Amazon Seller Compliance Documents
As an Amazon seller, it's your responsibility to ensure that the products you sell comply with all applicable laws and regulations. That includes Amazon's own policies and guidelines. To help sellers stay compliant, Amazon requires sellers to submit certain documents for specific products.
Amazon seller compliance documents are important because they help to ensure that the products sold on Amazon are safe for consumers.
In this post, we will give you a complete guide about Amazon compliance documents.
Related: Amazon Account Health: A Guide for FBA Sellers
Amazon Product Policy Compliance - Guide For Sellers
What Are Amazon Compliance Documents?
Amazon compliance documents are documents that sellers must submit to prove that their products meet all applicable safety and regulatory requirements. These documents are required for certain products, such as toys, electronics, food, and medical devices.
Amazon compliance documents help ensure that the products sold on Amazon are safe for consumers. By requiring sellers to submit these documents, Amazon can help reduce the risk of product recalls and other safety hazards.
Typically, you must submit compliance documents for certain products if you list a new ASIN on Amazon or if the safety requirements changed. It is essential to provide compliance documents promptly. If these documents are missing, Amazon may suspend your listing and destroy your products in the fulfillment center. Also, if you sell internationally, such products will be stopped at customs.
Related: What Is Amazon Seller ID? How to Find Seller ID on Amazon
Building Reputation for Amazon Store - Everything Sellers Need to Know
Examples of Amazon compliance documents
There are many different types of compliance documents. That is because consumer product regulations and safety standards are complex and diverse. They significantly vary across categories and geographies. They are constantly changing, often in response to new products coming to market.
Examples of Amazon compliance documents
- Children's Product Certificate (CPC);
- General Certificate of Conformity (GCC);
- Test reports from an accredited laboratory;
- Proof of insurance;
- Letters of authorization from manufacturers;
- Safety Data Sheets (SDS).
Related: How to Use an Amazon Prep Center to Enhance Your Business
Do You Need a Business License to Sell on Amazon?
Why Can Amazon Ask for Compliance Documents?
Amazon can ask for compliance documents for a variety of reasons. The most frequent of the reasons to provide compliance documents are listed below.
Related: What is the Amazon Request a Review Button?
How Does Amazon FBA Work. Is Amazon FBA worth it?
New product compliance
Amazon may require you to provide compliance documents to ensure the new ASINs you list comply with all applicable safety and regulatory requirements. For example, Amazon requires sellers to submit test reports and Children's Product Certificates (CPCs) for all children's products sold on the platform.
Routine compliance check
Documents may be needed to conduct routine compliance checks on existing products. Amazon can do this at any time, regardless of whether or not compliance documents were required at the time of listing. That is necessary to help ensure that all products sold on Amazon meet the company's high safety and quality standards.
Related: Amazon FBA Selling Tips for 2024
2024 Important Dates Amazon FBA: Key Dates for Amazon Sellers
Safety issue investigation
You may need to provide documents because Amazon investigates safety issues reported by customers. Suppose Amazon receives a report about a potential safety issue with a product. In that case, the company may request compliance documents from the seller to verify that the product meets all applicable safety standards.
New category requirements
Amazon may update its compliance requirements for specific product categories over time. For example, Amazon recently began requiring compliance documents from sellers of backpacks, as the company now defines all backpacks as suitable for children and, therefore, subject to the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA).
Product claim verification
If a seller claims that their product has certain characteristics, such as being anti-bacterial or pain-relieving, Amazon may request documentation to support these claims. That is to help ensure sellers are not making misleading or false statements about their products.
Related: What is Amazon Seller Account Health Rating?
What is A-to-Z Claim Amazon - Complete Guide for Sellers
When Do You Need to Provide Compliance Documents?
Not all sellers need to submit compliance documents to Amazon. However, sellers must provide documentation for products subject to international or local regulations or that belong to Amazon's restricted product categories.
Related: How to Check Product Restrictions on Amazon?
Legal requirements
Some products fall under international, federal, state, or local regulations. It is essential to research the applicable regulations before listing your products on Amazon and get all the necessary documents.
The types of products where you may need to submit compliance documents to Amazon include children's products, food products, pesticides, medical devices, cosmetics, products that contain certain chemicals, and products that claim to have certain characteristics, such as being anti-bacterial or pain-relieving.
Related: Amazon Inventory Management
Online Arbitrage Unit Economics: How To Calculate It
Examples of U.S. legal regulations for products
Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA)
This law requires manufacturers and importers to test their products for safety and to keep records of their testing results. Sellers of children's products are required to submit a Children's Product Certificate (CPC) to Amazon before listing their products.
Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (FPLA)
This law requires food and other products to be labeled accurately and informatively. Sellers of food products are required to submit a test report from an accredited laboratory to Amazon before listing their products.
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)
This law regulates the sale and distribution of pesticides. Sellers of products claiming pesticide properties must submit a test report from an accredited laboratory to Amazon before listing their products.
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA)
This law sets the safety regulations for food, drugs, and cosmetics. Sellers of products that claim to have medical or therapeutic properties should submit documentation to Amazon to support their claims.
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
This law regulates the manufacture, distribution, and use of chemicals. Sellers of products that contain certain chemicals may be required to submit documentation to Amazon to support their compliance with TSCA.
Related: Amazon Order Defect Rate (ODR): All You Need to Know
What is Amazon FBM and How Does it Work?
Amazon restricted products
In addition to legal regulations, Amazon has its own product restrictions for specific categories and products. Such items can be restricted for a variety of reasons, including safety and customer protection.
Sellers who wish to sell restricted products must apply for approval from Amazon. The approval process varies depending on the product category. To be approved, you may need to provide different Amazon seller compliance documents. For example, sellers who wish to sell toys and children's products must submit a Children's Product Certificate (CPC). Sellers who want to sell medical devices must submit a letter of authorization from the manufacturer.
Once a seller has been approved to sell a restricted product, they must comply with all applicable Amazon policies and regulations. For example, sellers must ensure that their products are appropriately labeled and have adequate inventory to meet customer demand.
Related: The Most Important Amazon Seller Metrics for FBA Businesses
Amazon IP Complaint: What Amazon Sellers Need to Know About
How to Know that You Need Compliance Documents?
Amazon sellers are responsible for complying with all product regulations and standards. Before listing products on Amazon, you must check if you need to provide compliance documents.
There are several ways to know if you need to provide compliance documents to Amazon. You can check the product listing requirements in Amazon’s Compliance Reference tool or do your own research. You can also use Amazon-approved third-party providers that can help with certification, testing, and getting the necessary documents for your products.
Related: Top Amazon Product Categories
Amazon Return Policy for Sellers - All You Need To Know
What is the Compliance Reference tool?
Amazon's Compliance Reference tool is a self-service tool that helps sellers identify and understand the compliance requirements that apply to their products.
Sellers can use the Compliance Reference tool to determine whether or not their products are subject to any compliance requirements, understand the specific requirements that apply to their products, and identify the documentation they need to submit to Amazon. The Compliance Reference tool is available to all Amazon sellers in Seller Central.
Related: Seller Assistant App Extension Review
Seller Assistant App — the Ultimate Tool for Amazon Online Arbitrage
How to use the Compliance Reference tool
Step 1. To access the Compliance Reference tool, go to Performance > Account Health.
Step 2. Scroll down to find Manage Your Compliance, and click Product Compliance Requests.
Related: Amazon FBA Fees
Customer Service by Amazon: All You Need to Know
Step 3. In the upper menu, select the Compliance Reference tab.
Step 4. Read and confirm the disclaimer, and get to the Compliance Reference tool.
Step 5. Enter the region you ship from and the store where you want to sell.
Step 6. Find your product by category and keywords or by entering the HS (Harmonized System) code.
Related: How to Sell on Amazon as an Individual Seller - Complete Guide
13 Rules of OA Product Research Tested by Pain and Gain of Amazon Seller
Step 7. You will see what compliance documents you need. Check if you have all the necessary compliance documents and upload them.
Step 8. If you don’t have any documents, the tool will show the list of providers that may help you get them.
Related: What is Amazon IP Complaint? How to Avoid IP Complaints
What Is Manage Your Compliance Dashboard?
The Manage Your Compliance dashboard is a self-service tool in Seller Central that helps sellers manage their compliance with Amazon's policies and requirements. The dashboard provides a centralized view of all compliance-related tasks.
Sellers can use the Manage Your Compliance dashboard to upload compliance documents to Amazon, track the status of compliance submissions, identify and resolve compliance issues, and stay up-to-date on Amazon's compliance requirements.
You can find the Manage Your Compliance dashboard in your Amazon Seller Central menu. Go to Performance > Account Health.
Scroll down to find Manage Your Compliance and click Product Compliance Requests. That will bring you to the Manage Your Compliance dashboard.
Related: Amazon Product Recall: All You Need to Know
Amazon Brand Registry: Step-by-step Guide
How to upload compliance documents?
Amazon will inform you if you need to upload compliance documents. On the Manage Your Compliance dashboard, you may see a warning message stating that your products require safety documents.
In the upper menu of the Manage Your Compliance dashboard, click the Upload File for Compliance tab.
If you need to upload multiple documents for different products, download a template from Amazon and add the documents.
Related: Amazon Account Health Assurance
What Is The Cart Abandonment And How To Decrease It?
How to Deal with Amazon Compliance Issues?
If Amazon informs you about a compliance violation, you must deal with it ASAP. If you don’t do it, Amazon may deactivate incompliant listings or destroy your products in the fulfillment centers. To deal with Amazon compliance issues, you can follow these steps.
Related: Amazon RMA: Everything Sellers Need To Know
Amazon Listing Hijacking: How to Remove Hijacker from Amazon Listing?
Dealing with Amazon compliance issues step-by-step
Step 1. Identify the compliance issue. Amazon will notify you of any compliance issues through your Manage Your Compliance dashboard.
Step 2. Gather the required documentation. The type of documentation required will vary depending on the compliance issue.
Step 3. Submit the required documentation to Amazon within 48 hours (or other Amazon’s deadline). You can submit compliance documentation through the Manage Your Compliance dashboard.
Step 4. Monitor the status of your submission. You can check the status of your compliance submission through the Manage Your Compliance dashboard. Amazon will typically review compliance submissions within 2-3 business days, but it can take up to 7 days.
Step 5. Address any additional compliance issues. If Amazon requests additional documentation or information, you must submit it within the specified timeframe.
Related: Amazon Return Policy for Sellers - All You Need To Know
Amazon Restricted Products: Complete Guide for Sellers
FAQ
What is compliance documents Amazon?
Compliance documents are documents that Amazon requires sellers to submit to prove that their products meet all applicable safety and regulatory requirements. These documents are required for certain products, such as toys, electronics, food, and medical devices.
What are the Amazon product requirements?
Amazon product requirements are the standards that products must meet in order to be sold on the Amazon platform. These requirements vary depending on the product category, but they typically include requirements for product safety, labeling, and packaging.
What is product approval on Amazon?
Product approval on Amazon is the process by which sellers obtain permission from Amazon to sell certain products on the platform. Amazon requires approval for products that fall into restricted categories, or that need special documentation, such as safety certificates.
What is Manage Your Compliance dashboard?
The Manage Your Compliance dashboard is a tool in Amazon Seller Central that helps sellers manage their compliance with Amazon's policies and requirements. It provides a centralized view of all compliance-related tasks, such as submitting compliance documents and tracking the status of submissions.
Related: How To Get Ungated On Amazon In 2023
How to Use an Amazon Prep Center to Enhance Your Business
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, Amazon Seller Compliance Documents are an essential part of selling on the Amazon platform. By submitting the required documentation, sellers can help Amazon ensure that the products sold on its platform are safe and meet all applicable requirements.
If you are an Amazon seller, it is essential to stay up-to-date on Amazon's compliance requirements and to submit the required documentation promptly. By doing so, you can ensure that your product listings are active and compliant.
You can also identify and avoid problematic products on Amazon. You can do that with Seller Assistant App. That is a powerful product research browser extension that helps Amazon FBA sellers find the most profitable products to sell. It provides all the necessary data right on the Amazon search and product pages, including a Profit Calculator for FBM and FBA sales, a Quick View of product information, a Stock Checker, a Restrictions Checker, and many other valuable features.