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E-commerce trade is essentially based on trust- as a seller, you trust the supplier to give you products that meet your specifications; in the same way, your customers trust you to deliver products that conform to your description of the products in question.

A certificate of conformance is an official recognition that a product possesses the technical specifications that the manufacturer or seller claims it possesses.

It is issued by the relevant authorities to validate the existence of certain specifications in the product in question.

Once a certificate of conformance is issued, the purchaser is assured that the product they have received meets the description and will thus confidently pay for the product without expecting any disappointments.

WHY WOULD I NEED A CERTIFICATE OF CONFORMANCE?

There are mainly two instances where you as the seller will require a certificate of conformance.

It is either when your buyer requests one to safeguard their purchase, or it is a mandatory requirement in your country for the product in question. For instance, all Bluetooth devices sold in the United States of America (USA) are required to have a certificate of conformance. 

Whether it is mandatory or it is the buyer requesting the certification, the idea behind it is to ensure that technical and safety requirements have been met.

A CERTIFICATE OF CONFORMANCE REQUESTED BY THE PURCHASER

A buyer would request this certification mainly if the products in question are high-risk products. For instance, high-risk products such as blades for a plane engine would need to be carefully examined and certified. This is because there is a high risk of losing the lives of passengers on the plane if the blades turn out to be faulty.

Additionally, a seller getting items from a manufacturer may need this certification to show the end-user that the product is safe.

If one fails to provide the certificate, the purchaser will simply not pay for the product as that seems to be a red flag on its own.

A CERTIFICATE OF CONFORMANCE MANDATORILY REQUIRED BY THE STATE

The State may require a certificate of conformance for a particular group of products being imported to ensure that the product meets the required standards.

This will be checked during the clearance process at the customs office of the country. If it is found that you do not have a certificate of conformance for these products, then clearance will not be issued. This in turn results in your products being impounded, confiscated, or even destroyed in some instances.

WHAT SHOULD THE CERTIFICATE OF CONFORMANCE INCLUDE?

A certificate of conformance must contain 7 essential details:

  1. A description of the product helps to identify the product.
  2. A list of all the safety regulations that the product must pass/ must be tested for.
  3. Identification of the importer or the manufacturer. This includes the name, email address, mailing address, and telephone details of the importer or manufacturer.
  4. Contact information for the individual maintaining the test records in support of the certification. This includes the full name, email address, mailing address, and telephone number.
  5. The particular date and place of manufacture.
  6. The particular date and place where the product was tested for compliance with the specific rules stated above.
  7. Identification of the third-party laboratory on whose testing the certification in question depends. All contact details of the laboratory must be included as well.

CONCLUSION

Because with e-commerce, you are not able to physically verify that the specifications requested by you or made by your seller are present in the products you are purchasing or having manufactured, a certificate of conformance comes in handy.

Before you decide to neglect the need to request one, be sure to check with your customs office on whether or not the product being imported is required by law, to have a certificate of conformance to avoid delays at the clearance office.

The need for a certificate of conformance as has rightly been put in this article is to safeguard your purchase and ensure that the product you are getting is safe for its intended use. Even as you make your order and make a payment, you can do so with peace of mind as the relevant authorities have assured you that the product meets the specifications.

We hope this information was helpful!

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