March 31, 2026 was a date that changed the FBA landscape for thousands of Amazon sellers. That’s the day Amazon officially ended its commingled inventory program — a system that had been in place for years and that many resellers had built their entire operation around.
If you’re now sitting on excess FBA inventory that’s stranded, mislabeled, or simply stuck in limbo as a result of this change, you’re not alone — and there is a clear path forward.
What Was Commingled Inventory and Why Did It End?
Commingling was Amazon’s practice of pooling identical products from different sellers into shared bins across its fulfillment network. When a customer placed an order, Amazon would ship the nearest available unit — regardless of which seller originally sent it in.
The update removes pooled inventory practices, allowing sellers to maintain closer control over their products while maintaining fast delivery speeds. Forceget
The original purpose of commingling was efficiency — faster delivery, less warehouse complexity. But over time the risks became undeniable. When a customer receives a counterfeit item picked from a commingled bin, they are naturally likely to complain directly about the seller they purchased from — resulting in negative reviews, returns, and account suspensions for innocent sellers who had no actual control over the specific unit delivered. Forceget
Amazon estimated that brand owners spent $600 million in the past year alone on re-stickering — a workaround that will no longer be necessary under the new policy. Threecolts The system had become expensive, risky, and unsustainable for legitimate sellers.
What Changed on March 31, 2026
The commingled inventory update, effective March 31, 2026, fundamentally changes the FBA barcode requirements for different types of sellers. For brand owners enrolled in Brand Registry as a Brand Representative, the update is a major victory — they can now utilize manufacturer barcodes without applying FNSKUs solely to prevent inventory commingling. This flexibility does not extend to resellers, who will be required to use Amazon barcodes for their products, even if a manufacturer barcode already exists. Amazon
In plain terms: if you’re a reseller and you haven’t switched to FNSKU labels, any inventory shipped to Amazon after March 31, 2026 without proper barcoding is now considered non-compliant. After March 31, 2026, resellers without the proper FNSKU stickers will be marked by Amazon as “defective,” which will delay their sales and likely result in extra fees. GNARLYWOOD
How the Commingling End Is Creating Excess FBA Inventory Problems
The policy change has created several distinct excess FBA inventory scenarios that sellers are dealing with right now:
Stranded Inventory from Labeling Issues Resellers who shipped inventory under the old commingled system are now finding units stranded in fulfillment centers because they lack proper FNSKU labels. This inventory can’t be sold, can’t easily be transferred, and continues to accumulate storage fees.
Operational Disruption for Resellers Resellers who relied on stickerless shipping now face additional prep costs, workflow changes, and lead time increases — all of which can cause over-purchasing and excess FBA inventory buildup while the operation adjusts.
Increased Costs Squeezing Margins on Slow Movers With the additional labeling requirements adding cost per unit, slow-moving products that were marginally profitable before the change are now underwater. The smartest move for these SKUs is often liquidation rather than continued holding.
Mixed Lots with Compliance Uncertainty Sellers with mixed catalogs — some brand owned, some resold — now face more complex inventory management decisions, and some are choosing to liquidate entire product lines rather than manage two separate labeling systems.
What Should You Do With Excess FBA Inventory Affected by This Change?
If the commingling policy change has left you holding excess FBA inventory — whether stranded, mislabeled, or simply no longer worth the added prep cost — here are your options:
Option 1: Relabel and Resubmit If the product still has strong demand and healthy margins after accounting for the new FNSKU labeling cost, pulling inventory for relabeling and resubmission may make sense. This works best for fast-moving, high-margin SKUs.
Option 2: Initiate a Removal Order and Sell Directly Request removal of the affected excess FBA inventory and sell through your own channels — your website, eBay, or wholesale. This recovers some value but requires time and operational resources.
Option 3: Sell to a Direct Excess FBA Inventory Buyer For slow-moving SKUs, stranded units, or large volumes that aren’t worth the labeling investment, selling directly to a bulk excess FBA inventory buyer is the fastest way to convert idle stock into immediate cash — with zero additional prep work on your end.
The Bottom Line
Amazon’s end of commingling is ultimately a positive change for brand integrity and marketplace health. But the transition period is creating real excess FBA inventory problems for resellers who weren’t fully prepared.
The sellers who come out of this strongest will be the ones who move quickly — identifying affected inventory, making fast decisions about what to keep and what to liquidate, and using recovered capital to build a leaner, more compliant FBA operation.
At ExcessFBAInventory, we buy excess FBA inventory directly from Amazon sellers navigating exactly these kinds of transitions. Fast offers, fair pricing, and a simple process designed for sellers who need to move quickly. Find out more on our About Us page.
