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- Quick answer
- What Amazon says about Amazon SIPP packaging (as of October 2026)
- Which structures tend to qualify for Amazon SIPP packaging
- Rigid vs soft packaging for Amazon SIPP packaging
- Sealing, labeling and damage prevention for Amazon SIPP packaging
- Customer-opening experience
- When to request testing
- What to send your packaging manufacturer
- Key takeaway
Amazon SIPP packaging lets an FBA product ship in its own box, with no Amazon overbox. Amazon's rules call for a sealed six-sided box or rigid mailer, at least 6 by 4 by 0.375 inches. It must pass a drop test. Fragile and liquid products need a lab test. This guide reflects Amazon's pages as of October 2026. Confirm every rule in Seller Central before you print.
Quick answer
- Amazon says: Ships in Product Packaging (SIPP) is the new name for Frustration-Free and Ships in Own Container. Enrolling costs no Amazon fee.
- Amazon says: Non-fragile rigid packs under 50 lb can self-test. Fragile, liquid or sharp items need an ISTA 6 lab report.
- Our guidance: Corrugated mailers and taped shipping cartons are the safest starting structures for Amazon SIPP packaging.
- Our guidance: Test production-run units, not hand-made samples, before you enroll.
What Amazon says about Amazon SIPP packaging (as of October 2026)
This section restates Amazon's own text. We read Amazon's FBA seller program page, its program FAQ and the SIPP Certification Guidelines, version 11.3, updated March 2026. Those guidelines are written for vendors. We couldn't read Seller Central's rigid and flexible SIPP pages. FBA sellers should confirm each line there.
Topic | Amazon's published rule |
|---|---|
Program | Packaging ships to the customer with no Amazon-added material. Open to FBA sellers in the US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. |
Minimum size | 6 x 4 x 0.375 in (152.4 x 101.6 x 9.5 mm), for any structure. |
Rigid structure | A six-sided cube or rectangle, or a rigid paperboard or corrugate mailer. L-shaped boxes don't qualify. |
Panels | No protrusions, windows or cut-outs. Carry hand holes can't exceed 3.5 x 1.0 in. |
Sealing | No staples except on the glue joint. No exterior shrink wrap. Perforations generally need tape. |
Locking tabs | Auto-lock, 1-2-3 bottoms and tuck-and-lock tabs need tape along at least 20% of the opening's length, unless they pass testing without it. Plain tuck tabs always need tape. |
Testing | Non-fragile rigid packs under 50 lb: self drop test or ISTA 6-Amazon.com SIOC Type A. Fragile, liquid, sharp or 50 lb and up: lab report. |
Paperboard | Must pass the ISTA lab test, not the self-test. Amazon recommends corrugate. |
Two more Amazon statements shape the design. Tier 1 (Frustration-Free) adds 100% curbside-recyclable materials and easy opening, with contents out in 120 seconds. It bars blister packs, plastic inserts, packing peanuts, shredded paper and welded clamshells. Hazmat items with a UN number can't reach Tier 1 or Tier 2.
Which structures tend to qualify for Amazon SIPP packaging
Amazon names shapes, not box styles. Everything below is our design guidance, not Amazon text.
Structure | Why it tends to work | Likely test route |
|---|---|---|
Corrugated mailer | Six-sided, locks without protrusions, prints well | Self-test if non-fragile and under 50 lb |
Taped corrugated shipping carton | Sealed across the full opening | Same |
Paperboard mailer or carton | Finer print, thinner walls | ISTA lab report |
Rigid setup box (lid and base) | Six-sided, but Amazon gives no setup-box rule | Plan a lab test |
Window box, hang tab, handle | Amazon's text bars windows, cut-outs and protrusions | Not eligible as designed |
My opinion: start with corrugated. It tests more predictably, and for non-fragile items it can skip the lab. Flute is the wavy layer inside corrugated. It sets wall stiffness, so read our corrugated flute types guide before you pick one. Our custom corrugated mailer boxes and e-commerce shipping box are built around that kind of spec.
Rigid vs soft packaging for Amazon SIPP packaging
Amazon says flexible SIPP covers bags, pouches and padded mailers. In North America they must fit within 18 x 14 x 6 in and 7 lb. They must be sealed, with no more than 2 inches of slack-fill. Liquids, loose granular goods, cylinders, human food, sharp items and magnets need a rigid solution. Rigid packs have no maximum size.
Our guidance: apparel that folds flat can suit flexible. Candle jars, glass cosmetics, bottles and gift sets need a rigid shell. Note that "rigid" in Amazon's text means a six-sided shipper shape. It doesn't mean a luxury rigid box. Browse our mailer and shipping boxes for the corrugated options.
Sealing, labeling and damage prevention for Amazon SIPP packaging
Sealing. Specify tape or glue on every closure. Amazon's 20% tape rule is a floor, and I'd tape the full opening on heavier items. Amazon's FAQ gives an example of a product decertified after a vendor changed adhesive without retesting. Any change to board, glue or inserts means a new test.
Measuring. Amazon says fulfillment centers measure packs by scanner, and glue-joint bulges count. Ask your manufacturer to keep the joint flat.
Labeling. Amazon says every unit needs an exterior scannable label. The 6 x 4 in minimum exists so the standard shipping label fits. Our guidance: reserve a flat 6 x 4 in zone on the largest panel. Keep it away from seams, tape and folds.
Damage prevention. Fit the product so it can't move. Tier 1 bars plastic inserts, so use paperboard or corrugated supports. Our packaging inserts guide covers the choices. Amazon counts glass, ceramic and liquids as fragile. It also counts solids that turn liquid between 70 and 140 degrees F. A wax candle in a glass jar is fragile twice over. Amazon's guidelines list five samples for a fragile rigid pack.
Customer-opening experience
Amazon says customers see a checkout message that the item ships in its own packaging. For most products they can choose Amazon packaging at no cost. If the order holds several items, Amazon may still use its own box.
So Amazon SIPP packaging may be the first box a customer touches, or the second. Our guidance: print the outside, keep the opening obvious and leave room for a lid lift. I've seen brands pay for a premium finish on an outer box. Test photos then showed scuffed corners. Tier 1 also says printing and treatments can't affect recyclability. Test any foil or lamination before you commit. Our Amazon FBA packaging guide covers standard prep and labeling.
When to request testing
Amazon says the certification date should match the first arrival of compliant units at its fulfillment centers. Test results must be submitted within two years of the report date, and the packaging must be unchanged. Variations up to 25% smaller in size or weight can share one test. Fragile and liquid products can't use that shortcut. The self-test is a numbered drop sequence from 18 and 36 inches, with photos before and after.
Amazon's ISTA 6-Amazon.com test overview says hand-made or one-off samples rarely give meaningful results. Final testing should use production items. Before you enroll Amazon SIPP packaging, follow this order:
- Check eligibility in Seller Central's SIPP portal.
- Lock the structure and board grade.
- Fit-check with a pre-production sample; see packaging samples explained.
- Test production-run units.
- Enroll, then watch damage reports.
My opinion: don't enroll every SKU. Enroll the ones where Amazon's box would hide your brand anyway.
What to send your packaging manufacturer
- Product dimensions, weight and fragility (glass, liquid, sharp or wax).
- Target packed size, checked against the 6 x 4 x 0.375 in minimum.
- Quantity per SKU and number of size variants.
- Format: corrugated mailer, shipping carton or paperboard mailer.
- Artwork status, plus a clear 6 x 4 in label zone.
- Material preference, printing method and finish.
- Insert needs, with no plastic if you want Tier 1.
- Test plan: self-test, ISTA lab or Amazon's lab.
- Destination marketplaces and required date.
Send these to our packaging manufacturing team. If a term is new, check the packaging glossary.
Key takeaway
Amazon SIPP packaging rewards plain, sealed, six-sided boxes that pass a drop test. Design to Amazon's current text, test production units, and confirm every rule in Seller Central.
Amazon's rules change without notice, so treat this page as a design guide, not a compliance ruling.