Amazon is tightening its requirements for sellers who ship orders themselves via Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM). If you sell on Amazon.de, you now need to account for new delivery quotas, shorter handling times, and stricter rules for business customers. The deadlines are approaching fast.
What is Amazon FBM?
With Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM), the seller handles storage, packaging, and shipping themselves. This gives more control over the process, but also means you are personally responsible for the quality of the delivery. Amazon is keeping an increasingly close eye on this.
The new 90% on-time delivery requirement
Amazon has introduced a requirement for Amazon.de FBM sellers to maintain an On-Time Delivery Rate (OTDR) of at least 90%. The OTDR measures the share of orders that arrive on or before the promised delivery date.
Amazon is clear about the consequences: from 1 September 2026, listings may be deactivated if the requirements are not met, and sellers may lose the ability to offer new FBM products.
Sellers can check their current score via the Seller Performance dashboard in Seller Central.
Shorter handling times
Amazon wants to prevent sellers from consistently advertising longer handling times than they actually need. From 15 July, accounts with a default handling time of two days will automatically be changed to one day.
From 1 September, handling times that are more than one day longer than actual performance will be automatically adjusted after 30 days via Automated Handling Time. Sellers who deliberately kept a wider margin as a buffer will therefore lose that option.
Stricter requirements for business customers
The same 90% threshold will later also apply to Amazon Business orders in Germany. From 30 September, at least 90% of business deliveries must arrive within the customer’s regular business hours. From 30 October, listings for business customers may be deactivated if this requirement is not met.
Also in other European countries
Similar policy changes are being introduced in other major European markets, including the United Kingdom, France, Spain, and Italy. In the UK, the 90% on-time delivery requirement has been in place for longer, but enforcement there will also become stricter from September.
What does this mean for you as a seller?
The new requirements directly affect sellers who manage their own logistics. Some factors, such as carrier performance or the exact moment of delivery, are only partially within your control. Nevertheless, it is worth checking where you stand right now:
- Check your current OTDR score in Seller Central
- Verify that your handling times are set realistically
- Keep an eye on the deadlines: 15 July, 1 September, and 30 September 2026
Do you have questions about how these changes relate to your broader Amazon strategy or European VAT obligations? Our specialists are happy to help.
