With reference to the CE marking of products placed on the market, attention to market rules is increasingly sharp and constant. This setting also concerns the online sale, especially when using giants as channels of e-commerce like Amazon.
The American multinational, in fact, has defined a series of increasingly reliable and precise product verification and control policies based on the cornerstones of CE Marking and European Declaration of Conformity.
The Duties of Product Sellers on Amazon
As is well known, the CE marking demonstrates that the products marketed comply with the safety, health, and environmental protection standards set by European Community directives. To protect consumers and ensure impeccable levels of rigor and control, Amazon—like several other e-commerce platforms—formally requires sellers to ensure their products comply with applicable EU directives.
This means that sellers who intend to use Amazon as a platform are required to obtain the CE Marking for their products – or to verify that the products they distribute have already obtained it – as well as to display the CE marking in a visible, legible and indelible manner.
Furthermore, regarding documentation, sellers are required to provide Amazon with the European Declaration of Conformity and, if requested, the technical file. These documents, as is well known, must be retained and displayed in the event of inspections by the competent authorities.
Particular attention is paid to the Non-EU sellers, who is asked to disclose a Authorized Representative in Europe that deals with product compliance and platform relations.
Amazon Product Audits and Related Penalties
In order to verify that the products sold through the platform comply with EU directives, Amazon carries out a random check policy extended to all sellers.
In addition to requesting the European Declaration of Conformity in any case, in fact, Amazon's inspection personnel can contact the sellers to request a copy of the CE Certification to be examined to ascertain its veracity.
In case of irregularities, deficiencies or evasion of controls, the product in question is identified as non-compliant with EU requirements and Amazon proceeds with sanctions of varying degrees, depending on the severity of the case and the frequency of the violation.
Amazon employees will therefore be able to remove the product from the platform or the range of products, arriving at suspend the negligent seller's account until they have submitted the correct documentation to respond to the original checks.
This policy, which has become increasingly rigorous over the years, has the objective of protecting Amazon's corporate brand reputation, which is based on a trust relationship with the user. The consumer who purchases through the platform, in fact, has the assurance that the goods on sale meet European standards and that - in the event of non-compliance - a full refund can be made.
The return of image of the CE marking of products
Amazon's corporate reputation is not the only consideration that comes into play during the buying and selling process involving the consumer, the seller, and the e-commerce platform.
The CE marking – in addition to being an obligation – is in fact to be considered an element of value also in the perception of the user-customer who selects a product in the knowledge that they are purchasing an item with high safety and quality standards.
Obtaining the CE Marking on the products is therefore able to strengthen the competitiveness of a company – especially in the case of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) – in the European Single Market which is currently populated by over 125,000 SMEs selling on Amazon.
Obtaining the CE Marking Safely and Easily
To obtain the CE mark on a product, it is necessary to follow a precise procedure that can be carried out quickly and safely by a competent laboratory such as Sicom Testing. This procedure includes identifying the requirements required by the European Community directives for the type of product, followed by the various tests and the testing, to verify that the product complies with the standards.
We continue on to preparation of a technical file which contains the documentation certifying the conformity of the product and the CE mark positioning in a visible, legible and indelible manner. The process ends with the drafting of the EU Declaration of Conformity, an essential document for the sale of the product – online and offline – which ensures its compliance with all legal requirements.
To request further information on this topic, write to info@sicomtesting.com
or call +39 0481 778931.
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Hello, for the importation of Chinese products directly to your home, where is the conformity required? in China or in the countries of destination? goods
Good morning,
Conformity checks can also be carried out in China but must be conducted in accordance with the directives, regulations and technical standards applicable in the importing country.
The importer placing the product on the market always has the ultimate legal responsibility for ensuring that the product complies with the applicable regulatory requirements of the destination market — regardless of where the testing is performed.
When purchasing products directly from China by a private individual, no pre-shipment checks are performed: only random checks are performed at customs. If the product is found to be non-compliant (for example, missing the CE marking or presenting safety risks), it may be blocked or rejected by customs authorities.
The private individual can therefore purchase the product, but assumes the risk in the event of non-compliance or failure to comply with European standards.
Best regards
Sicom Testing
Hello, I purchased a JWS camper window on the Amazon platform, the window arrived without CE certification, is it possible to request the relevant CE documentation from JWS? What should I do?
Good morning,
The manufacturer is required to provide documentation relating to the conformity of the product to the market control authorities, but is not obliged to provide it to consumers.
Best regards
Sicom Test