Violations and Tightened Punishments for Epidemic Prevention Products
Dear AliExpress sellers,
As the coronavirus pandemic is getting worse globally, China tightens the control of epidemic prevention supplies, especially those for medical use. AliExpress will do utmost to support and ensure compliance of sellers and improve the overall product quality and shopping experience on the platform. Recently, we found some sellers disrupting the market order, such as violating or maliciously evading compliance with AliExpress rules for categorizing epidemic prevention products (i.e. wrong categorization), exaggerated or false description of qualifications (such as CE/FDA/NIOSH certificates) and protection levels (such as KN95/N95/FFP2). Such behavior severely violates the platform rules and prejudices the rights and experience of consumers. We hereby remind all sellers to run business in accordance with the law and the platform rules. AliExpress will inspect sellers for such violations and impose harsher punishments recently, including but not limited to:
1. If a product is listed in violation of the platform rules, AliExpress will remove the product and deduct two points;
2. If a product does not meet the categorization requirements, AliExpress will remove the product and deduct two points;
3. If the product qualifications are fraudulent, AliExpress will remove the product and deduct six points. The platform will also take punitive measures against the seller, including but not limited to: (1) prohibiting it from listing products, (2) freezing its AliExpress account and payment account, and (3) closing its AliExpress account. For users whose AliExpress accounts are closed, AliExpress reserves the right to prevent the user from signing up for AliExpress again.
4. Stores engaged in severe violations of the platform regulations will be punished in accordance with the AliExpress Rules on Handling Severe Disruption of Platform Order:
Serious violation: 12 points/time, freezing the AliExpress account for seven days
Extremely Serious violation: 48 points/time, closing the AliExpress account
The crackdown on violations will start on April 27. Sellers should check their products carefully lest any violation affect store operation and traffic and incur penalties like point deduction and account freeze.
For more information about epidemic prevention product listing rules, see (0416 Important Update) Supplementary Notes on Listing Epidemic Prevention Products on AliExpress;
Please also pay close attention to Country-specific Sales Bans and Restrictions During the Pandemic (Constantly Updated): https://sell.aliexpress.com/__pc/HWVlaWnCOR.htm.
For more information about penalties for disrupting platform order, see the following rules:
Analysis of Search Cheating Cases and Penalty Rules
AliExpress Rules on Handling Severe Disruption of Platform Order
Thank you for your understanding. AliExpress appreciates your continued support and trust amid the coronavirus outbreak.
FAQ
I. In what cases will sellers receive two penalty points?
1. Wrong categorization (taking masks for example)
a. N95, N99, KN90, KN95, KN100, KF94, KF99, FFP1, FFP2, FFP3 protective masks are not for medical use. So they must be displayed under Masks (non-medical)/Protective Mask/Dust Mask/Baby Protective Mask. Or else, it will be counted as wrong categorization.
b. Products under non-medical categories must not use medical terms such as "medical" (product description shall not contain "nonmedical" or "non-medical"), "surgical", "dental", "doctor", and "hospital". Or else, it will be counted as wrong categorization.
c. Other cases of wrong categorization, such as selling masks under irrelevant categories.
2. Exaggerated advertising (taking masks for example)
a. Failed to provide test report and certificate for the protection level as declared. For example, a seller describes a mask as an N95 respirator without providing an N95 respirator test report or certificate which should be submitted in the "Qualifications" section on the product listing page.
b. Incomplete test reports and certificates for multiple protection levels as declared. For example, a seller provides only one certificate while he/she declares that the mask meets the N95, KN95 and FFP2 standards.
c. Declaring that a mask has obtained a CE mark or FDA approval without providing the corresponding certificate. (Click the following link to see how to verify a CE mark is valid:
FDA approval refers to a screenshot of the medical device registration page on the FDA website instead of a certificate.
II. In what cases will sellers receive six penalty points?
Take masks as an example. A seller will receive six penalty points if he/she uses others' certificates or invalid CE, FDA or NIOSH certificates in the "Qualifications" column on the product listing page, in main pictures, or on the product details page. Make sure a certificate is valid before submitting it.
Reminder: Sellers are advised to check the product qualifications before listing, so as to avoid punishments due to non-compliance. The relevant official databases that are open to public access include but are not limited to:
(1) List of notified bodies for CE marking:
https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/nando/index.cfm?fuseaction=notifiedbody.main.
Please ensure the bodies have the regulatory authority (see 93/42/EEC Medical devices and Regulation (EU) 2016/425 Personal protective equipment)
(2) FDA's database of listed devices: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfRL/rl.cfm
FDA approval refers to a screenshot of the medical device registration page on the FDA website instead of a certificate.
(3) Registered Chinese medical devices:
(4) CNAS accredited institutions for mask testing: https://www.cnas.org.cn/english/photonews/03/902316.shtml
(5) List of N95 respirators approved by Niosh: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/topics/respirators/disp_part/n95list1.html
AliExpress
April 24, 2020