runs automaticallyDeclining search rankings and reduced conversion rates

II. Which Sellers Need the Most Attention

✔ Sellers with inconsistent inventory replenishment schedules during peak season

Q3 is about to enter the peak season (the Prime Day window is July–August), and a sudden surge in order volume can easily lead to shipping delays. If inventory preparation times are set based on off-season schedules, actual shipping during the peak season will be slower, and the 30-day window will quickly trigger an automatic adjustment.

✔ Sellers who set a ”one-size-fits-all” fulfillment timeframe

Many sellers set a uniform ”1 day” for all SKUs, but in reality, lead times vary significantly across different product categories. The new regulations require verification on a per-SKU basis; it is not permissible to apply a single optimal standard across the board.

✔ Sellers with multiple warehouses and shipping locations

Shipping efficiency varies by warehouse, so using a single, uniform picking time can lead to discrepancies. This needs to be evaluated separately for each warehouse or shipping location.

III. Three Steps to Complete the Rectification

① Export Data: Get a Clear Picture of Actual Shipments

Backend Path: Seller Center → Performance → Account Status → Fulfillment Performance → View the distribution of actual shipping times over the past 30 days by SKU

② Adjust settings: Adjust the lead time based on actual performance

Path to adjust a single SKU: Inventory → Manage Inventory → Select SKU → Edit → Fulfillment Time

Bulk Update Available Inventory Template Upload (Recommended for more than 50 SKUs)

③ Establish a monitoring mechanism

Review the settings every two weeks—especially around promotional seasons—to ensure they continue to align with actual shipping speeds.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us:Cell phone: 18676749275 | WeChat: qcygscszk

IV. A Quick Reminder: Another Major Change Is Coming on August 24

These new FBM regulations are just the beginning.On August 24, Amazon will officially implement another new global policy—prohibiting the transfer of stores and the pledging of payment proceeds.

Details: Amazon has updated Section 18 of the “Business Solutions Agreement” (BSA) to explicitly state:

Without Amazon’s written consent, sellers may not transfer or pledge any rights or obligations related to their store. Any unauthorized transfer is legally deemed invalid, and Amazon reserves the right to refuse to recognize any related payments and to hold the seller liable for breach of contract.

This means that, as of August 24, all previous practices—such as using ”store sales” as a means of liquidating assets or pledging receivables to lenders—will no longer be valid.

Main scenarios affected:

Operation TypeStatus as of August 24Status after August 24
Private Sales of StoresIndustry Practices, Gray AreasThe agreement is invalid; Amazon does not recognize it.
Operating an Account on Behalf of Another PersonThere are numerous casesEnforcement of Subject Binding
Loans Secured by the Right to Receive PaymentsAccepted by some financing institutionsThe pledge agreement cannot be enforced at the Amazon level.

Things sellers need to consider in advance:

· Determine whether there are any ongoing negotiations regarding the sale of a store; these must be completed or terminated by August 24.

· Verify in advance whether the payment receipt account matches the company’s legal entity

· Are there any risks associated with nominee ownership in a multi-store operating structure?

These two new Amazon regulations reflect a comprehensive upgrade to the platform’s compliance requirements for sellers. A seller’s corporate structure and the clarity of its financial records will directly impact the stability of its store operations.

If you haven’t yet clarified the organizational structure associated with your Amazon account, or if you’re receiving payments through a personal account or mixing multiple entities, we recommend conducting a compliance assessment as soon as possible.

Scan the QR code to add our consultant on WeChat. Qicaiying will provide you with a free assessment of the compliance risks associated with your current account structure:

Cell phone: 18676749275 | WeChat: qcygscszk

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