Amazon GPSR Compliance: Essential Guide for EU Sellers to Avoid Penalties
Introduction
Selling on Amazon in the European Union (EU) has always been a competitive endeavour, but the introduction of the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) has added a new layer of complexity. This regulation mandates that sellers provide comprehensive compliance documentation for every ASIN across all EU marketplaces. Missing these requirements can result in deactivated listings, revenue loss, and harm to customer trust.
Navigating GPSR compliance may seem daunting, but with Autron and ComplyGPSR, sellers now have a solution to make compliance easier, more efficient, and stress-free. Whether you manage a small inventory or a massive product catalogue, our tools help simplify the compliance process so you can focus on scaling your business.
What Is GPSR and Why Is It Critical for Amazon Sellers?
The General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) replaces the General Product Safety Directive (GPSD) as of December 13, 2024. It applies to non-food products sold in the EU and sets out clear expectations for manufacturers, importers, and distributors, including those selling on platforms like Amazon.
At its core, the GPSR ensures that products made available to EU consumers are safe and well-documented. Compliance requires sellers to provide:
Technical documentation to prove product safety.
Details of the manufacturer and the EU Responsible Person, particularly if the manufacturer is located outside the EU.
Safety warnings and user instructions in the language of the target marketplace.
Private-label sellers face additional responsibilities since the GPSR considers them manufacturers if they rebrand or modify a product significantly. They must assume the burden of compliance, which includes gathering technical documentation and appointing an EU Responsible Person to oversee product safety.
Key Challenges in Achieving GPSR Compliance
Understanding GPSR requirements is only the beginning. Implementing them can be fraught with challenges, especially for sellers managing extensive product catalogues.
Manual Documentation Submissions
Amazon’s compliance portal requires sellers to upload compliance documents for every ASIN manually. For sellers with large inventories, this is not only time-intensive but prone to errors.
Complex Documentation Requirements
Each product must have a detailed set of documents, including safety attestations and technical specifications. These must be tailored to the requirements of each marketplace, including language-specific safety instructions.
Coordinating with Manufacturers
For sellers working with international suppliers, ensuring that the manufacturer provides necessary details (e.g., technical documentation or appointing an EU Responsible Person) can be a logistical challenge.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
Missing deadlines or incomplete submissions can result in listing deactivations, leading to revenue disruptions and potential customer dissatisfaction.
Step-by-Step Guide to GPSR Compliance
If you’re looking to ensure compliance with GPSR, here’s a clear roadmap to follow:
Assess Your Product Portfolio
Review all your ASINs and determine which fall under the GPSR. If your products are sold to EU consumers, they must comply with the regulation.
Secure the Necessary Documentation
Work with manufacturers to gather:
Safety attestations and technical specifications.
EU Responsible Person details, especially if the manufacturer is outside the EU.
Market-specific safety warnings in the appropriate language.
Organise Documentation for Bulk Upload
For sellers managing thousands of ASINs, organisation is key. Use categorisation to tag documents by product type, marketplace, and required compliance details. Consider platforms that allow Amazon GPSR bulk upload functionality to save time.
Submit Documents
Upload documents to Amazon’s compliance portal or use tools that streamline the process to minimise errors. Ensure that all fields, such as manufacturer contact details and product warnings, are accurately filled.
Monitor Your Compliance Status
Regularly review the status of your ASINs in Amazon’s compliance dashboard. Address flagged issues immediately to prevent listing removals.
Real-World Example: Gemondo Jewellery
Gemondo Jewellery, a leading seller with over 10,000 ASINs across EU marketplaces, faced significant challenges with GPSR compliance.
The Problem: The manual process of submitting documentation for thousands of ASINs was overwhelming, and coordinating with manufacturers for compliance documentation was time-consuming.
The Solution: By leveraging a compliance management tool with bulk upload functionality, Gemondo streamlined its documentation submissions, ensuring all ASINs were updated with the required compliance information.
The Result: Gemondo avoided any listing deactivations during peak sales seasons, saving hundreds of hours in manual work and maintaining uninterrupted revenue flow.
How Autron + ComplyGPSR Simplifies the Process
While compliance requires effort, tools like Autron + ComplyGPSR can make the process significantly easier. Here’s how:
Centralised Dashboard
Monitor the compliance status of all your ASINs across EU marketplaces in one place. This dashboard enables sellers to identify missing documents, track flagged issues, and submit updates quickly.
2. Automated Submission Functionality
Manually submitting documents using Amazon's portal is inefficient, tedious and frustrating. Autron + ComplyGPSR supports bulk uploads and automated submission to Amazon’s compliance portal, saving time and reducing the risk of errors.
3. Proactive Alerts
Receive notifications about incomplete submissions, upcoming deadlines, or newly flagged compliance issues to stay ahead of potential problems.
4. Support for Manufacturers and EU Responsible Person
Our platform provides clear instructions and tools to help you coordinate with manufacturers and ensure the EU Responsible Person is appointed where required.
5. Scalability for All Business Sizes
Whether you’re managing a handful of ASINs or an expansive catalogue, Autron + ComplyGPSR is designed to scale with your needs.
Why Compliance Is a Competitive Advantage
Meeting GPSR requirements is not just a regulatory obligation—it’s a competitive advantage:
Protect Listings: Avoid deactivations that can disrupt sales and damage your reputation.
Enhance Customer Trust: Demonstrating a commitment to product safety builds credibility and improves customer satisfaction.
Stay Ahead of Competitors: While others struggle with compliance, your business remains operational and compliant, capturing market share.
Take the Next Step
GPSR compliance may seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. With Autron + ComplyGPSR, you can simplify the process, safeguard your listings, and stay focused on growing your business.
Contact us today to see how we can help with compliance for your business.
Jamie Mann
Co-founder of ComplyGPSR
Jan 12, 2025