Amazon Updates MCF and Buy with Prime Packaging Starting April 1
Amazon is rolling out changes to how Multi-Channel Fulfillment and Buy with Prime orders are packaged and shipped in the United States, with the updates taking effect gradually through April 2026. The changes align MCF and Buy with Prime more closely with existing FBA packaging practices and introduce fee discounts for sellers whose products qualify for the Ships in Product Packaging program.
What Is Changing
Three specific changes take effect from April 1 through 30:
Packing slips will no longer be included by default. MCF and Buy with Prime orders will ship without a physical packing slip unless sellers actively opt in. Sellers who want packing slips included with all orders can update this setting in Multi-Channel Fulfillment Settings in Seller Central.
SIPP-certified items will ship without an Amazon overbox by default. Products already enrolled in Amazon's Ships in Product Packaging program on Amazon.com will now ship in their original manufacturer packaging for MCF and Buy with Prime orders as well, without an additional Amazon overbox. Sellers who prefer their products to ship with an overbox can opt out of SIPP for MCF and Buy with Prime orders through the same settings page.
SIPP-eligible MCF and Buy with Prime shipments will receive a fee discount. Once SIPP-certified items begin shipping under the new defaults, the discount applies automatically. No additional action is required for the discount to take effect.
What Is SIPP and Who Qualifies
The Ships in Product Packaging program, formerly known as Ships in Own Container, allows FBA sellers to have their products delivered to buyers in the brand's own packaging without any Amazon-added material. To qualify, packaging must be designed and tested to survive the fulfillment network without an overbox.
The program is open to all FBA sellers in the US, Canada, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, and the UK. There is no cost to join, though sellers may need to update their packaging to meet program requirements. Products that are fragile, contain liquids, or include sharp items require lab testing through an ISTA 6 certified facility. Other products can be self-tested using Amazon's drop test process.
Certification follows four steps. Sellers first review and update their packaging to meet SIPP guidelines, then group similar products that can be certified under a single test report. After testing, sellers enroll their ASINs through the SIPP enrollment page in Seller Central, entering the first arrival date of compliant products at an Amazon fulfillment center. Once approved, fee discounts apply to units received after that date.
Sellers can check whether existing ASINs are already eligible or certified directly in Seller Central before April.
What Sellers Need to Do
If no action is taken before the April rollout, MCF and Buy with Prime orders will ship without packing slips, and SIPP-certified items will ship without Amazon overboxes. For most sellers, this requires no intervention and delivers a cost saving automatically.
Sellers who need packing slips for their off-Amazon orders, such as those fulfilling DTC orders where a branded or informational slip is part of the customer experience, should update their MCF settings now. The setting applies to all future orders once saved and can be changed at any time.
For sellers using the Fulfillment Outbound API to submit MCF orders programmatically, overbox and packing slip preferences can also be configured at the individual order level, giving developers more granular control without changing account-wide defaults.
Why Amazon Is Making These Changes
Amazon has framed the update as part of an effort to reduce packaging waste and bring MCF and Buy with Prime in line with how FBA already operates. Products certified under SIPP have already been verified to ship safely in their original packaging, so extending that behavior to MCF and Buy with Prime orders is a logical extension of existing infrastructure.
For sellers not yet enrolled in SIPP, the April changes add a practical reason to pursue certification. Products that qualify and ship through MCF or Buy with Prime will now receive the discount automatically once certified, making enrollment more financially worthwhile for sellers operating across multiple channels.
What to Check Before April
Sellers using MCF or Buy with Prime should take two actions before the rollout. First, check whether existing ASINs are SIPP-certified in Seller Central. Products already certified will benefit from the discount automatically. Second, decide whether packing slips are required for your off-Amazon orders and update your MCF settings accordingly. If packing slips are important to your customer experience or return process, opting in now ensures continuity without disruption once the default changes take effect.
