Assortment policy

Our assortment policy contains all the conditions that apply to the offer of bol. Let's make it a shared effort to ensure that bol stands for reliability and quality. Only then will customers order from us with peace of mind.

Fashion

Find all information around assortment policies for the Fashion category here.

Plant materials

It is not allowed to offer items with materials of plant species threatened with extinction through the platform. These species are on the lists of CITES. If you have articles containing protected plants, you are not allowed to offer them via bol. Not even if you have a valid permit, declaration or license to do so. 

For example, the following materials are not allowed: 

  • Red coral (blood coral) 
  • Rosewood 

> Discover protected plant species with the CITES checklist (English & French) 

Animal materials

As animal welfare is important to us, it is not allowed to sell articles containing real fur, angora, mohair or kangaroo via bol. Real fur means animal skin, or parts thereof, with hair or fur in processed or unprocessed form, or fur of an animal. It is also not allowed to sell real animals, such as frozen chicks, via bol.

However, the following materials are allowed:

  • Synthetic materials resembling fur
  • Animal skins (or parts thereof) of sheep, cows, goats and reindeer (except the angora goat)
  • Wool (excluding angora and mohair wool)

Protected species

Via our platform, we do not allow items or materials made of species that are threatened with extinction. These species are on the lists of CITES. Items containing (materials of) protected animals, are also not allowed to offer via bol.com. Not even if you have a valid permit, declaration or license to do so.

For example, the following materials are not allowed:

  • Ivory
  • Exotic leather (e.g. snakeskin and crocodile leather)

> Discover protected species with the CITES checklist (English & French)

Erotic images

Articles with erotic content will be placed under an 18+ filter. This is what we perceive as erotic content:

  • Images of devices for sexual activity. 
  • Images containing sexual body parts of (representations of) people, such as genitals, nipples and bare buttocks.  
  • Images that are sexually suggestive.

Fairtrade

Fairtrade is a non-protected term used to describe items that: 

  • Are produced under proper working conditions. 
  • Are locally sustainable.
  • Have fair trade agreements with farmers and workers.

Bol tries to ensure this definition by only recommending items as ‘Fairtrade’ if they bear a label that meets the stated requirements:

  • Fairtrade
  • World Fair Trade Organization 
  • Cotton Made in Africa
  • Fair for Life (clothing) 

If you offer an item that may carry one of these labels, you can let us know via this link. 

For items classified as Fairtrade that do not have a seal of approval from one of these authorities, bol removes this claim from the product information. 

Skin colour

Through bol, items are sold in all kinds of sizes, styles and colours. The more specific the description of the item is, the faster our collective customers can find what suits them. Instead of the term ‘skin colour’, use a more specific description for the colour of your item. For example, beige, brown or light pink. 

Second-hand & Refurbished

Second-hand 

Second-hand items or margin goods can only be offered in the book, music and film categories. You cannot apply for selling rights for the other categories. It is therefore not possible to offer second-hand items other than books, music and films at bol. 

Refurbished 

The sale of refurbished range at bol has unfortunately been discontinued for the time being. This is because it is our responsibility to clearly show customers whether an item is refurbished, which is currently not technically possible. And we cannot solve this in the short term either. Refurbished items were allowed in a closed group until January 2022. It is not allowed to offer refurbished items.

Jewellery & Watches

Gold, silver & imitation materials 

Items may only be sold if they meet legal requirements and regulations. As a seller, you yourself are always responsible for ensuring that your offer meets these requirements. Items in the Jewellery & Watches category are regulated by, among others, the Waarborgwet (Safeguards Act). This act sets requirements that are very important for the content on the platform, including the product description, product specifications and title of your article. For example, a silver necklace (with a silver core) with an 18-carat plating may only be called gold-coloured and not gold. 

Hoops & Slave bracelets

Within the jewellery category, you will find ‘Oorringen’ (earrings) and bangles. No ‘creolen’ or ‘slavenarmbanden’ (creoles or slave bracelets). So don’t use those terms either.

Extended Producer Responsibility Textiles (UPV Textiles)

Do you sell (company) clothing, table-, bed- and/or household linen in the Netherlands? Then you are obliged to comply with the UPV Textile Decree since 1 July 2023. The Decree makes you as a company responsible for the waste phase of clothing and household textiles. With this Decree, the Dutch government wants to encourage companies to use textile waste for reuse and recycling.

The UPV Textile Decree makes manufacturers and importers individually responsible for:

  • The organization of an appropriate separate collection system, plus its financing.
  • The obligation to ensure recycling and reuse of the collected textiles.

What does this mean for you as a partner?

The UPV Textile Decree applies to manufacturers and importers who professionally market consumer and work clothing, table, bed and household linen in the Netherlands. This applies to both Dutch and international partners, and also to textiles with recycled composition. Are you a producer and/or importer of clothing and textiles? Then you officially have an individual responsibility to comply with the decision. You may have this carried out by a collective/producer organization such as the UPV Foundation. You do not have to inform us on how you comply with this decree.

More information can be found on the UPV Foundation website.