that shut down international launches
International compliance failures are not small administrative issues. They result in listing removal, inventory holds, and regulatory penalties.
VAT registration discovered after selling
Selling in an EU market without local VAT registration creates retroactive tax liability. The registration requirement exists from the first sale, not from a revenue threshold in most cases. Discovering this after six months of sales means filing retroactive VAT returns and paying penalties.
CE marking assumed to transfer from US certifications
US product certifications do not satisfy EU CE marking requirements. A product that is FCC-compliant and UL-listed still requires a separate CE declaration of conformity with EU-applicable directives before it can be legally marketed in the EU. Listing the product without it is a compliance violation.
Amazon marketplace enrollment done without country-specific requirements
Each Amazon marketplace has its own enrollment requirements: local address for EU, VAT registration for UK, specific category approval processes for AU and JP. Attempting to enroll without meeting these requirements results in delays and listing restrictions that cannot be resolved quickly.
per target market.
Each component is completed before the first listing goes live in the target market. Compliance is not a post-launch cleanup.
VAT & Tax Registration
VAT registration in each applicable EU member state, UK VAT registration, and GST registration for Australia where applicable. We coordinate with the client's tax advisors or connect them with qualified VAT agents in each jurisdiction. Filing calendars established before sales begin.
Product Compliance & Certification
CE marking assessment and declaration of conformity for EU markets, UKCA marking for UK, RCM for Australia. Category-specific requirements identified and addressed: electronics, children's products, food contact materials, and other regulated categories have additional obligations.
Localized Listing Compliance
Marketplace-specific listing requirements: mandatory language fields for German and French listings, specific attribute mappings for JP, Responsible Person information for EU. Non-compliant listings are not just flagged — they are suppressed.
Marketplace Enrollment Management
Country-specific Amazon marketplace enrollment: EU unified account setup, UK marketplace split enrollment, AU and JP account applications. Each marketplace has its own requirements and review timelines that must be planned into the launch sequence.
inventory committed.
We assess the compliance requirements for each target market before any inventory is ordered for that market. The compliance cost and timeline is an input to the market entry decision, not a surprise after it.
Compliance Assessment
For each target market, we produce a compliance requirement map: applicable tax registrations, product certifications, listing requirements, and marketplace enrollment steps with timelines and cost estimates. This is completed before market entry is approved.
Registration & Certification Coordination
We coordinate the compliance process: VAT agent introductions, product testing and certification coordination, and marketplace enrollment applications. We do not perform legal or tax services directly — we manage the process and ensure deadlines are met.
Launch Gate
No market is launched until compliance requirements are confirmed complete. The launch gate is a documented checklist reviewed and signed off before the first inventory shipment is authorized for the target market.
in every target market.
Every deliverable is confirmed before the market launch proceeds.
Per-market compliance requirements with timelines and cost estimates.
Completed VAT/tax registration in each applicable jurisdiction.
CE/UKCA/RCM declarations and certification documentation.
Market-specific listing attribute and language compliance completed.
Completed marketplace enrollment for each target market.
Per-market performance monitored separately from day one of launch.
Operations & Platform includes additional services that compound on this one.
Comply before
you sell
We work through referrals. If you have been referred, send us a message and we will map the compliance requirements for your target markets.