Updates to ISTA 6‑Amazon.com‑Over Boxing
Eric Hiser, ISTA Vice President of Standards and Certifications
ISTA has recently updated the ISTA 6‑Amazon.com-Over Boxing: E‑Commerce Fulfillment for Parcel Delivery Shipment test procedure following a technical review conducted through ISTA’s ANSI‑accredited, consensus‑based standards development process. These updates were made to better align the procedure with current Amazon fulfillment operations and evolving order profiles.
Updated ISTA Test Procedure
ISTA 6‑Amazon.com-Over Boxing: E‑Commerce Fulfillment for Parcel Delivery Shipment (Overview and Equipment Required)Summary of Changes
The update reflects changes in Amazon’s fulfillment practices and incorporates refinements intended to improve consistency and relevance in test execution.Key updates include:
- Updated dunnage materials to reflect current Amazon fulfillment operations
- Air pillows removed
- Kraft paper added, consistent with current practices in Amazon fulfillment centers
- Added guidance for calculating and applying dunnage to improve consistency in test execution
- Updated hazard (dummy) package dimensions and weights
- Revised multi‑item configurations based on a re‑evaluation of Amazon order history
- Increased sample size to better account for increased product variety and order variability
What Did Not Change
- Test intensities and test durations remain unchanged
Additional Context
The update included a re‑examination of Amazon order history, which had not been reviewed in more than a decade. As order variety has increased, adjustments were made to the hazard (dummy) packages used in multi‑pack configurations. The increase in product variability also drove the decision to expand sample size.Amazon has announced a four‑month grace period associated with these updates, with a cutoff date of August 1, 2026. Additional information is available at these helpful links:
- Amazon announcement: click here
- Amazon Packaging webpage: click here
Get the Updated Procedure
ISTA 6‑Amazon.com-Over Boxing is available through the ISTA Store and is free to ISTA members with login access. The procedure can be downloaded as:- An individual test procedure, or
- Part of the ISTA Resource Book
Staying Current with ISTA Test Procedures
To ensure use of the most current ISTA Test Procedures, users are encouraged to visit the ISTA Test Procedures page. This page includes helpful resources such as Selecting & Using ISTA Test Procedures, Procedure Changes & Development, and All About Our Consensus Body Approach.Reviewing these resources helps users stay informed of the latest updates, revisions, and development activities.