What is a HAZMAT product?
Substances or materials that can potentially threaten the well-being of individuals, the security of property, or the state of the environment when being stored, handled, or transported due to their composition of flammable, pressurized, corrosive, or otherwise hazardous substances.
These items, which may be innocuous while resting on shelves in homes or stores, can pose a potential danger when subjected to movements, temperature changes, and pressure fluctuations. Such risks are likely to occur during product transportation, storage, and handling.
How does Amazon’s Hazmat policy affect you?
When we list a new item and convert it to Fulfillment by Amazon, a prompt asks if the product is categorized as a ‘Dangerous Good’. If the seller answers “YES,” the procedure for screening hazardous items will commence, and this process will take a minimum of 3 business days.
If the answer is “NO”, the listing will be converted to FBA. However, Amazon reserves the right to flag the item as HAZMAT in the future if they find any evidence
There can be a situation where Amazon can flag products as Hazmat, which are already being sold on Amazon, and this situation can be much more troublesome and frustrating! This happens because Amazon system regularly reviews all products being sold on the platform and flags the product as Hazmat based on the specifications
No product category seems to be safe!
The Amazon system can flag any product belonging to any category, even “Clothes, Shoes & Jewelry” and “Sports & Outdoors,” as Hazardous and ask for documentation.
List of Hazardous and prohibited items
Hazmat and the Health and Beauty category on Amazon
There has been a slight increase in the enforcement of regulations on individual items, particularly in this specific category. This could be attributed to the fact that many of these products contain ingredients currently included on Amazon’s constantly evolving Hazmat list.
Products in this category can be challenging to store and handle. They are typically used on the skin or consumed orally. Most of these products come in liquids, gels, or semi-solids, making them susceptible to damage during transportation or prolonged storage.
Given the importance of these products and this category, Amazon prioritizes them as their primary focus when reviewing Hazmat specifications on a product-by-product basis.
How the Hazmat Process Works
Amazon can identify and flag any product, even if it has been available on their platform for an extended period. Amazon has a weird system in place to look for Hazmat products, and on many occasions, they target irrelevant items. There have been situations where a seller offered three different sizes of the same product, and Amazon only flagged one size. The other two listings were active, and everything was the same for the products apart from the size. This is how Amazon works!
This process can take days, weeks, and even months; the listing will remain inactive, and sellers have to face financial loss; however, patience is the only option here.
What do you do if this happens to you?
Once any seller faces such a situation, they need to reinstate the product through a process that includes submitting appeals, providing comprehensive Plan of Action and MSDS reports, and demonstrating unwavering patience.
First and foremost, determine if your product is Hazmat
- Make sure to determine whether your product falls under the regulations of carrier agencies or regulatory bodies like the U.S. Department of Transportation.
- Confirm if the product is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
- Always make sure you are aware of the latest Amazon Hazmat policies
- When purchasing a product directly from a manufacturer, it is important to obtain all the necessary information and reports from the manufacturer. This information will be used to complete the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) that Amazon requires if your product has been flagged.
Any product can be flagged as Hazmat; the only way out is to provide documentation and prove your case.
- Appeal if you have the option
- Open a case with Support
- Get on a call with support
- Provide all documentation they request
- Keep following up
Understanding the process’s purpose and evolution is crucial. Its existence is primarily for the safety and well-being of the employees responsible for product handling. With this in mind, it is essential to be ready to justify and protect our product when dealing with Amazon.
If you have additional questions or want us to help you on your Amazon journey, don’t hesitate to contact the BellaVix Team.
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