One of the reasons that only 1% of the 30 million companies operating in the U.S. sell overseas are the tight requirements for private goods. To sell private label goods overseas, you need to meet requirements for what buyers expect from products in those countries. Rather than leaving yourself open to legal ramifications, get ahead of lawsuits by following the rules.
Here are some of the most important things to think about selling overseas in the biggest markets.
There's a standard "CE" mark that you'll find on lots of products sold in and around the European Union. This mark shows that products were created to follow the directions that the EU requires for safety and security.
The CE mark shows that the standards for low voltage products and toy safety are in place in these products. The EMC directive and RoHS regulations that need to be followed are regarded when a device lists its CE mark.
It's on products that vary wildly from watches to laptops to children's painting supplies.
The products that don't contain a CE mark include textiles and fabric products. They end up listing their information on tags instead. The EU requires fabrics to list their fiber composition to ensure that fabrics are cared for and no one encounters their allergies accidentally.
If you're making a tech product, it needs to be labeled with WEEE to show that it's to be disposed of within the standards of electronics waste.
As the terms of Brexit are hammered out, keep an eye on regulations if you're producing products sold in the United Kingdom. While it may implement all of the same standards of EU labeling, it's important to know of any changes before they come through the pipeline.
While UK importers won't have to worry about this too much, these kinds of austerity measures often hurt the companies producing from the outside.
While regulations aren't set to change anytime soon, selling in the UK could change at any minute. To stay ahead of changes, ensure you implement RoHS on all of your products. Follow their lead and you'll be sure to be ahead of any changes to their directives.
It's much easier to adapt a production process that's close to what they require now than to wait for changes. Label your products with RoHS to ensure that you're still able to sell in the country for the near future.
Follow these regulations and countries with strong ties to the UK, like Singapore and India, are likely to sell your products without question.
If you're selling your products in Australia and New Zealand, you'll need to ensure to comply with their safety standards. Stamp your products correctly to fit in with other products on shelves in Australian stores and to skip any issues from meeting standards.
Toys and products for kids need to meet standards before they can even arrive inside of these countries' borders.
Any toys for kids 3 years old and up, any paint or painted products containing lead, toys with magnets, or projectiles all entail serious regulations. Any strollers, beds, or cots for kids have a set of hoops to jump through before they're allowed to be sold. Bath toys, water toys, and inflatable toys all need heavy regulations to keep kids safe while they're swimming, bathing, or in the water.
You'll find that it's hard to sell vehicles in Austrailia if they don't meet a series of regulations. Your cars, trucks, and accessories need to have the right kind of labeling before they can be sold in these countries.
If you're making safety equipment for bicycles or the bikes themselves, contact regulators to ensure that you meet the right standards.
In Australia and New Zealand, you'll need to have care labeling and textile properties on the label when you sell things overseas.
For companies that create combustible products or lighters, check their standards before you send anything over.
When you get the chance to sell in Canada, you're opening up your products to a market similar to the U.S. but with different regulations. Most products marketed to people in the U.S. do well in Canada, so long as they're properly tested and labeled.
To export your products to Canada, ensure that you learn about the Consumer Packaging and Labeling Act. If you're making textiles, check out the Textile Labeling Act as well.
Your label needs to have the identity of your prepackaged product on the outside. Name its function or its generic name if it has one. You also need to be accountable by placing your business name or identity on the package.
Labels need to have the right information about a products' quality. Consider age requirements, size, quantity, or material content where applicable. If there are specific origin, performance, or composition details important to the product, those need to be on the label too.
Accurate quantity and weight information of the packaged product must be on the label too.
If you're producing your products overseas, you can't assume those producers know everything about labeling requirements. Instead of putting things into the hands of others, take care of everything yourself.
Labeling is your legal protection. Handle labeling in-house to avoid issues. Take on liability and you'll have control.
At the end of the day, it's up to the company selling the product to handle labeling. Take things into your own hands to be responsible to your customers and clientele.
If you're running your own private label goods company, you're taking on legal ability when you sell overseas. To avoid consumer lawsuits or national regulators, follow the rules from day one.
If you're wondering why you should be spending time and money on the quality of your packaging, here are some reasons why.
Are you looking to launch your new product with packaging that meets all of these goals? If so, then Jansy Packaging is ready to hear from you. Our team has worked with Starbucks, Victoria's Secret, LG, Oakley, QVC, and many other companies to design, develop, and produce packaging that made an impression on their customers.
