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Product types at CopeCart

Allowed product types as well as prohibited products

Updated over a week ago

To be able to sell your products on CopeCart, you must select the correct product type. Your product must comply with CopeCart's guidelines, otherwise it will be blocked. Your product must not violate any laws or legal regulations. It must also not endanger the health and safety of persons. All questions related to this topic are answered in our FAQ.

This step-by-step guide will show you how to create your product and what you need to bear in mind.

If you need help categorizing your product, please use our chat function.

The vendor is responsible for selecting the correct product type.

Digital Products

Digital content represents data that is created and made available in digital form. The spectrum ranges from computer programs, apps, video and music files.

Digital databases enable the use of and interaction with digital content. These include streaming services, digital television services, databases, cloud services and social media.

Note: E-book is a separate product type.

Physical Products

Physical products are products that are sent by post or by a delivery service. Basically, this means anything that can be shipped, including but not limited to: Clothing, shoes, tools, furniture, accessories, jewelry, art, etc.

Printed books and magazines, even if they are considered physical products, are a separate product type.

Currently, physical products can only be sold and shipped from Germany.

Note: When purchasing physical products, the standard VAT rate of the recipient country applies.

Printed Books

This includes books and/or magazines that are sent by post or delivery service. Currently, physical books can only be sold and shipped from Germany.

Note: When purchasing printed books, a reduced VAT rate of the sender country applies.

E-Books

E-books in all supported formats can either be downloaded or used online. Due to specific tax regulations, e-books are not considered digital products.

Note: When purchasing e-books, the reduced VAT rate of the country of purchase applies.

Seminars/ Events

This product type requires the physical presence of the event attendees. For the time being, CopeCart can only sell seminars and events that take place in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

IMPORTANT: For events and seminars, please ensure that the place of fulfillment (and therefore also the tax rate) is selected when creating the product.

Please also make sure that you specify a clear time and exact location for your seminar or event in the product description.

Note: When purchasing this type of product, the standard VAT rate of the seminar or event country applies.

Other (physical) Services

Physical services are based on direct personal interaction (e.g. by telephone, email, etc.) or require an on-site presence. They can be provided at a fixed location or be location-independent. The service is therefore not performed digitally, but can be created digitally.

An example of this is the creation of a website as a service, where the collaboration between the service provider and the customer takes place in person on site or via other communication channels, such as telephone, email, etc.

This is also the difference to services with digital content, such as the provision of online coaching, which are usually provided entirely via digital platforms without the need for direct physical interaction.

IMPORTANT: Note the place and tax rate for services.

Please note that the location (and therefore the tax rate) should be determined when the product is created and not only when the buyer selects the country. For the time being, CopeCart can only sell services that take place in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Distance Learning

Distance learning is a form of continuing education in which

  • teachers and learners are exclusively or predominantly physically separated and

  • the learning success is individually monitored.

This can be realized using various technologies such as online platforms, video conferencing, e-learning systems or printed materials. Distance learning allows learners to learn flexibly, regardless of their geographical location and schedules. It is important that learning success is monitored to ensure that learning objectives are achieved and that students can be adequately supported.

Since the German Distance Learning Protection Act (FernUSG) came into force on January 1, 1977, all distance learning courses have been subject to mandatory accreditation, i.e. all distance learning courses must be state-approved before they can be offered.

Approval is granted by the State Central Agency for Distance Learning (ZFU), which acts on behalf of the 16 federal states.

You can also find further information here: https://zfu.de/veranstaltende/fernunterricht

The product category "Distance learning" is grayed out in the account during product creation because distance learning courses may only be sold with a valid license in accordance with FernUSG.

Please send us your license to support-eu@copecart.com or share it via our Slack channel so that we can check it and release the product category for you.

Prohibited Products

If a product violates any law or CopeCart's rules, it cannot be sold on CopeCart.

According to CopeCart's Terms and Conditions, the following products are prohibited:

  • sexually offensive products

  • Alcohol, tobacco and drugs

  • Electronic goods

  • Products that discriminate against third parties on the basis of race, gender, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation or age

  • Products that infringe the rights of third parties, in particular trademarks, patents or other industrial property rights

  • Products for which there are legal advertising bans or restrictions

  • User data may not be sold via CopeCart. If it is a lead generation service, then it is ok.

  • Products that are applied to the skin or ingested

  • Hostings, domains

  • Spiritual healing, various alternative medical, esoteric, religious or magical treatment methods

  • vouchers

  • Products that may only be sold to end customers after an age check has been carried out (e.g. FSK 18 content)

CopeCart reserves the right to block all products that may pose a risk that CopeCart cannot assess without examining the product.

Service with digital content

This category includes, for example, 1:1 coaching and mentoring, as well as services with digital (interactive) customer interactions, provided they do not fall under the category of "distance learning". A webinar that is held live and does not include a Q&A session is therefore also generally classified as a service with digital content.

This means that although these services include digital content and interactions, they are not primarily aimed at conveying educational content or achieving learning objectives, as is the case with distance learning. Instead, they focus on personal support, advice or customer-specific interactions that are delivered digitally.


Best regards

Your CopeCart Team

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