As every Amazon seller knows, staying ahead of platform policies is crucial for sellers, especially in industries like dietary supplements, where regulations are stringent. Recently, Amazon announced updates to its policies regarding the sale of dietary supplements, aiming to ensure product safety and compliance. Of course, this comes as an additional burden to brands and third-party sellers. Our team has spent some time familiarizing ourselves with the updates through Seller Central alerts, and Amazon-hosted webinars to put together this comprehensive guide of what you need to know now to be compliant by the deadlines.
Policy Overview
Amazon's new policy requires selling partners to verify that their dietary supplement products meet specific criteria through third-party testing verification. This is to ensure that products offered on the platform meet rigorous standards, including:
- Manufacturing Compliance: Products must be manufactured in facilities compliant with Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs) set forth by the FDA or equivalent standards.
- Contaminant-Free: Products should not contain contaminants that could pose human health risks or regulatory concerns.
- Ingredient Accuracy: Products must contain the ingredients as claimed on the product label, without any undeclared active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).
Targeted Categories
Initially, Amazon will focus its enforcement efforts on three categories within dietary supplements:
- Sexual Enhancement
- Weight Management
- Sports Nutrition/Body Building
While these categories are the primary focus, sellers across all dietary supplement categories should prepare for potential enforcement of these policies in the future.
Compliance Deadlines
The initial compliance deadline for products flagged as requiring testing is July 8th. Sellers should ensure that their products meet the outlined criteria and undergo third-party testing before this date to avoid any disruptions in their listings.
How to Comply
Visit the Seller Central Manage Your Compliance dashboard to check for new/incomplete compliance requests:
For each request, you’ll have the option to provide the requested documents or appeal the request. Upload all required documents or initiate a new test request via this page:
Exclusions and Appeal Process
It's essential to note that these policies apply exclusively to supplements intended for human consumption. Supplements intended for pets, as well as homeopathic items, are excluded from these regulations as of the time of this article. Sellers who believe their products have been erroneously flagged or fall outside the scope of the policy can utilize Amazon's appeal process. While this process can be challenging, there are newly emerging solutions like ASIN reinstatement insurance offered by our Assureful, providing sellers with added protection and support in navigating these intricate tasks.
As Amazon continues to prioritize customer safety and regulatory compliance, sellers in the dietary supplement space must adapt to these evolving policies. By proactively ensuring product compliance, undergoing third-party testing, and exploring support options like ASIN reinstatement insurance, sellers can navigate these changes effectively and maintain a competitive edge in the e-commerce landscape.
While these policy updates may present challenges, they also offer sellers opportunities to demonstrate their commitment to quality and safety. This will ultimately foster trust with customers and drive long-term success on the Amazon platform.
