This article is a contribution from Brooks Golba, VP, Fulfillment & Logistics Solutions at Qualfon.
Amazon Is Changing Fast—Here’s What We Learned at Prosper Show 2026
Prosper Show 2026 (March 10–12 at the Wynn Las Vegas) highlighted a crucial point: ecommerce brands can no longer afford to be reactive. Amazon is rapidly evolving, and many brands may not realize the effects until they start impacting their operations and revenue.
For brands that rely on Amazon, this isn’t just another update—it’s a shift in how fulfillment, compliance, and growth need to work moving forward.
Here are my top three takeaways:
1. Amazon Removed the Safety Net for FBA Prep
As of January 1, 2026, Amazon eliminated all in-house FBA prep and labeling services for U.S. inbound shipments.
That means:
- No more polybagging, bubble wrapping, or labeling by Amazon
- Every unit must arrive fully compliant and shelf-ready
- Non-compliant shipments are rejected—at the brand’s expense
Previously, Amazon acted as a buffer. If something was off, they fixed it. That safety net is gone.
Now, brands need tighter control over their fulfillment processes before inventory even reaches Amazon. This is where operational discipline—and the right partners—becomes critical.
2. The Meltable Policy Is a Hidden Risk to Revenue
Another major shift flying under the radar is Amazon’s meltable product policy.
Key deadlines to pay attention to:
- April 15, 2026: Meltable products can no longer be stored or fulfilled through FBA
- May 1, 2026: Remaining inventory may be disposed of (with added fees)
This affects products like chocolates, gummies, wax-based items, and certain beauty and skincare products.
If you think you’ll just switch to FBM (Fulfilled by Merchant), take note that most brands that switch to FBM to keep selling lose their Prime badge. This is due to no longer having Amazon’s guaranteed 1–2 day shipping and reliability that came with FBA. To feature the Prime badge, a brand must adhere to strict Seller Fulfilled Prime (SFP) metrics—99% on-time delivery, weekend operations, and fast, nationwide shipping—which are very difficult to maintain alone.
This is why this new policy could lead to lower conversion rates, reduced visibility, and missed revenue during the upcoming summer months.
Brands that plan early can protect both their inventory and their customer experience.
3. Multi-Channel Fulfillment Is Now a Requirement
The biggest takeaway from Prosper is that brands must expand beyond Amazon. If you have been wanting to try a new channel but haven’t, now is the time.
"The brands growing fastest aren't just reacting to Amazon changes—they're building resilience through multi-channel strategies. Diversification today isn't just about growth. It's about protecting your business from platform risk."
More and more brands are actively expanding into Walmart Marketplace, which offers lower fees and less competition, yet remains the second-largest U.S. ecommerce marketplace. TikTok Shop, known for discovery-driven sales, is on track to become one of the world’s largest retail platforms with $19B generated in global GVM in Q3 2025 alone.
Take Control of Your Operations or Risk Falling Behind
Prosper 2026 reinforced a simple truth: the brands that stay ahead are the ones paying attention—and acting early.
To stay competitive in 2026:
- Understand and adapt to Amazon policy changes
- Take ownership of your fulfilment and compliance
- Build a strategy that extends beyond a single marketplace
Building a diversified fulfillment strategy outside of Amazon is crucial, and the time to do so is now. Marketplaces will continue to evolve. The question is whether your operations are built to evolve with it.
About Qualfon
Qualfon is a global provider of omnichannel customer experience and business support solutions. From call center support to lead generation to ecommerce fulfillment, we support our clients and their customers throughout the customer journey.
Learn more about Qualfon’s Fulfillment Solutions, including Amazon Prep Services such as Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM), Seller Fulfilled Prime (SFP), and Fulfilled By Amazon (FBA Prep) services.
About the Author
Brooks Golba is Vice President of Fulfillment & Logistics Solutions at Qualfon, where he helps ecommerce brands design multi-node fulfillment strategies across Amazon and direct-to-consumer channels. His work focuses on improving delivery speed, strengthening unit economics, and building resilient supply chains that support long-term growth.
Connect with Brooks on LinkedIn.
