It is reported that Amazon has officially announced that it will terminate the long - standing "shared inventory" model starting from March 1, 2026, and simultaneously update the standards for using manufacturer barcodes.

Here is a detailed interpretation of this change:

1. Background and Core Content of the Change

(1) Termination of the Shared Inventory Model

   - Original model: Shared inventory was an inventory allocation model adopted by Amazon before. If products had the same UPC and both used manufacturer barcodes for warehousing, they could share the inventory pool. The system would prioritize allocating goods from the warehouse closest to the buyer, even if the inventory belonged to other sellers, in order to shorten the delivery distance and improve timeliness.

   - Reasons for termination:

     - Seller pain points: Shared inventory may cause sellers to bear the risk of bad reviews or complaints due to the quality problems (such as defects or counterfeits) of other sellers' products, affecting brand reputation. For example, one's own goods may be delivered to other sellers' orders. If there are after - sales problems such as product quality, it will face the problem of "whose inventory, who is responsible", which is easy to cause disputes among sellers and between sellers and the platform. Moreover, product quality may be uneven. If other sellers' products of the same model do not meet quality control standards, it will directly affect the brand's user experience. And sellers bear the costs of inventory storage and preparation, but may pay for other sellers' orders, resulting in a mismatch between income and cost.

     - Inventory adequacy: Amazon said that at present, most sellers' inventory levels can cover the target market and there is no need to rely on shared inventory allocation.

   - New rules:

     - Attribution of responsibility: Starting from March 1, 2026, sellers are only responsible for their own inventory, and product reputation is directly linked to store reputation. Problematic products can be accurately located to the corresponding seller account.

     - Label requirements:

       - Brand owners (registered in Amazon Brand Registry): If the product already has a UPC/EAN barcode, there is no need to paste the Amazon barcode (FNSKU), and inventory can be flexibly managed.

       - Resellers (not registered as brand representatives): Even if the product has a UPC barcode, the Amazon barcode must be pasted; for products without manufacturer barcodes, both brand sellers and resellers need to paste FNSKU labels.

       - Transition arrangement: Products that have used shared inventory before March 31, 2026 do not need to be relabeled and can continue to be sold; but subsequent replenishment needs to paste the Amazon barcode, otherwise it will be judged as a defective product and cannot be warehoused.

(2) Update of Manufacturer Barcode Usage Standards

   - New standards: Amazon will more strictly audit the authenticity and validity of manufacturer barcodes to ensure that the product sources are traceable.

   - Purpose: Through physical isolation mechanisms and new label regulations, to solve the pain point of "being blamed for mixed warehouses" and improve inventory management transparency.

2. Impact on Sellers

(1) Positive impacts

   - Brand protection: Sellers no longer need to "carry the can" for other sellers' product quality problems. Brand reputation is directly linked to product reputation, which is conducive to long - term brand building.

   - Inventory management autonomy: Sellers can manage inventory more independently and safely, reducing disputes and operating costs caused by shared inventory.

   - Market purification: Amazon will eliminate sellers who "freeload traffic and do not pay attention to quality control" through new label regulations, support merchants who are dedicated to brand building, and optimize the market environment.

(2) Challenges and countermeasures

   - Increased costs for resellers: They need to bear additional costs for labeling labor and time, and the seller model relying on following sales faces higher thresholds.

   - Inventory planning adjustment: Sellers need to re - evaluate inventory levels to ensure coverage of the target market and avoid stock - out risks.

   - Compliance requirements: They must strictly abide by Amazon's label rules to avoid products being unable to be warehoused due to lack of labeling.

3. Seller Response Strategies

(1) Brand building

   - Register Amazon Brand Registry, become a brand owner, and enjoy more flexible inventory management policies.

   - Strengthen quality control management to ensure product quality and improve brand reputation.

(2) Inventory optimization

   - Evaluate inventory demands in the target market, rationally plan inventory levels, and reduce dependence on shared inventory.

   - Use Amazon's inventory management system to monitor inventory dynamics in real - time to avoid stock - outs or overstocking.

(3) Label compliance

   - Prepare Amazon barcode (FNSKU) labeling equipment and processes in advance to ensure that newly shipped goods meet the requirements after March 31, 2026.

   - For products without manufacturer barcodes, apply for Amazon barcodes in a timely manner to avoid products being judged as defective products.

(4) Improvement of Operational Efficiency

   - With the help of third - party management tools, achieve inventory data synchronization, automatic replenishment, and data analysis to improve management efficiency.

   - Strengthen cooperation with logistics service providers, optimize the distribution network, and ensure that products are quickly delivered to buyers' hands.