: FBM sellers: the Dec 18 prepaid return label change, and what I’d set up now

Posted by u/Salty-Pen1205

Quick PSA because I’ve seen a few people confused about this.

From December 18, 2026 , returns on seller-fulfilled (FBM) orders in the US need a prepaid return label within 7 calendar days of the return request, or a full refund. If you don’t do either, Amazon can issue a returnless refund and take it out of your account. Heavy and bulky items are excluded for now.

What I’d do before peak season: - Turn on prepaid return labels or automated return authorization in your return settings, so a request can’t sit in your queue for a week. - Decide on a “refund, no return” threshold for low-value items. Paying return shipping on a $12 item rarely makes sense. - Make sure whoever handles returns over the holidays knows about the 7-day clock. - Keep records of every return you approve or deny. If a returnless refund gets charged back to you by mistake, that’s what you’ll need to dispute it.

Has anyone already switched their FBM returns over? What did you set as the refund-without-return threshold?

(E-commerce attorney here. General info, not legal advice.)

What sellers replied

u/Shoddy_Wealth2958

When deciding on the threshold, factor in the cost of return shipping and the profit margin.