How do you prevent your bol shop from being closed?
Lars HurkmansCo-founder1 July 2023Reading time 6 minutes
You prevent your bol shop from being closed by sticking to the rules of the game, keeping your performance scores high and not offering prohibited products. bol works with a policy points system. If you break the rules, you lose points, and if the number gets too low, bol closes your seller account.
Selling products commercially on bol can be a lucrative venture, but it also comes with its share of challenges. One of them is navigating the platform's rules and guidelines. In this blog we explain how you prevent a block on your shop by following these rules, improving your performance and understanding which products and actions are prohibited.
Which rules of the game does bol apply for sellers?
bol applies a number of rules of the game to create a fair and reliable marketplace. They cover legally permitted products, mandatory certification marks such as the CE marking, and a valid product code. These rules include, among others, the following:
- You may not offer items that violate the laws and regulations in the Netherlands and Belgium.
- You must meet the legal requirements, such as having a CE marking on products where this is mandatory.
- You may not sell items that are only suitable for professional purposes or that may only be purchased if the buyer has certain certifications.
- You may not sell receivers or digital systems that can bypass subscription systems through a software modification.
- Your product must have a GS1-registered EAN code.
What is the buy box and how do performance scores determine who wins it?
The buy box is the spot on the product page where customers can buy the product directly. There can be multiple sellers for the same product, but only one seller wins the buy box. One of the factors that determines who wins the buy box is the performance score.
Your performance score is a measure of how well you perform on various service standards, including:
- Items on time
- Cancellations
- Track & trace
- Reviews
The scores from the last 6 finalised weeks on these service standards are included in the performance score. The score is recalculated every week on Wednesday. For the 'Reviews' score, your review rating with bol at the moment the weekly score is calculated is taken into account.
Performance scores only affect products you sell through the buy box. If you sell products under your own brand (private label), your performance scores have no effect on these products.
Why do your performance scores matter?
Your performance scores aren't just important for winning the buy box, they also give you insight into where you can still improve. By analysing your performance scores, you see which areas you perform well in and where you might be falling short. That helps you take targeted action to improve your performance.
If you notice, for example, that your score for 'Items on time' is low, that could mean you need to review your shipping processes to get your items to customers faster. If your score for 'Reviews' is low, that could be a sign that you need to work on your customer service or the quality of your products.
When do you get a warning or does bol close your account?
bol applies a policy points system to monitor policy violations and take action where necessary. If you break the rules, you can lose policy points. If the number of policy points gets too low, your bol seller account can be closed.
Which products are prohibited on bol?
bol has a list of prohibited products that may not be sold on the platform. This includes, among others, legally prohibited items, products without a mandatory certification mark or CE marking, and products meant only for professional use or requiring certification. These include, among others:
- Offering legally prohibited items.
- Selling medical face masks and Covid self-tests.
- Selling items that are only suitable for professional purposes.
- Selling items that may only be purchased if the buyer has certain certifications.
- Selling receivers or digital systems that can bypass subscription systems through a software modification (for example modified media boxes or satellite receivers).
- Selling items lacking a CE marking in a category where this is mandatory.
- Selling items lacking a mandatory certification mark or warning.
- Displaying a certification mark or marking on the packaging while you don't have the correct documents, such as a Declaration of Conformity or EU declaration of conformity.
- Incorrectly filling in attributes in the product information that are drawn up based on legal criteria (such as approval numbers, voltages, classifications).
If you're unsure about a specific category, check which products you may sell commercially on bol.
What process does bol follow to enforce the rules?
bol applies a structured process to ensure all partners stick to the rules. That process consists of regular monitoring of performance scores, warnings for violations or low scores, and closing accounts that don't improve despite warnings. This process includes, among others, the following:
- Regular monitoring of the performance scores of all partners.
- Issuing warnings to partners who violate the rules or who have low performance scores.
- Closing accounts that repeatedly violate the rules or that show no improvement in their performance scores despite the warnings.
bol takes these measures to create a fair and reliable marketplace for both buyers and sellers. By sticking to the rules and striving for high performance scores, you contribute to that goal while also promoting the success of your own shop.
Why does it pay to stick to the rules?
Sticking to bol's rules doesn't just prevent your shop from being closed, it can also contribute to your shop's success. Customers have more confidence in shops that stick to the rules and have high performance scores. This can lead to more sales, better reviews and higher customer satisfaction.
On top of that, following the rules helps you build a good relationship with bol. That can lead to more opportunities, such as the chance to participate in promotions or campaigns, and it can help you grow your shop.
Summary: how do you keep your bol shop open?
You keep your bol shop open by knowing and following the platform's rules and guidelines. Stick to the rules of the game, improve your performance scores and know which products and actions are prohibited, and you prevent your shop from being closed. Stay up to date on any changes to bol's policy, so your shop continues to meet the latest requirements and standards.
- Know the rules of the game: only legally permitted products, mandatory certification marks such as the CE marking, and a valid EAN code.
- Keep your performance scores high on items on time, cancellations, track & trace and reviews; bol recalculates them every Wednesday.
- Watch the policy points system: if the number of policy points gets too low, your seller account can be closed.
- Don't sell prohibited products, such as items without a mandatory certification mark or CE marking.
- Not sure whether a product is allowed? Check the terms and sales rules on bol.
Sources
- bol partner platform
- bol partner platform, performance scores
- bol partner platform, policy points
- bol partner platform, seller account
- bol partner platform, prohibited products
- bol partner platform, process
- bol supplier platform, ISBN or EAN number
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I break bol's rules?
You can lose policy points. bol works with a policy points system, and if the number of policy points gets too low, your seller account can be closed.
How do I improve my performance scores on bol?
Stick to the service standards: deliver your items on time, keep the number of cancellations low, offer reliable track & trace and gather positive reviews. bol recalculates your performance score every Wednesday based on the last 6 finalised weeks.
Which products am I not allowed to sell on bol?
Among others legally prohibited items, products without a mandatory CE marking or certification mark, items meant only for professional use, and products you may only buy with certain certifications.
Do performance scores also apply to my own private label products?
No. Performance scores only affect products you sell through the buy box. If you sell under your own brand (private label), your performance scores have no effect on those products.
What is the buy box on bol?
The buy box is the spot on the product page where customers buy a product directly. Multiple sellers can offer the same product, but only one seller wins the buy box; your performance score is one of the deciding factors.
How often does bol recalculate the performance score?
Every week on Wednesday. bol looks at your scores on the service standards from the last 6 finalised weeks.