How to Print FNSKU Labels for Amazon FBA the Right Way

1. What Is an FNSKU Label

FNSKU stands for Fulfillment Network Stock Keeping Unit. Amazon generates it and assigns it to your specific seller account for each product you list.

When Amazon scans that barcode at the fulfillment center, they know the item is yours. Without it, your product goes into the commingled pool with every other seller's identical item, and Amazon may ship a different seller's unit to your customer.

Read my complete guide to starting Amazon FBA first if you haven't set up your account yet.

2. FNSKU vs. Commingled: Pick Your Setting Before You Print Anything

Before you print a single label, check whether your product is set to "Manufacturer Barcode" (commingled) or "Amazon Barcode" (labeled) in Seller Central. The labeled option requires FNSKU printing.

I always go labeled. Commingling pools your inventory with every other seller's identical units. If someone sends in a counterfeit or damaged item, Amazon pulls from that shared pool and ships it to your customer.

I break down the full trade-offs in this post: Commingled vs. Sticker FBA. Set this before you create your first shipment or you'll reprint everything.

3. The Thermal Printer You Need to Print FNSKU Labels

Do not print FNSKU labels on an inkjet or laser printer. Barcodes smear, fade in transit, and get flagged at Amazon's receiving dock. Get a thermal printer.

The one I started with is the Zebra LP2844. I've recommended it on my channel since day one:

"The thermal printer for me is super important... this is why I'm telling you to budget $80 for the thermal printer. I bought this first one when I started back in the days and I got it for almost $80. It's a Zebra LP2844." Free 20 Hours Amazon FBA Course, March 2025

The Zebra LP2844 runs $80-$120 used on eBay. The Rollo printer is the other popular option at a similar price point new. Either one works. Budget $80 and buy it before your first shipment.

4. What Label Size to Order

Amazon FNSKU labels use a specific size: 1 inch x 2-5/8 inches (also written as 1" x 2.625"). Search Amazon for "30334 thermal labels" to find the right rolls.

Buy thermal label rolls in this size, not sheets. Rolls load into the Zebra or Rollo and print one at a time. Inkjet label sheets won't feed through a thermal printer and the adhesive is different.

A roll of 500 labels costs $8-$12. One roll covers 500 units, which is more than most new sellers ship in their first month.

5. How to Generate FNSKU Labels in Seller Central

Pull labels from Seller Central in these steps:

1. Go to Inventory > Manage All Inventory
2. Find the product you want to label
3. Click the dropdown arrow next to the "Edit" button
4. Select Print Item Labels
5. Enter the number of labels you need
6. Click Print - this downloads a PDF

You can also pull labels during the shipment creation flow. When building a shipping plan and it asks for the label type, choose "Amazon Barcode." Seller Central will prompt you to print labels before confirming the shipment. If you haven't created a shipping plan before, my Amazon FBA shipping plan tutorial covers it start to finish.

6. Printer Settings That Actually Matter

Once the PDF opens, don't just hit Ctrl+P. A few settings matter or your labels will print off-center and unusable.

• Set paper size to match your label: 1" x 2.625"
• Set scaling to None or Actual Size - never "Fit to Page"
• Match page orientation to the label orientation in the PDF

Print one test label on a blank roll first. Check that the barcode fits on the label and nothing is cut off at any edge. One wrong setting wastes an entire roll.

Grab a free seat at my Thursday training to watch me process a real shipment in real time every week.

7. How to Apply FNSKU Labels Without Getting Shipments Rejected

Amazon FC workers scan thousands of units per hour. If your label doesn't scan clean, Amazon delays the shipment or bounces it back.

• Cover the original manufacturer barcode. Don't let any part of it show through or stick out from under the FNSKU label.
• Apply on a flat surface. Don't label over seams, curves, or corners where the label will lift.
• No wrinkles. Smooth the label down from one edge to the other in a single motion.
• Verify scannability. Hold the item 6 inches from your phone camera and test the barcode before boxing the unit.

If you're labeling 50+ units of the same product, a label applicator wheel cuts the time down. They run about $12 on Amazon.

8. Printing and Applying Labels Yourself vs. Outsourcing It

When I started, I did everything in-house. Print labels at the desk, apply them while watching YouTube, box everything up. Works at low volume and keeps costs down.

"That is the printer that I've been using since the day I started, literally the day I actually started doing Retail Arbitrage... I bought this printer for like 80 bucks on Amazon with a couple of rolls of thermal labels." Success With Amazon FBA Online Arbitrage, May 2024

Once I was shipping 200+ units a week, I moved to a prep center. They receive your products, apply the FNSKU labels, and ship to Amazon for you. Cost runs $0.50-$1.00 per unit depending on the center and services. For a breakdown of when that trade-off makes sense, read Prep Center vs. DIY Prep.

9. Using a Prep Center for FNSKU Labeling

If you're doing online arbitrage and routing everything through a prep center, they handle the labeling. Share a packing list or FNSKU sheet with them and they apply the labels before shipping to Amazon.

Before inventory ships to the prep center, set the product to "Amazon Barcode" in Seller Central. If it's still set to commingled, the prep center won't know to apply an FNSKU. They prep what you tell them to prep.

For a comparison of the top services, read my post on best Amazon FBA prep centers. It covers pricing, turnaround times, and which ones work best for OA.

10. Common FNSKU Labeling Mistakes New Sellers Make

I see these same errors on new seller shipments.

• Printing on inkjet. Barcodes smear in transit. Thermal only.
• "Fit to Page" scaling. This shrinks the barcode dimensions and makes it unscannable. Use actual size or none.
• Not covering the original barcode. If two barcodes are visible, Amazon's scanner may read the wrong one and your item gets misrouted.
• Wrong label size. A 2" x 4" label folded over a corner is not a valid FNSKU label. Order 1" x 2.625" rolls.
• Printing the wrong quantity. Cross-check your label count against your shipping plan before you print. Reprinting wastes labels and time.

For a broader list of errors that kill margins and cause account problems, check out Amazon FBA Mistakes to Avoid.

11. FNSKU Labels for Bundles and Multipacks

If you're selling a bundle (two or more separate products combined under one listing), the entire bundle gets one FNSKU label on the outside of the package. Do not label each item inside the bundle.

The same rule applies to multipacks. If you sell a 3-pack as its own listing, print one FNSKU for the outside of the package. The individual units inside do not get their own labels.

Sellers assume more labels equals more accuracy. Amazon needs one scannable barcode per sellable unit, one label per package.

12. Next Steps

Five posts to read next:

• Amazon FBA for Beginners: Step by Step - the full walkthrough from account setup to first shipment
• Amazon FBA Shipping Plan Tutorial - how to build and confirm your shipment in Seller Central
• Commingled vs. Sticker FBA - which labeling setting to use and why it matters
• Best Amazon FBA Prep Centers - when to outsource labeling and which centers to use
• Amazon FBA Fees Explained - understand every cost so your numbers make sense