← All stepsStep 2

Set it up legally

Register the company, get your labeling and terms right, and learn the lines you never cross.

4 lessonsabout 49 minutes

What you finish with

A registered entity, a business bank account, and a written compliance policy covering labeling, claims and prohibited products.

Lessons

  1. 01Entity, EIN and business banking

    11 min

    Form the company before you contact a single supplier. Suppliers, labs and payment providers all ask for entity documents, and a personal account is an instant decline. We cover the sequence and the documents each party asks for.

    • Choosing a structure and where to register
    • EIN, operating agreement and registered agent
    • Opening a business account without triggering a review
  2. 02Labeling that tells the truth

    16 min

    Your label is your legal position in physical form. It must identify the material, the quantity, the lot, the storage conditions and the research-use-only restriction — and it must never imply human use, dosing, or benefit.

    • Required label fields and lot numbering
    • Language that creates human-use implication (and what to write instead)
    • Insert cards, storage instructions and handling notices
  3. 03The lines you never cross

    13 min

    The fastest way to lose this business is a claim you can't support or a workaround designed to hide what you sell. We list the specific behaviours that draw regulator, platform and processor action, and why avoiding them is also your best marketing.

    • Health claims, testimonials and implied indications
    • Never disguising intended use to a processor
    • Products and formats to exclude from your catalogue entirely
  4. 04Terms, privacy and buyer attestation

    9 min

    Your site needs terms of sale, a privacy policy, a shipping and returns policy, and a buyer attestation at checkout confirming research use. These documents are also the first thing an underwriter reads.

    • Attestation wording and where it appears
    • Returns policy for temperature-sensitive goods
    • Record retention: what to keep and for how long

Templates included

  • Compliance policy template
  • Label field checklist and lot-numbering scheme
  • Terms, privacy and returns starter documents

Mistakes to avoid

  • Launching on a personal bank account
  • Copying a competitor's site copy that contains claims
  • Skipping the checkout attestation