XHS E-Commerce Compliance Checklist: Regulatory Requirements for Sellers
Date Published
Table Of Contents
• Why Compliance Matters on Xiaohongshu
• Account and Business Registration Requirements
• Product Listing and Labelling Rules
• Advertising and Content Compliance
• Category-Specific Regulatory Requirements
• Cross-Border E-Commerce Rules
• Data Privacy and Consumer Protection
• Platform Conduct and Prohibited Practices
• The XHS Compliance Checklist
• Staying Compliant as Regulations Evolve
Xiaohongshu (RedNote, or Little Red Book) is one of the most powerful social commerce platforms in China, with over 300 million monthly active users and a reputation for driving genuine purchase decisions. For international brands, the opportunity is real — but so are the regulatory stakes. Non-compliance on XHS doesn't just result in a removed listing; it can mean account suspension, financial penalties, and lasting damage to your brand's reputation in the Chinese market.
Navigating XHS e-commerce compliance means understanding multiple overlapping layers: Xiaohongshu's own platform policies, China's national advertising and e-commerce laws, product-category regulations, and data privacy requirements. This guide breaks all of it down into a practical compliance checklist that international sellers can use before launching — and revisit regularly as rules evolve.
Why Compliance Matters on Xiaohongshu {#why-compliance-matters}
Xiaohongshu operates under the close regulatory oversight of Chinese authorities, including the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) and the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC). The platform itself enforces strict merchant policies on top of these national-level requirements, and it regularly updates its standards in response to regulatory shifts.
For international sellers, the compliance landscape is more complex than on Western platforms. Chinese advertising law, product labelling standards, customs documentation for cross-border goods, and data handling obligations all interact with each other. A cosmetics brand, for example, must satisfy not only XHS's content guidelines but also the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) registration rules, import certification requirements, and specific restrictions on product claims. Getting any one of these wrong can trigger enforcement action.
Beyond legal risk, compliance is also a trust signal. XHS users are sophisticated, high-intent consumers who value authenticity. Brands that operate transparently — with proper certifications visible, accurate product descriptions, and honest marketing — consistently outperform those that cut corners.
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Account and Business Registration Requirements {#account-registration}
Before you can sell on XHS, your account setup must meet both platform verification standards and China's baseline business registration requirements for e-commerce operators.
Professional Account (专业号) verification is the foundation. International brands register as overseas entities and must submit a valid business license (translated into Chinese by a certified translator), a trademark registration certificate (Chinese registration is strongly preferred), a responsible person's passport, a signed application letter, and a company email address. The annual verification fee is CNY 600, though it is waived for foreign SMEs in the first year as of current platform policy.
Store-type selection matters for compliance too. Enterprise stores, specialty stores, and flagship stores carry different documentation thresholds and commission structures. Flagship stores require additional brand authorisation documentation and can only be registered via the desktop platform. Choosing the wrong store type can create mismatches with your actual business structure that become compliance issues later.
Security deposits must be paid in RMB. Cross-border merchants typically pay between CNY 20,000 and CNY 50,000 depending on product category. These deposits exist specifically to cover potential violations, customer disputes, and policy infractions — which underscores how seriously the platform treats compliance obligations.
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Product Listing and Labelling Rules {#product-listing}
Chinese law requires that all products sold to Chinese consumers meet specific labelling standards, and XHS enforces these through its merchant review process. This is one of the most common areas where international sellers run into problems.
All product listings must include Chinese-language product names, ingredient lists or material specifications, country of origin, manufacturer information, and usage instructions where applicable. For physical goods sold cross-border, this information must appear on the product itself or its packaging — not just in the digital listing. Customs inspectors and platform reviewers both look for this.
Prohibited label claims include superlatives and absolute language such as "the best," "most effective," "number one," or "guaranteed results." China's Advertising Law (广告法) explicitly bans these across all categories. Health-related claims face even stricter scrutiny: sellers cannot imply that a product treats, cures, or prevents medical conditions unless the product is registered as a drug or medical device under NMPA guidelines.
Pricing must also be displayed transparently in RMB. Misleading "original price" or "crossed-out price" tactics that artificially inflate perceived discounts are prohibited under the Price Law and routinely flagged by XHS's compliance monitoring systems.
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Advertising and Content Compliance {#advertising-compliance}
XHS blends organic content and commerce in a way that makes advertising compliance particularly important. Every piece of content a brand publishes — whether it's a brand post, a KOL collaboration, or a paid ad — falls under China's Advertising Law and XHS's own content policies.
Disclosure requirements are non-negotiable. Paid partnerships with KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders) or KOCs (Key Opinion Consumers) must be clearly disclosed. XHS requires that sponsored content carry visible labels, and SAMR has increasingly enforced advertiser liability for undisclosed influencer promotions. International brands are responsible for ensuring their influencer partners comply — "we didn't know" is not an accepted defense.
Prohibited content categories on XHS include: content that promotes gambling, counterfeit goods, or illegal financial products; content that makes medical or health efficacy claims without proper registration; content targeting minors in ways that exploit their inexperience; content that uses national symbols or imagery in commercial contexts without authorisation; and content that could be considered culturally or politically sensitive in the Chinese context.
Comparative advertising — directly comparing your product to a competitor by name — is tightly restricted under Chinese law and XHS policy. Even implying superiority over unnamed competitors using language like "unlike others" or "while most brands fail to" can be flagged.
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Category-Specific Regulatory Requirements {#category-specific}
Different product categories carry additional layers of compliance requirements beyond the general rules. International sellers should identify which of the following apply to their products.
Cosmetics and Beauty: All cosmetics sold in China must be registered with or filed with the NMPA. General cosmetics (普通化妆品) require filing; special-use cosmetics such as sunscreens, hair dyes, and anti-hair loss products require full registration. Cross-border cosmetics sold through bonded warehouses operate under a separate filing pathway, but this does not exempt sellers from ingredient safety assessments or prohibited ingredient restrictions. China has its own list of banned cosmetic ingredients that differs from EU or US standards.
Food and Beverage: Imported food products must obtain Chinese customs clearance and meet GB (Guobiao) national food safety standards. Labels must include Chinese-language nutritional information, allergen warnings, and storage instructions. Health food products (保健食品) that make any functional claims require a separate "blue hat" registration from the NMPA — this is a lengthy process that international brands often underestimate.
Mother and Baby Products: This category faces heightened scrutiny given past safety scandals in China. Infant formula, baby skincare, and children's toys are subject to mandatory product quality certifications (CCC certification for toys, NMPA registration for baby cosmetics). Marketing language that implies medical-grade safety or superiority must be carefully vetted.
Health Supplements: Any product making health claims must either carry NMPA health food registration or be marketed strictly as a general food product with no functional claims. The line between general food and health food is strictly enforced.
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Cross-Border E-Commerce Rules {#cross-border}
Most international sellers access the Chinese consumer market through XHS's Cross-Border E-Commerce (CBEC) program (跨境贸易). This pathway has its own compliance framework distinct from general domestic e-commerce.
Cross-border products must be shipped through China's bonded warehouse system to qualify for the platform's "72-hour delivery guarantee" — sellers who skip this face search demotion. As of 2025, cross-border product listings must display QR codes linking to China Customs clearance records. This traceability requirement is actively checked by both customs authorities and the platform.
CBEC imports are subject to the Cross-Border E-Commerce Retail Import Goods List (跨境电商零售进口商品清单), commonly called the "positive list." If your product category isn't on this list, it cannot legally be sold through the CBEC channel. Sellers should verify their product's HS code is covered before building out their XHS store.
Duty and tax obligations under CBEC apply at point of purchase. The platform and payment processors handle collection automatically, but sellers are responsible for ensuring their declared product values are accurate. Undervaluing goods to reduce duties is a customs offense.
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Data Privacy and Consumer Protection {#data-privacy}
China's Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL), which came into full effect in 2021, is roughly equivalent to GDPR in scope and seriousness. Any seller operating on XHS who collects, stores, or processes data about Chinese consumers must comply.
Practically, this means sellers must obtain clear consent before collecting user data, disclose how data will be used and stored, not transfer Chinese consumer data outside China without proper approval, and implement reasonable security measures to protect collected data. XHS itself collects much of this data on the platform's backend, but third-party CRM integrations, mini-programs, or landing pages connected to your XHS presence can create additional PIPL obligations.
Consumer protection obligations under China's Consumer Rights Protection Law also apply. Sellers must provide accurate product descriptions, honor stated return and refund policies, and respond to consumer complaints within required timeframes. XHS monitors merchant response rates and complaint resolution as part of its store health scoring system, and poor scores can limit your product's distribution on the platform.
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Platform Conduct and Prohibited Practices {#prohibited-practices}
XHS has its own internal enforcement mechanisms that operate independently of national law. Violations of platform rules can result in content removal, search demotion, account suspension, or permanent banning — all without the formalities of a legal process.
Common prohibited practices to avoid include: fake reviews or manipulated social proof (brushing, or 刷单), undisclosed paid promotions, selling counterfeit or unauthorized branded goods, using competitor brand names as keywords in product listings to capture their traffic, and creating multiple accounts to circumvent a suspension. XHS has become significantly more sophisticated in detecting these tactics, and the penalties have escalated.
Sellers should also be aware that XHS reviews product listings during onboarding and on an ongoing basis. Products added to a store after initial approval are subject to re-review, and category changes require fresh documentation submission.
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The XHS Compliance Checklist {#compliance-checklist}
Use this checklist before launching your XHS store and revisit it at least every six months as regulations update.
Account and Registration
• [ ] Professional Account (专业号) verified with certified-translated business license
• [ ] Trademark registration certificate submitted (Chinese registration preferred)
• [ ] Correct store type selected for your business structure (personal / enterprise / flagship)
• [ ] Security deposit paid in full
• [ ] Annual renewal scheduled (verification valid for 12 months)
Product Listings and Labelling
• [ ] All listings include Chinese-language product names, ingredients/materials, origin, and manufacturer details
• [ ] Physical product packaging carries required Chinese-language labels
• [ ] No superlative, absolute, or banned claim language used in titles or descriptions
• [ ] Pricing displayed accurately in RMB with no misleading original-price comparisons
Advertising and Content
• [ ] All KOL/KOC partnerships formally disclosed on sponsored content
• [ ] No comparative advertising or implied competitor disparagement
• [ ] Content reviewed against XHS prohibited content categories
• [ ] Brand posts comply with China Advertising Law claim restrictions
Category-Specific Requirements
• [ ] Cosmetics: NMPA filing or registration confirmed for each SKU
• [ ] Food/beverage: Chinese customs clearance and GB standard compliance confirmed
• [ ] Health food: "Blue hat" registration obtained if any functional claims are made
• [ ] Baby/child products: CCC certification or equivalent confirmed
Cross-Border E-Commerce
• [ ] Products appear on CBEC positive list (verify HS codes)
• [ ] Bonded warehouse logistics partner confirmed
• [ ] QR codes linking to customs clearance records included in listings
• [ ] Declared product values accurate for customs purposes
Data Privacy and Consumer Protection
• [ ] PIPL compliance reviewed for any data collection tools connected to XHS presence
• [ ] Return and refund policy clearly stated and legally compliant
• [ ] Customer service response process established to meet platform SLA requirements
Platform Conduct
• [ ] No fake review or brushing practices in use
• [ ] Keyword practices reviewed to avoid prohibited competitor targeting
• [ ] Store health score monitored regularly in merchant backend
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Staying Compliant as Regulations Evolve {#staying-compliant}
One of the most important things international sellers need to understand is that XHS compliance is not a one-time task. Chinese regulatory frameworks update frequently, and XHS revises its merchant policies in response. What was acceptable practice in 2023 may be a violation in 2025, and sellers who don't stay current take on growing risk the longer they operate without reviewing their compliance posture.
Building a compliance review cadence into your XHS operations — at minimum, a quarterly check of platform policy updates and an annual full-audit against regulatory requirements — is the baseline standard for brands serious about the Chinese market. Partnering with experts who track these changes in real time is even better.
AllXHS provides industry-specific Xiaohongshu marketing strategies across 20+ verticals, including detailed guidance on regulatory requirements for beauty, fashion, F&B, mother and baby, and more. Our free Xiaohongshu resources include data-driven reports and ready-to-use templates that help international brands stay current with platform requirements without starting from scratch.
Final Thoughts
Selling on Xiaohongshu is a genuine opportunity — but only for brands that approach it with the same seriousness they would bring to any regulated market entry. The XHS compliance checklist above covers the core requirements across account setup, product listings, advertising, category-specific rules, cross-border logistics, data privacy, and platform conduct. Use it as your operational foundation, not a one-off exercise.
For international brands navigating this landscape, the complexity is real but manageable with the right knowledge and support. AllXHS exists specifically to bridge that gap — providing Western brands with the resources, expertise, and frameworks they need to succeed on Xiaohongshu without guessing their way through China's regulatory environment.
Ready to Launch on XHS with Confidence?
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