Standards Required To Sell In Beauty Category On Amazon
08 January 2019
To help you more easily navigate the requirements of selling health and beauty products on Amazon, we’ve listed the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions we hear about this process.
It’s no secret that the health and beauty sector is a booming industry. Items such as cosmetics, skin and hair care products that make up the bulk of the beauty market account for approximately $445 billion in annual sales. To put the industry’s popularity into further perspective, in the U.S. alone, the only category consumers spend more money on than health and beauty items is food.
This means while a few years ago, you could find a plethora of beauty products from small independent sellers on Amazon, today’s products are more likely to come from far more vetted sources. This is likely because Amazon wants to bolster its reputation for being a trustworthy source for all things health and beauty related.
Naturally, wanting to ensure good quality control and avoid any counterfeiting issues is understandable for Amazon, as well as for its sellers and buyers. As we’ve seen, there’s a great deal at stake here — including consumers’ health. But it also makes good business sense since, as recent research predicts, the dietary supplement market will be worth more than $278 billion by the year 2024.
Amazon Seller Central lists a compliance checklist for businesses that want to sell items in the cosmetics and skin/hair care category. It includes requirements for packaging, labeling, detail pages and ingredients.
Of course, as with so many things in the business world, there are steps that independent manufacturers and sellers may need outside help with — and one of those areas involves obtaining the necessary certifications. Fortunately, this is where NQA — one of the world’s most noted ISO certification bodies — can assist. NQA conducts certification audits professionally and with no hidden fees, so you get precisely the compliance services you need.
To help you more easily navigate the requirements of selling health and beauty products on Amazon, we’ve listed the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions we hear about this process.
Amazon currently classifies these items under Health & Personal Care products:
Products are not iso certified – we certify businesses!! Product certification would be CE marking – we don’t do that
Sellers and distributors are not issued a GMP certification directly. However, they may ask a manufacturer of the goods they sell and/or distribute to supply them with a copy of the manufacturer’s current GMP.
While the Health and Beauty categories on Amazon are no longer gated overall, several subcategories are gated and require a specific verification process. These subcategories include the following items:
Amazon Increases Sales Of Health And Beauty Products
Of course, when it comes to selling anything these days, Amazon is the primary choice for online sales. But this is where things can get complicated for a number of reasons. First and foremost, Amazon is venturing into the health and beauty market with noticeable energy. In June 2018, the company acquired medication dose packaging and delivery service PillPack. In the second quarter of the same year, its beauty product sales increased 26 percent to reach a total of $950 million.This means while a few years ago, you could find a plethora of beauty products from small independent sellers on Amazon, today’s products are more likely to come from far more vetted sources. This is likely because Amazon wants to bolster its reputation for being a trustworthy source for all things health and beauty related.
Naturally, wanting to ensure good quality control and avoid any counterfeiting issues is understandable for Amazon, as well as for its sellers and buyers. As we’ve seen, there’s a great deal at stake here — including consumers’ health. But it also makes good business sense since, as recent research predicts, the dietary supplement market will be worth more than $278 billion by the year 2024.
What Is Needed To Sell On Amazon In The Health And Beauty Category?
For manufacturers and sellers, Amazon’s interest in the health and beauty sector can be seen as a business windfall — so long as they can produce the appropriate paperwork and certifications needed to pass all of Amazon’s seller requirements.Amazon Seller Central lists a compliance checklist for businesses that want to sell items in the cosmetics and skin/hair care category. It includes requirements for packaging, labeling, detail pages and ingredients.
Of course, as with so many things in the business world, there are steps that independent manufacturers and sellers may need outside help with — and one of those areas involves obtaining the necessary certifications. Fortunately, this is where NQA — one of the world’s most noted ISO certification bodies — can assist. NQA conducts certification audits professionally and with no hidden fees, so you get precisely the compliance services you need.
To help you more easily navigate the requirements of selling health and beauty products on Amazon, we’ve listed the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions we hear about this process.
Q: What Documents Are Required To Sell In The Beauty Category On Amazon?
A: While this may seem like a simple enough question, the answer is quite complex. The first thing to understand is that Amazon breaks up health and beauty items into two separate categories that each have their own unique paperwork and certification requirements.Amazon currently classifies these items under Health & Personal Care products:
- Vitamins
- Diet supplements
- Health care products like pain, allergy and cold remedies
- Child care products like skin creams
- Sports products like protein powders and energy drinks
- Makeup
- Adult skin care
- Haircare
- Oral care
- Personal accessories like mirrors, shaving products and toothbrushes
Q: Do My Products Need To Be ISO 9001 Certified For Me To Sell Them On Amazon?
A: In almost all cases, products that are sold on Amazon and intended for health and beauty applications need to be certified as genuine and produced under a recognized quality management system — or QMS. Since ISO 9001 certification for Amazon is predominantly the international standard for organizations looking to certify their QMS, it’s by far the most recognized and accepted certification for manufacturers to obtain. This applies for selling products on Amazon, as well as across all markets, including both online and brick-and-mortar retail outlets.Products are not iso certified – we certify businesses!! Product certification would be CE marking – we don’t do that
Q: Where Do I Get Proof Of GMP?
A: In line with the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, the FDA is responsible for publishing GMP — or Good Manufacturing Practice — regulations. To ensure the protection of consumers of these products, inspectors — like the professionals trained in GMP certification at NQA — conduct inspections of manufacturing equipment, employee training and maintenance procedures to verify that cleanliness, quality and legal compliances are met.Sellers and distributors are not issued a GMP certification directly. However, they may ask a manufacturer of the goods they sell and/or distribute to supply them with a copy of the manufacturer’s current GMP.
Q: Why Are There These Kinds Of Requirements For The Health And Beauty Category?
A: In addition to the overall protection of consumers and Amazon’s desire to strengthen its reputation as a leading health and beauty products supplier, the documents required to sell on Amazon are part of passing the requirements of what the company refers to as “gated” — or restricted — categories and subcategories.While the Health and Beauty categories on Amazon are no longer gated overall, several subcategories are gated and require a specific verification process. These subcategories include the following items:
- Topicals
- Sports nutrition
- OTC medication
- Feminine hygiene
- Contraceptives
- Dietary supplements