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Brand guidelines and property rights

Brand guidelines and property rights

Items and related product information must meet guidelines to be sold as a branded item. Does it not comply with these guidelines or not immediately from the moment it is added to bol.com? Then you should offer the item unbranded. These guidelines prevent misleading information that infringes the property rights of third parties. On this page, you can read more about the applicable guidelines and protecting your branded items.

1. Brand guidelines

  1. The EAN is in the name of the brand owner and is registered with GS1.
  2. The brand is registered with the BOIP (or EUIPO/WIPO) and in the correct class.
  3. The brand is visible on the original product packaging or on the item.

If the item meets these 3 guidelines at the time you add the item to bol.com, you can sell your item as a branded item. A further explanation of the 3 brand guidelines can be found below.

2. EAN

Your EAN meets the following conditions:

  • Every item must have an EAN registered with GS1. This is a product number that distinguishes your item from other items. You are not allowed to offer identical items under different EANs. Not even from different seller accounts. This counts as double offer.
  • The EAN is permanently linked to this item. If a new variant of the item comes onto the market – e.g. a new brand, packaging, or colour – this item will need a new EAN.
  • Note: the EAN you use for your branded item must be registered with GS1 from the moment you add the item on bol.com.

3. Trademarks register

Make sure your brand name meets the following conditions:

  • The trademark is registered with BOIP (or EUIPO/WIPO).
  • The trademark is registered in the correct product class. Your trademark must be registered for a product class lower than 35. Product classes 35 to 45 are only valid for services and therefore not for goods.
  • The item must also be registered in this class, stating the correct goods.
  • Your registration is valid in the Netherlands and Belgium.
  • Your trademark must comply with the above points from the moment the item is added on bol.com.

Enter the brand name in the brand field when entering the product information. Do this in text, even if you have registered your trademark as a figurative mark only.

Using a brand name not registered in BOIP with an item is not allowed. No rights can be derived from this.

Trademark rights

Your product information may not infringe on the rights of trademark owners. It is not allowed to mention brand names or product names of branded items with items that do not belong to that brand. Mentioning other brand names or product names with your items will be assessed as a content infringement.

Exception: with the salutation ‘suitable for …’ it is allowed to mention other brands and items, if it is essential for selling the item. It is essential to the sale when an item is an accessory to another item, and is only suitable for use with that particular item.

4. Visibility

The brand name or logo should be visibly printed on the item or original product packaging. You should be able to see this on a product image that you put online directly when adding the product. Was the picture added at a later time? Then you do not comply with the guidelines and the item must be offered unbranded.

What is not allowed?

  • It is not allowed to add the product image with a visible brand name later.
  • Only the brand on the shipping box is not sufficient.
  • Using stickers with brand name and/or logo is not sufficient.
  • The brand, logo, brand name or website may not be watermarked on the product image.
  • The brand can’t be photoshopped onto the image.
  • The brand or logo must be visible on the original product packaging and/or product immediately when the product is added to bol.com. This in turn must be visible on the images. It is not permitted to add it later.

5. Unbranded items

If you do not meet the guidelines above, please offer the item as unbranded. The following guidelines apply to unbranded items:

  • No brand names or logos should be visible on the product image.
  • The item must be identical to the product image.
  • An item with EAN cannot be changed while retaining that EAN.
  • Identical items may not be offered under different EANs. Also not from different seller accounts.
  • Also for unbranded items, the EAN must be registered with GS1. This will be enforced in the future.

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