Overview

Amazon flags certain products as "potentially hazardous" during the returns process, which directly impacts how seller-fulfilled returns are handled. If you sell items that contain chemicals, flammable materials, or other hazmat-classified substances, you need to understand how this designation affects your return workflow and what steps are required to process these returns safely and compliantly.

Key Points / What Sellers Need to Know

• Hazardous designation is assigned at ASIN creation — Amazon's systems screen products during the initial ASIN setup and flag items that may contain potentially hazardous materials. This classification is not something sellers can easily change after the fact.
• Prepaid return labels are not available — ASINs flagged as potentially hazardous are ineligible for Amazon's standard prepaid return shipping labels, meaning sellers must coordinate shipping arrangements directly with buyers.
• Manual authorization is required — Unlike standard returns that can be auto-approved, potentially hazardous returns require sellers to manually review and authorize each return request before the customer can ship the product back.
• Sellers retain discretion over these returns — Amazon leaves the decision of whether to accept a potentially hazardous return up to the seller, giving you control over whether your facility can safely receive the item.
• FBA handles some hazmat returns differently — For FBA orders, Amazon supports auto-authorization of certain hazardous items and will generate prepaid shipping labels, so this manual process primarily affects seller-fulfilled orders.

How the Potentially Hazardous Designation Works

When you create an ASIN on Amazon, the platform's automated systems evaluate the product to determine if it falls into a potentially hazardous category. Common examples include items like nail polish, cleaning chemicals, batteries, aerosol sprays, and other products that may contain flammable, corrosive, or otherwise regulated materials. Once an ASIN receives this flag, it is marked with a warning indicator visible in your returns management workflow. This designation follows the ASIN permanently and applies across all sellers offering that product. The screening process is part of Amazon's broader compliance framework for handling materials that are subject to shipping regulations.