### Factual Overview: Amazon Eliminates the Default Two-Day Handling WindowIn late September 2025, Amazon implemented a significant change for its selling partners: the company removed the option to use a two-day default handling time for seller-fulfilled orders. All sellers who previously relied on a two-day default were automatically moved to a one-day default handling setting. If sellers require longer processing, they now must manually adjust handling times for each SKU within Seller Central, either through direct interface updates, via bulk feed uploads, or through API integration. Amazon communicated that this change was based on observed seller behavior, claiming that 85% of orders had historically been shipped within one day of receipt.For transitional support, Amazon announced a 14-day window where late shipment or delivery penalties would not impact account health for products affected by the automatic update. For SKUs where historical data showed handling typically exceeded one day, Amazon pre-emptively assigned a two-day handling time at the SKU level. For others, the faster, one-day default immediately applies. These actions are part of broader efforts to present customers with more attractive delivery estimates and thus potentially drive higher conversion rates.### Implications for E-Commerce and Content Infrastructure#### Impact on Product FeedsThis policy shift directly affects how sellers manage product data feeds and synchronization with Amazon’s marketplace. Previously, a two-day buffer offered operational flexibility for inventory intake, order batching, and logistics coordination. Now, every deviation from one-day shipping requires explicit declaration at the SKU level, increasing the maintenance burden for merchants managing diverse catalogs or relying on multi-channel listing tools.Automated feeds and integrations must now be recalibrated, particularly for sellers with heterogeneous product portfolios. Third-party platforms facilitating catalog syndication will be pressured to build or update features that propagate SKU-specific handling times accurately and at scale. This change compounds as sellers introduce or retire products, making regular feed updates not just recommended, but essential for compliance and performance optimization. For more information on feed management, explore our blog on **product feeds** [/blog/product_feed/].#### Cataloguing Standards and Merchandise Data QualityThe uniform acceleration of default handling time enforces new behavioral standards in cataloguing. Previously, sellers could rely on generalized settings for operational safety. Now, each product’s handling profile must be an intentional, data-driven choice. This pivot has the potential to raise the overall quality and specificity of product data if sellers respond by proactively assigning truthful, item-level handling times. However, the downside risk is that overwhelmed sellers might allow the one-day default to stand across all SKUs, regardless of real world fulfillment feasibility, resulting in unrealistic delivery promises and degraded buyer experiences.This shift also incentivizes investment in catalog management automation, both by merchants and tool providers. There is now greater value in systems that automatically analyze item history to suggest or set appropriate handling windows, reducing manual oversight and the likelihood of process errors.#### Assortment Velocity and Content FreshnessAmazon’s update is calibrated to accelerate not just shipping, but the velocity at which new assortments come online. Reducing the default buffer for order processing could prompt sellers to standardize their operational procedures around faster fulfillment, potentially shortening the cycle from product onboarding to in-market availability. This is particularly relevant for brands scaling SKUs rapidly or experimenting with limited runs and flash listings.However, the requirement for manual intervention on non-standard items introduces a countervailing pressure. Sellers must now ensure that every unique or slow-to-prepare item is appropriately flagged, which could lengthen the onboarding process for complex or customizable products. Thus, while the policy may hasten readiness for routine catalog items, it arguably introduces friction for products with inherently variable fulfillment lead times.#### Effects on No-Code, Bulk Tools, and AI-Driven AutomationWith manual updates now mandated for exceptions, the e-commerce ecosystem faces renewed impetus to adopt bulk-processing tools and no-code automation platforms. Sellers that previously relied on global settings must now master or further leverage bulk edit features within Seller Central or connect to APIs that permit programmatic handling time assignments. Providers of middleware software are likely to prioritize enhancements that streamline SKU-level attribute management to help their clients maintain compliance with Amazon’s expectations.Artificial intelligence also stands to play a more prominent role. Systems that analyze sales, fulfillment, and logistical data to recommend or automatically set handling attributes in real time will gain marketplace traction. These tools can interpret past performance to dynamically assign appropriate handling times, ensuring that rapid fulfillment is claimed only where it is operationally viable. This aligns with the broader trend of **AI for business** [/blog/artificial-intelligence-for-business/].#### Pressure on Assortment Breadth and Content DepthFrom a longer-term perspective, the elimination of a more generous default handling window may influence the composition of seller catalogs. Products that cannot guarantee one-day dispatch could become less visible or competitive. Merchants, especially those producing made-to-order, bespoke, or artisan goods, must now invest more in meticulous catalog management to avoid customer dissatisfaction and penalties for late shipments. There is evidence that this dynamic is of concern to sellers of handmade and customizable products, for whom production times naturally exceed one day. These merchants are now obliged to adjust each SKU’s handling time individually or risk negative account consequences, which may introduce operational overhead or diminish their marketplace presence.### Strategic Considerations for Market ParticipantsThe shift toward a faster default handling time reflects Amazon’s ongoing drive to match or exceed consumer delivery expectations, reinforcing its differentiation through logistics. For sellers, the operational priorities become data accuracy, process automation, and catalog discipline. A failure to align item-level data, even temporarily, can result in overpromising delivery, degraded account health metrics, and diminished customer trust.Automation and continuous catalog monitoring emerge as both mandatory and strategic. Sellers must evaluate whether their current content infrastructure supports granular, ongoing adjustments at the SKU level and whether their integrations with Amazon can handle the additional complexity seamlessly. Furthermore, as Amazon’s policies increasingly reward accuracy and data recency, investments in AI-driven content optimization may become table stakes not just for efficiency, but for sustaining marketplace visibility and conversion. Understanding how to manage **product descriptions** [/blog/how_to_create_sales-driving-product-descriptions-without-spending-a-fortune/] is crucial for meeting these new standards.#### ConclusionAmazon’s decision to eliminate the two-day default handling time is not just an operational shift but a signal of broader structural changes in e-commerce fulfillment and catalog management. Sellers must respond by elevating the precision of their content operations and embracing automation wherever possible. The underlying trend is clear: the margin for error in product feed management and fulfillment promises is narrowing, and digital infrastructure must adapt accordingly.For further details and ongoing reactions, see Channel Key and E-commerce News Europe.From a NotPIM perspective, Amazon's move highlights the critical need for robust product information management across e-commerce. As the burden of granular data management increases, the ability to efficiently and accurately manage product attributes becomes a key differentiator for sellers. This shift directly impacts the complexities of product feed management, and the value of solutions that automate and standardize data across catalogs will increase. To streamline the process, consider using a **feed validator** [/tools/validator/]. NotPIM is designed to help e-commerce businesses of all sizes adapt to this changing landscape, empowering them to maintain data accuracy, improve catalog quality, and ultimately, succeed in a competitive environment.