Hazmat
Also known as: Dangerous Goods, Hazardous Materials
Hazmat (dangerous goods) are products with flammable, pressurized, corrosive, or battery-containing components that require special FBA handling, storage, and review before they can be sold.
Amazon classifies many everyday products as dangerous goods (hazmat): items containing lithium batteries, aerosols, flammable liquids, magnets, compressed gases, or corrosive/toxic chemicals. This covers far more than obvious chemicals — electronics, some cosmetics, cleaning supplies, and supplements can all be flagged.
Before FBA will accept a hazmat product, the unit must pass a dangerous-goods review, which usually requires a safety data sheet (SDS) or an exemption sheet from the manufacturer. Hazmat units are stored in separate, limited FC space and carry their own (higher) fulfillment-fee rate card, and they face tighter inbound and storage constraints.
Unreviewed or misclassified hazmat is a major source of stranded inventory — units that arrive but cannot be sold until paperwork clears. Always confirm a product's dangerous-goods status and have the SDS ready before sending it to FBA.
A seller sends a shipment of battery-powered LED lights to FBA. The units are flagged as dangerous goods and held until the seller uploads the manufacturer's lithium-battery exemption sheet, after which they become sellable.