Category policy
What we sell and source — and what we turn down
The same list governs both sides of the business: the products we buy for our own storefronts, and the products we will take on for a client. Sellers who will handle "anything" end up handling the categories that get an account suspended or a payment provider closed. Ours is published, and it does not move for a large order.
Categories we work with
These are the categories where we can vet a supplier properly, read a test report, and anticipate the marketplace compliance requirements without guessing. They apply to our own retail assortment and to client projects alike.
- Home goods and kitchenware — non-electrical utensils, storage, organisation, tableware
- Home textiles and soft goods — bedding, bath, covers, cushions
- Pet supplies — accessories, grooming tools, beds, carriers; excluding pet food and treats
- Sports, travel and outdoor accessories — bags, mats, non-motorised equipment and accessories
- Office, stationery and desk products
- Beauty tools and accessories — brushes, applicators, non-formulated implements
- Simple household hardware — non-powered tools, fixings, organisers
Categories we decline
We decline these regardless of order size or margin. Each one is either restricted by the marketplaces we work with, restricted by payment providers, or requires a licence we do not hold.
- CBD, hemp and cannabis-derived products
- Vapes, e-cigarettes and related consumables
- Dietary supplements, nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals
- Medical devices and products making health claims
- Weapons, ammunition, and their parts or accessories
- Adult products
- Replicas, counterfeits and goods infringing a third-party trademark
- Crypto-related, financial and investment products
- Food and beverages
- Hazardous materials and standalone lithium battery shipments
Why the list is drawn here
Marketplace risk sits with the account holder. A restricted or gated category can cost a seller account. On client work the account is yours, not ours, so we would rather decline the project than put it into a category you cannot document — and we apply the same rule to our own storefronts.
Some categories need a licence. Supplements, pharmaceuticals and medical devices carry regulatory obligations that a sourcing agent cannot discharge on your behalf. Advising on them properly requires a regulatory consultant, not us.
Payment providers keep their own lists. Several of the categories above are restricted or prohibited by the payment and banking providers that serve small importers. Building a business on one of them is a structural problem, not a compliance detail.
Electrical and powered goods are handled case by case. Where a product needs FCC, CE, UKCA or equivalent certification we will look at it, but only where you have budgeted for testing at an accredited laboratory and accept that the testing timeline drives the launch date. We do not source uncertified electrical goods.