Do I need UK approval before crowdfunding?
Confirm with the relevant authority whether your crowdfunding campaign or proposed product needs approval. Separate funding a concept from offering finished products, and plan compliance before committing to rewards. The product and supply stage determine the checks needed. Cambridge China Bridge can help coordinate the factory evidence.
Define what your campaign is offering
Start with the campaign wording, payment terms and reward description. Are supporters funding development without receiving a product, reserving a future product, or ordering finished goods? Describe the actual arrangement clearly. As a practical distinction, presenting a concept is different from supplying goods; do not treat the word crowdfunding as a compliance exemption.
Ask the relevant product authority to confirm the assessment route and whether an approval certificate or an approved body is needed for your product. Use our marking and certification guide to prepare that discussion. This guide focuses on Great Britain; check Northern Ireland separately.
Review orders before waiting for dispatch
Government guidance places the market-entry stage after full manufacture, but says it can precede physical transfer. Do not make dispatch your only checkpoint. Review offers involving finished goods before opening those reward options.
For products still being developed, have the campaign terms reviewed before taking product-linked payments. Ask what the supporter receives, when a commitment arises and what happens if testing requires redesign. Avoid presenting this development stage as permission to supply an unassessed product.
Treat product rewards as a release decision
Commercial supply can be free of charge. A product reward therefore needs a compliance review even if you describe it as a gift. Keep physical rewards separate from acknowledgements or development updates in your campaign plan.
Before promising consumer trials, distinguish controlled development testing from handing finished products to supporters. Finished products intended for consumer testing must meet the applicable requirements when testing takes place. Calling a reward a prototype is not a sufficient release check.
Build the evidence plan before promising delivery
Create a working checklist with the intended market, intended use, product configuration, assessment route, evidence owner and unresolved questions. Ask the factory which documents already exist and which need new work. Record testing, redesign and document preparation as separate tasks, rather than treating a supplier's certificate as the whole plan.
Tie the evidence to the configuration you expect to deliver, including materials, components, firmware, accessories and packaging. Use our product specification guide to define that configuration and our test report verification guide to check what existing reports actually cover.
Agree a documented release gate
As a practical control, nominate who authorises release and what they must review: applicable assessments, reports, declarations where required, labels, instructions and traceability records. Products should only be sold once compliance has been appropriately demonstrated. Keep open issues visible in the product compliance file.
If the factory changes a component or the campaign adds a feature, reopen the evidence checklist before authorising supply. Ask Cambridge China Bridge's staff in China to obtain the agreed samples and factory records. Keep evidence collection, technical assessment and your release decision as distinct responsibilities.
Frequently asked questions
Can I crowdfund before product testing?
A concept campaign and supplying products are different stages. Explain what remains untested and review product-linked payment terms before launch. Plan the evidence needed before any product release.
Can I wait until shipping to check compliance?
Do not use shipping as your only checkpoint. Placing finished products on the market can occur before physical transfer. Review the offer and evidence before opening finished-product rewards.
Do free crowdfunding rewards need compliance checks?
Yes, commercial supply can be free of charge. Review physical product rewards against the applicable product requirements before release.
Will a factory certificate cover my final product?
Check the report's model, materials, components and scope against the final configuration. Record differences and ask a competent assessor whether further evidence is needed.