Simple EU product safety for global partners

As one of the largest retail platforms in the Benelux, bol faced a significant compliance challenge. Since 1992, EU regulations have required many products sold in Europe to carry the CE marking, signifying conformity with safety standards. However, many third-party sellers (including individual dropshippers and international manufacturers) continued to overlook the mandatory EU Declaration of Conformity, putting themselves and bol at risk of non-compliance.

This raised concerns for bol about being held accountable for sellers’ failures to meet legal requirements. Beyond legal implications, non-compliance also reduced sales, strained partner relationships, and undermined buyer trust. Shoppers grew wary of purchasing non-compliant products, resulting in lost sales opportunities for both sellers and bol.

Analyzing partner behavior, two main friction point were identified that prevented compliance:

• The knowledge gap: New entrepreneurs, especially dropshippers, often entered the market without a legal background and were unaware that these EU regulations applied to them.

• The complexity gap: Established companies sourcing from outside the EU, such as China, found the regulations too time-consuming to decipher and apply to large product catalogs.

Our approach

Simply giving partners the law was not enough. There was a need to design a path to compliance that felt manageable rather than intimidating. The compliance journey was envisioned as a flight itinerary with checkpoints to guide partners. This metaphor helped visualize progress and maintain motivation, turning complex legal steps into a relatable travel story.

By combining legal accuracy with human-centered design, a complex legal requirement was turned into a streamlined business process for multiple audiences.

• Reduced Friction: Sellers had a clear, branded resource to follow, reducing the mental load of compliance. Proactive, easy-to-digest information reduced inquiries to bol support teams about safety documentation. In the first three months after launching the compliance toolkit, bol saw a significant decrease in support tickets related to product safety compliance, showing the toolkit's effectiveness in clarifying the process for partners.

• Looking ahead, bol plans to keep the compliance toolkit up to date by regularly incorporating changes in EU regulations and partner feedback. Ongoing training sessions and interactive workshops will promote a better understanding of compliance requirements. As a next step, bol management is considering integrating an AI-driven assistant into the platform to provide real-time compliance support and further ease the process for sellers.

• Brand Alignment: All materials were designed to match the bol brand voice: professional, helpful, and accessible. This initiative aligns with bol strategy of fostering a trusted, transparent marketplace, enhancing brand loyalty, and driving long-term growth. By ensuring compliance and demonstrating its commitment to safety, bol strengthens its legal position and reputation as a reliable retailer, supporting its goal of increasing its market presence and strengthening customer loyalty.