Nothing will spike your blood pressure faster than this email from Amazon:

No warning.
No phone call.
Just… poof. Gone.

Sales: $0.
Ads: Still running.
Inventory: Sitting in FBA like it’s on vacation.

If you’re building this on nights and weekends like most of you are — that email feels like a punch in the gut.

Let me tell you about the time it happened to me.

📖 The Day Amazon Thought My Product Was Explosive

A few years ago, I was helping a client sell a simple product:

A leather cleaner and conditioner kit.

Nothing crazy.
No batteries.
No chemicals that glow in the dark.

Just cleaner and a microfiber cloth.

We were doing about 25 sales a day.
Ads were humming.
Reviews were solid.

Then boom.

“ASIN Blocked – Dangerous Goods Review Required.”

Apparently Amazon’s bot saw the word “cleaner” and decided we were shipping rocket fuel.

I wish I was kidding.

😅 First Reaction (Don’t Do This)

My first instinct?

Panic.

I wanted to:

• Open five Seller Support cases

• Blame the supplier

• Rewrite the listing instantly

• Scream into a pillow

But here’s the truth:

When you panic, you make it worse.

Amazon isn’t emotional.
It’s procedural.

So you have to be procedural too.

🔢 Step-by-Step: How I Got the ASIN Back

Here’s exactly what we did.

No fluff.

No guesswork.

1️⃣ Read the Notification Like a Lawyer

Don’t skim it.

Amazon usually tells you:

• What triggered it

• What document they need

• Where to upload it

In our case, they wanted:

• A Safety Data Sheet (SDS)

• Confirmation of chemical classification

This wasn’t a ban.

It was a review.

Huge difference.

2️⃣ Contact the Supplier Immediately

If you sell anything that could even remotely be considered liquid, aerosol, or chemical…

You NEED an SDS on file.

We emailed the manufacturer and asked for:

• Latest SDS

• Product formulation confirmation

• UN transportation classification

Pro tip:

Always get this BEFORE you launch a product.

Not after.

3️⃣ Check the Listing for Trigger Words

Amazon bots scan your:

• Title

• Bullets

• Description

• Backend keywords

Words like:

• Flammable

• Alcohol

• Disinfectant

• Acid

• Chemical

• Spray

Even if your product isn’t hazardous.

In our case?

We had the phrase:

“Deep penetrating chemical formula.”

Guess what we removed immediately? 😅

4️⃣ Submit a Clean, Clear Case

We didn’t rant.

We didn’t beg.

We submitted:

• The SDS

• A short explanation

• Confirmation it was non-hazardous under DOT rules

• A request for reclassification review

Short.

Professional.

Direct.

Remember:

Seller Support agents are overworked.

Make it easy for them to say yes.

5️⃣ Pause Ads (Don’t Burn Cash)

While under review:

• Pause Sponsored Products

• Pause Sponsored Brands

• Stop external traffic

Why?

Because if the listing is suppressed, your money goes nowhere.

Protect your margin.

Always.

⏳ How Long Did It Take?

7 days.

Longest week ever.

But the ASIN came back.

Fully active.

No long-term damage.

Sales resumed within 48 hours.

And here’s the wild part…

After we cleaned up the listing language?

Conversion rate actually improved.

🎯 Big Takeaway

Most Dangerous Goods flags are:

Not personal.
Not permanent.
Not the end.

They are documentation problems.

Amazon runs on compliance.

If you treat your business like a real brand — not a side hustle guessing game — you’ll survive these moments.

And remember…

Most sellers quit when friction hits.

You don’t have to.

🔥 10 FAXs (Frequently Asked Xs)

1. Does this mean I’m banned?
No. Usually it’s just the ASIN under review.

2. Should I delete and relist?
No. That can make it worse.

3. What if my supplier won’t give an SDS?
Red flag. Consider a new supplier.

4. How long does review take?
3–10 days is common.

5. Can I speed it up?
Only by submitting clean docs the first time.

6. Should I open multiple cases?
No. One solid case is better.

7. Will this hurt my account health?
Usually no, if resolved properly.

8. Can keywords trigger this?
Yes. Bots scan language.

9. Should I remove “chemical” words?
If unnecessary, yes.

10. Can it happen again?
Yes — if your listing triggers the bot again.

🧠 Lesson

Amazon is not your friend.

It’s not your enemy either.

It’s a rule engine.

Play by the rules.

Keep your docs tight.

And don’t build a business you don’t fully understand.

💬 My Rule of Thumb

“Hope is not a strategy. Documentation is.”

If this helped you breathe a little easier…

Forward this to a seller friend who needs it 💌

You never know who’s staring at that scary email right now.

—

To fewer heart attacks and more sales 📦

Keep building. Keep learning. Keep selling.

Andy Splichal
Founder & Managing Partner of True Online Presence & Author of the Make Each Click Count Book Series

P.S. If you're tired of wasting money on ads that don’t convert — and you're ready to take your Amazon PPC from “meh” to money machine — let’s chat. I offer done-for-you ad management that actually works (no fluff, just ROI).
📅 Click here to book a call with me — let’s scale this thing 🚀

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