With the rise of e-commerce platforms, cross-border e-commerce in our country is flourishing with a variety of players. Electronic products have always been the top-selling items in the cross-border e-commerce sector, attracting numerous sellers to focus on this field, which has now become a solid red ocean category. However, some sellers claim that starting from April 25th, Amazon will limit the sale of portable chargers, and several sellers have already been restricted.
What's the deal with this situation? First, let's take a look at the part of the leak.
Content
Below is an excerpt from a conversation between sellers and customer service:
A seller posted: To verify the authenticity of a message: Is the sale of mobile power banks banned on the US site?!
On April 26th, in the US store, our power bank listing was selling well when, suddenly, it was removed from the shelves!!! The official customer service responded as follows:
Customer Service: Is your product a power bank, right?
Seller: Yes.
Customer Service: Sales of power banks have been restricted starting from April 25th.
Vendor: Why?
Customer Service: Amazon will implement sales restrictions on power bank products starting April 25th. The reason for this restriction is due to safety concerns: lithium-ion portable chargers, also known as "external batteries," are mobile charging devices for various electronic products, which often involve safety incidents reported to Amazon by consumers. The related help page for this notice has not yet been released; the current notice is as follows.
What is the extent of the sales restriction? I've only seen myself restricted in sales, and I haven't noticed any other sellers from my industry affected by this. Other power bank sellers haven't seen their products removed from the shelves.
Customer Service: This is a policy implemented for all sellers, and as of yesterday (the 25th), some sellers' products have already been prohibited from sale.
Seller: I cannot accept such restrictions and treatment. Why the difference in treatment? Shouldn't we either delist together or sell together?
Customer Service: This is a system-wide restriction for all sellers with such products. The system picks up on these keywords and enforces the limitation. It's not just you; several sellers have contacted us today, and many have been restricted. For inventory, you'll need to create removal orders to return the items. Currently, there is no charge for removal orders.
As a professional mobile power bank seller, we currently have a substantial inventory in stock and on the way. Not notifying us in advance and not compensating us either—this is nothing short of bullying.
An American seller, claiming to be a user on a Chinese forum, stated that they have received a notification from Amazon, indicating that all power banks without the UL2056 certification must be removed from sale by May 25th.
Summary of Leaked Information
According to leaked screenshot content, the entire category of power banks is subject to restricted sales. The reason for the restriction is that "there have been many safety accidents related to power banks." Additionally, according to Amazon's operations personnel, the current restricted sales policy only applies to power banks with lithium batteries, and has no impact on other charging accessories.
The ban on selling power banks is a mandatory measure enforced by Amazon's official platform, affecting all mobile power categories. Prior to the implementation of the ban, Amazon's official team did not communicate or negotiate with sellers, resulting in a unilateral and forced removal. Amazon's operations staff also expressed that the incident came as a surprise. As for the sellers affected by the ban, Amazon has not yet provided any corresponding solutions.
Amazon Mobile Power Bank Corresponding Test Standards:
Product: Mobile Power Bank Certification Requirements
Certification Requirements: UL 2056 (Internal lithium-ion cells of mobile power banks must comply with UL 1642)
Importance of UL2056
UL2056 is a global standard for mobile power banks, designed to protect consumers from personal and property damage caused by fire and explosion risks associated with mobile power banks, while also helping manufacturers reduce the costly risks of product recall and brand damage!
In fact, Amazon had already proposed at the end of last year that lithium batteries for mobile phones and laptops must provide UL2054/UL1642 certifications! If found in violation and unable to provide them within the specified time, the products will be forcibly removed from shelves! This is not the first time such an action has been taken!
Retailers need not worry too much; as of now, there is no further official clarification confirming whether power banks require the UL2056 certification, and the authenticity of the message remains to be seen. But what if Amazon really starts to restrict the sale of power banks? Industry experts suggest: the direct approach is to obtain the UL2056 certification! Alternatively, sell on other platforms! Or, opt for offline or domestic sales!
Amazon is increasingly enforcing strict control over electrically powered electronic products due to safety concerns, resulting in many products being removed from shelves. Sellers are advised to stay updated on relevant information at all times!
How to Obtain UL2056 Certification for Portable Power Banks?
Portable Power Banks, also known as portable USB chargers or mobile backup battery power sources, are external power supply devices for low-voltage electronic products.
What is UL2056
The UL 2056 standard is a safety specification introduced by the United States for mobile power terminal products. The UL 2056 standard addresses the global demand for safety standards in mobile power sources, aiming to prevent consumer harm to personal and property, as well as reduce manufacturers' risks of costly product recycling and brand damage. The requirements of this standard cover mobile power terminal products, also known as portable USB chargers or portable backup battery power sources, which are external power supply devices for low-voltage electronic products. This standard applies to products with DC input and output voltage of 60Vdc. It does not include products powered by external solar panels or vehicle-mounted 12Vdc power ports. The UL 2056 certification process takes approximately 5-6 weeks.
UL 2056 Standard Scope
UL2056 is the standard for mobile power banks, commonly known as "power banks," which are portable chargers often used to charge smartphones, tablets, and other devices.
Parameters applicable range as follows:
Input:
Direct Current Input: Nominal Input Voltage Not Exceeding 60Vdc
b. Input Communication, through direct insertion structure
Output: Nominal output voltage not exceeding 60Vdc
Testing Requirements
The primary tests for mobile power banks include: electrical tests related to overcharging and short-circuiting; mechanical tests for usage scenarios like drops and compressions; verification of labeled input/output current and power capacity; power overload tests for output ports; and flammability tests for integrated PV batteries (where applicable).
Specific requirements include:
A. A single part failure does not pose a risk of explosion or fire (Over the years, media has reported numerous cases where this has occurred, primarily due to the failure of a single component leading to dangerous situations such as fires and explosions. For this reason, the UL 2056 standard emphasizes this requirement, helping businesses provide consumers with confidence and assurance in product safety.)
Materials must possess fire-resistant properties.
The product labeling and usage instructions must be clear (since mobile power bank products are directly used by consumers, clear labeling is essential).
D. Prevent Accidents Involving Lithium-Ion Batteries
UL2056 Requirements for Internal Cells
Battery cells require UL1642 standard certification
Nickel cell batteries require UL2054 standard certification.
What documents are required for UL2056 certification of mobile power banks? What is the application process? Welcome to consult our senior engineers for detailed answers.
