Selling Cologne On Amazon: Hazmat Insurance Needed?

Amazon has a strict set of guidelines for selling products that contain hazardous materials, known as the HazMat program. These are products that are dangerous or potentially harmful to people and the environment. The HazMat program ensures the safety of Amazon's fulfillment center operations and compliance with legal regulations.

If you're selling cologne on Amazon, it's important to know whether it falls under the HazMat category. While cologne may not seem like a dangerous product, it contains chemicals and alcohol that could be classified as hazardous.

To sell HazMat products on Amazon, you must go through the Amazon HazMat review process, which includes submitting a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) or an SDS Exemption Sheet if your product is not classified as dangerous goods. Additionally, you must comply with Amazon's guidelines for labeling, packaging, and shipping these products.

So, if you're planning to sell cologne on Amazon, make sure to research and follow all the necessary steps to ensure compliance with their HazMat policies.

What is HazMat in Amazon?

When most people think of HazMat (hazardous materials) they think of nuclear reactors or biochemical weapons. However, some mundane products fall under this category on Amazon, such as cleaning products, cameras, and other electronic devices that require batteries. Amazon requires sellers to comply with all regulations related to HazMat products to build trust with customers by ensuring safety.

Hazardous materials, also known as HazMat, refer to substances that pose a risk to people, property, or the environment due to their chemical, physical, or biological nature. These can include:

• Flammable, combustible, or explosive substances
• Corrosive or oxidizing agents
• Toxic, poisonous, or infectious agents
• Radioactive materials
• Other chemicals and compounds with hazardous properties

Amazon's HazMat Policies

Amazon has strict policies around HazMat products to prevent harm. Mishandling can result in chemical burns, fires, explosions, poisoning, radiation exposure, environmental damage, and more. If you want to sell HazMat goods on Amazon, you must:

• Correctly label and package products
• Store in a safe, approved manner
• Keep away from people and animals
• Not allow opened/damaged packaging or consumption on-site
• Ship using proper HazMat transportation methods

Tips for Handling HazMat on Amazon

• Classify items using Amazon's guidelines
• Consult Safety Data Sheets for classifications
• Enroll in the Dangerous Goods Program
• Follow all packaging, labeling, and storage regulations
• Use compatible containers to avoid leaks/damage
• Separate flammables and corrosives in approved areas

Amazon's Dangerous Goods Review Process

If you want to sell HazMat products through Amazon FBA, you need to submit items for a special review to get approved. This involves providing details on classifications, packaging, storage, transportation methods, safety data, and compliance. Amazon has a Dangerous Goods team ready to review each ASIN converted to FBA. The team works with catalog intel provided by the sellers, so you must provide accurate and complete listing data.

Consequences of Non-Compliance

Failing to comply with HazMat regulations can result in major fines or even criminal charges in some cases. Additionally, incorrect or incomplete data may result in sales blockages, and merchants could lose their selling privileges on Amazon.

What counts as an Amazon HazMat or dangerous good?

Amazon's HazMat program is designed to ensure the safety of its fulfillment center operations and compliance with legal regulations. Amazon has a comprehensive list of products that are considered hazardous and require special handling, storage, and shipping.

• Lithium batteries
• Aerosol sprays
• Chemical-based products
• Magnets
• Electronics with batteries
• Flammable liquids
• Foods in pressurized containers
• Tape, adhesives, and glue
• Markers and highlighters
• Pet flea and tick control products
• Automotive care products
• Battery-operated toys
• Kids' building kits and chemistry sets

These items fall under the category of HazMat, which stands for "hazardous materials." They are considered dangerous or potentially harmful to people and the environment.

If you are selling a product on Amazon that is classified as HazMat, you will need to go through the Amazon HazMat review process. This process is designed to ensure that your product meets Amazon's safety standards. It is important to note that the review process can take up to four business days, and you may be required to submit additional documentation.

As an Amazon seller, it is your responsibility to comply with all local, national, and international HazMat regulations and to ensure that your products are properly labeled and packaged.

How does selling HazMat goods via Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) work?

If you want to sell goods that are classified as hazardous materials (HazMat) on Amazon, you must follow the platform's FBA Dangerous Goods Program. This program ensures that harmful products are stored, handled, and shipped safely, protecting workers and customers.

Identifying HazMat Products

First, you need to identify whether your product is classified as a HazMat product. This is usually straightforward and can be done by looking up the product's Amazon Standard Identification Number (ASIN) in Seller Central. You can also check the product's Safety Data Sheet (SDS), which is provided by the manufacturer and includes the product's hazard classification.

FBA Dangerous Goods Program

Once you have confirmed that your product is a HazMat, you can apply to join the FBA Dangerous Goods Program in Seller Central. There is currently a waitlist for interested sellers in the US. To join the waitlist, you must:

• Log in to Seller Central.
• Go to "Manage Dangerous Goods Classification."
• Choose the "FBA Dangerous Goods program" option.
• Click on "Apply to the FBA Dangerous Goods program."

Some sellers are added to the waitlist automatically if their stored products get reclassified as dangerous goods. Once accepted into the program, Amazon will transfer your items to a warehouse qualified to handle HazMat goods.

Documentation

For any product classified as a dangerous good, you are required to provide proper documentation. This usually means supplying the product's SDS. For some batteries or battery-powered products, you may be able to provide an exemption sheet instead.

Storage and Shipping

There are two main categories for storing HazMat items: flammable and aerosol. Amazon will only store such items in limited quantities to protect employees. Sellers can check their HazMat product storage limits on Seller Central in the storage monitor section, accessible through Shipping Queue and Inventory Performance.

Amazon has monthly FBA fees to store dangerous goods, which are calculated based on the type of HazMat item and the volume it will take up in the warehouses.

Certain HazMat goods are not eligible for FBA storage and shipping, but you can still sell them on Amazon if you manage the fulfillment and delivery yourself.

HazMat Review Process

Amazon has a Dangerous Goods team that reviews each ASIN converted to FBA. They work with the catalog information provided by the sellers, so you must provide accurate and complete listing data. This includes a detailed description of the product.

If all the information is complete, the review process will take two business days. Then, sellers can use FBA to store and ship their products.

If items are flagged as possible dangerous goods while already stocked in the warehouse, Amazon grants 14 business days to meet the product safety compliance requirements. Failure to do so could result in delayed shipments, canceled deliveries, and stock disposal.

HazMat Impact on Sales

If Amazon notifies you that your product is classified as a dangerous good, your sales will be impacted. Amazon typically pauses your listing while they request additional documentation. This process can take around 4-5 weeks, including the time it takes to get the necessary approvals and for Amazon to ship your products to an FBA facility equipped to handle HazMat products.

How do I know if my product is classified as HazMat?

To know if your product is classified as HazMat, you can refer to the following methods:

Firstly, you can check the ASIN classifications in Amazon's Seller Central. This will help you identify any dangerous goods among your listings.

Secondly, you can refer to the product's Safety Data Sheet (SDS), previously known as the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). The SDS is a document provided by the product's manufacturer that includes the hazard classification of each item. The SDS can often be found on the manufacturer's website or by searching the product name alongside 'SDS' or 'MSDS'.

Additionally, certain product types are more likely to be classified as HazMat. These include:

• Battery-powered electronics
• Oil-based or chemical products
• Products containing certain ingredients or substances, such as lithium batteries
• Cosmetics and makeup
• Pest control products
• Pressurized containers
• Automotive care products
• Foods in pressurized containers
• Tape, adhesives, and glue
• Markers and highlighters
• Pet flea and tick control products
• Aquarium glass cleaners and water treatment products
• Battery-operated toys
• Kids’ building kits and chemistry sets

It is important to note that this is not an exhaustive list, and other products may also be classified as HazMat.

By using these methods, you can identify whether your product is classified as HazMat and take the necessary steps to ensure safe storage, handling, transportation, and usage.

What is the FBA Dangerous Goods HazMat Program?

Amazon has created the FBA Dangerous Goods Program to ensure the protection of its workers and customers when they come into contact with potentially harmful products. Hazardous materials, or Hazmat goods, contain materials that may pose a health and safety risk to people if not handled correctly.

Amazon has a duty of care to ensure that Hazmat products are stored, handled, and shipped in a safe manner, which is the main reason the FBA Dangerous Goods Program exists. Many items considered Hazmat products are normal, everyday items, such as laptops, cameras, cell phones, and tablet devices.

There are nine different classes of hazardous materials, with each class containing different products and materials sorted into divisions. Not all classes are prohibited on Amazon, but there are many divisions within each class that are considered dangerous goods and cannot be sold on Amazon.

• Log in to Seller Central.
• Go to "Manage Dangerous Goods Classification."
• Select the FBA Dangerous Goods program option.
• Click "Apply to the FBA Dangerous Goods program."

It is important to note that there is a waitlist for interested sellers to join the program, and Amazon will notify merchants when they can take part. Once enrolled, Amazon will transfer your items to a warehouse qualified to handle Hazmat goods.

Sellers must also be aware of the additional costs and efforts involved in selling Hazmat products on Amazon. Hazmat inventory must be processed in specialized fulfillment centers and fulfilled with extra care.

Frequently asked questions