An Amazon Hazmat review is one of the most frightening notice that an FBA Seller could receive. FBA Seller forums are overflowed with comments from frustrated merchants who are confused about how the Hazmat review process works.
But don’t worry! You came to the right place. We’ll give you all the information you need to take the necessary precautions to avoid unpleasant surprises.
What is an Amazon HazMat Review?
HazMat is short for hazardous materials. Amazon itself defines these dangerous goods as:
“…substances or materials that may pose a risk to health, safety, property, or the environment while storing, handling or transporting because they contain flammable, pressurized, corrosive, or otherwise harmful substances.”
Basically, any product that contains harmful chemicals falls into the ‘hazardous materials’ category. These goods may be harmless on a store shelf or a kitchen cabinet, but could become hazardous when handled during warehouse conveyance, storage, handling, and labeling. For instance: subjected to constant motion and fluctuations, or pressure and temperature changes.
Amazon considers a wide array of goods that might be sold as either a private label product or FBA items. It is crucial for sellers to identify which products are possibly hazardous so that they do not expose their “employees, carriers, and customers to potential health and safety risks.”
What’s All the Fuss About?
All these precautionary measures were brought about by a 2014 incident where the FAA slapped a $350,000 fine on Amazon. The cause was the injuries UPS personnel sustained in handling a leaking package from Amazon.
In an earlier incident, Amazon was also fined for shipping corrosive rust remover and a flammable gas without the proper labeling or accompanying documents.
In December 2018, another unfortunate incident occurred in one of Amazon’s fulfillment centers in Robbinsville, New Jersey. A can of bear repellent fell off a shelf when one of Amazon’s robots accidentally hit one of the metal structures, injuring workers.
Similar incidents occurred in 2015 and 2019. This caused Amazon to consider bear spray a more toxic substance than before, and of course, this substance cannot be handled by Amazon’s robots anymore.
Increase in HazMat Fees
On account of the seriousness of the matter, Amazon decided to increase the fee for ‘dangerous goods’ like aerosol cans and lithium-ion batteries.
According to Business Insider, a normal item with a shipping weight of between 10 and 16 ounces, considered small, would qualify for a fee of $2.48, while a “dangerous” item the same size would carry a charge of $3.45.
As a result, Amazon has now reserved the right to subject any product to Amazon Hazmat Review, even at the slightest suspicion that it might contain hazardous materials. Amazon has been continuously updating its hazmat specifications and checking all sellers’ listings to ensure compliance.
The constant checking and aggressive policies are the reason why products that may have passed inspection in the past are now identified for HazMat review.
FBA New Listings and Questions You’ll Have to Answer
Amazon is very strict when it comes to safety. Therefore, regardless of whether you believe your product is harmless or that it doesn’t contain any toxic materials, you’ll be required to answer two sets of questions concerning the following:
Batteries
If your battery product uses lithium batteries, then it is a dangerous good and you will be required to provide additional information such as “What is the watt-hour (Wh) rating per battery?” This information is generally printed on the battery itself, on its packaging, or in the manufacturers’ technical documentation.
Here are some questions you will come across:
- Is the product a battery or does it utilize batteries? How many?
- What type are they? If you do not know the type of battery your product is using, select “Unknown”.
- How much do they weigh?
- How many batteries does your product need?
- Are they needed for the product to function?
- Will the batteries be sold separately? Is it a removable battery?
- What is the composition of the batteries?
Also, you’ll be required to specify the number of cells, including spares.
Dangerous Good Regulations Questionnaire
During the creation or the conversion of an FBA listing, Amazon will ask you to provide information based on the following criteria:
- Is your product considered a ‘dangerous good’ or hazardous material regulated for transportation, storage, and/or waste?
- What is the UN number of your product?
- How much does your product weigh (kg)?
- What is the volume of your product (ml)?
- Does your product fall into GHS/CLP standards?
- Did you ask your manufacturer to provide you with a Safety Data Sheet?
You may upload an exemption sheet if your product doesn’t meet the criteria to be considered as a ‘dangerous good.’
How Is the Amazon HazMat Review Affecting FBA Sellers?
If you are going to launch a new product or are converting products from FBM to FBA, you’ll undergo a HazMat review. Amazon requires the completion of an online form inquiring whether the product is a ‘Dangerous Good’.
Even if a seller responds with a “No” on both questions, the Amazon HazMat Review process can be initiated and will last at least 3 business days.
If your product is under Review and you don’t follow up with support, it could take weeks before you can release it for selling. If Amazon does not hold the product for review, it retains the right to remove it at any time.
The Amazon HazMat Review process becomes more confusing and uncertain if the product in question is an existing item being sold on Amazon and has been recently identified as Hazmat.
This usually happens because Amazon conducts random reviews on their large database of listings and marks products according to its HazMat specifications. As a result, you may have your previously approved product flagged, restricted and unavailable for sale at any time.
Dangerous Goods Allowed for Sale Through FBA
Currently, dangerous goods are divided into nine categories (with several subdivisions)
Dangerous Goods Prohibited for Sale Through FBA
The following classes of materials are prohibited by FBA:
When a Product is Under Review
If you are given a notice that your product is under HazMat review, do not panic.
This simply means that Amazon doesn’t have enough facts about your product to properly classify it. Generally, they just need more details. Amazon will contact you via email and case within Seller Central.
To prepare yourself for incidents like this, you need to be fully aware and knowledgeable of the following Amazon resources:
- Go over Amazon’s Hazardous Materials Identification Guide and the Restricted list.
- Prior to ordering products, look into any FDA Recalls and Alerts.
- If you are purchasing merchandise from a source aside from the manufacturer, you need to obtain a sample in order to review its ingredients and materials first hand. Remember that your product will most probably be accepted through human inspection upon being received at a fulfillment center.
- Read USPS’s restricted items. According to USPS, “Many common household and consumer products cannot be mailed through the US Postal Service. These materials may not be dangerous on your shelf at home, but they may become a hazard when shaken or when exposed to temperature or pressure changes. Additional rules and restrictions apply for items being mailed internationally.”
- Familiarize yourself with Amazon’s Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). Amazon may request that you get product information from the manufacturer.
You will have up to 14 business days (weekends not included) to provide the requested documentation. Please note that Amazon will liquidate your stock, if you don’t provide them with the required documentation during this timeframe.
The HazMat Status Change
Your Seller Account includes a Hazmat Status Change Report. Make sure to check for automatic notifications that will appear when products are added to your shipping plan. Also, you will be notified via email regarding any merchandise already in fulfillment centers that are tagged as potentially hazardous.
If the time frame stated in the email has already passed, contact Seller Support to let them know you have yet to receive a response.
Be Prepared
The Amazon Hazmat Review process exists to ensure the safety of employees handling dangerous goods. As an FBA seller, it is your responsibility to make sure that you provide accurate and detailed information about your products, and comply with all legal requirements―even if it is not considered or regulated as “dangerous goods”.
Most products held for review do pass once the required information is submitted. Keep in mind, however, that any product containing dangerous materials can be rejected by Amazon at any time.
Author
Julia Valdez is a teacher and long-time lover of the art of words on paper and the stage. She has an entrepreneurial heart and spends most of her time doing marketing and management, freelance content writing, volunteer work, and sharing lots of laughs over little crazy things.
