Marketplaces such as Amazon, Etsy and eBay make the seller responsible for meeting product safety law. They can ask for test reports, certificates of conformity and product information at any time, and they suspend listings that lack them or draw safety complaints. Their exact rules change often, so check each platform's current seller help pages before you list.
Children's jewellery attracts the most scrutiny. Where a product is aimed at children, expect to be asked for a children's product certificate in the US and test reports for lead and cadmium.
What platforms commonly ask for
- Lab test reports for the relevant limits, such as lead, cadmium and nickel.
- A certificate of conformity issued by the importer, such as a CPC for children's products or a GCC for general products in the US.
- Accurate material and plating descriptions in the listing.
- Manufacturer and importer details on the product or packaging.
- In the EU, the name and address of a responsible economic operator based in the EU, required under the General Product Safety Regulation.
How checks are triggered
Most checks are reactive. A listing can be flagged by an automated keyword scan, a customer complaint about a rash or tarnish, a returned item, or a request from an authority. Some categories are gated, meaning a seller must provide documents before listing at all. When a request comes, the seller typically has a short window to respond before the listing is removed.
Words in your listing matter. Calling a plated piece "gold" or "hypoallergenic" without proof invites complaints and removal. Describe the base metal and plating honestly.
Prepare before you list
Build a compliance file for each style before stock arrives: test reports tied to the lot, the material schedule, product photos and your certificate of conformity. If a platform asks, you can upload it the same day. See selling Rajkot jewellery on Amazon, Etsy and Shopify for the wider picture.
Remember that a marketplace check is not a substitute for your own testing. A listing that passes the platform's review can still fail a customs or market surveillance test.
Keep your records for as long as you sell the product and for some years after. A complaint can arrive long after the stock has sold out, and a platform or authority will expect you to show the report that covered that lot. A simple folder per style, holding the report, the material schedule and the packing list, is usually enough.
What this means for a buyer
The paperwork marketplaces want is the same paperwork that protects you at the border, so collect it at the source. Creston & Co works for buyers only, for a fixed fee agreed in writing. We have bulk samples tested at NABL-accredited labs, collect material records from Rajkot workshops and supervise packing. Start with a free sourcing review.