Buying K-beauty wholesale in Europe: a guide for retailers

Korean skincare is sold across European beauty retail, from drugstore chains to small concept stores. For a retailer, the practical question is where to buy it: reliably, legally and in quantities that fit the store. This guide explains what to check before you buy and how ordering works with TIC Wholesale, our B2B shop.

Who buys K-beauty wholesale

Wholesale is for businesses that resell: drugstores and retail chains, online retailers, pharmacies, concept stores and beauty studios. TIC Wholesale serves businesses in the EU and the UK only and does not sell to consumers. To open an account, you need a registered business and a valid VAT ID.

What to check before you buy

The retailer is not the Responsible Person for a product it only resells, but it does carry obligations. Under Article 6 of the EU Cosmetics Regulation, distributors must act with due care: before making a product available, they check that the label shows the required information, that the language requirements of the country are met and that the date of minimum durability has not passed. A product that arrives without this information is a risk for your store.

EU label, not Korean domestic packaging

Products made for the Korean market often lack information the EU requires. Check that every item shows:

• the name and address of the Responsible Person in the EU (for the UK: in the UK),
• the country of origin,
• the nominal content,
• the date of minimum durability or the period after opening (open-jar symbol),
• precautions for use and the function of the product,
• a batch number,
• the ingredient list with INCI names.

The language-dependent parts (content, durability, precautions, function) must be in the language your country requires. In Germany that is German.

Authentic stock from a traceable source

Ask where the goods come from. A supplier should be able to name the brand or the authorised partner it buys from and keep batches traceable. At TIC we sell original products only, sourced from brands and authorised partners.

Durability dates and stock rotation

The label shows either a date of minimum durability (“best used before the end of”) or, for products that keep for more than 30 months, the period after opening with the open-jar symbol (Article 19 of the Cosmetics Regulation). Check the dates when goods arrive, sell older batches first and do not offer products whose date has passed. Distributors are expressly required to check this before making a product available.

Compliance data for every item

For listing a product, especially online, you need the EAN/GTIN, the INCI list and reliable product information. Ask for these before the first order, not after the goods have arrived.

Claims in your own shop

When you write product texts, the same rules apply to you as to the brand: Article 20 of the Cosmetics Regulation and Commission Regulation (EU) No 655/2013 forbid claims a product cannot support. Use the brand’s own product information and do not promise effects on skin or health.

How to open a wholesale account with TIC

1. Apply. Request a business account in TIC Wholesale with your company name, country, VAT ID, contact person and billing address.
2. Check. We verify your VAT ID and your retailer status, usually within one business day. You can check any EU VAT number yourself in the European Commission’s VIES service.
3. Order. Once your account is approved, you see your wholesale prices and can order from the live stock.

Minimum order, discounts and payment

The minimum order value is €400 net per order. A volume discount on the whole order and a full-carton bonus together give up to 9 % off.

You can pay by bank transfer in advance, free of charge, or by credit card or Apple Pay, processed by Stripe (1.5 % card fee).

Delivery and VAT

Orders usually ship within 5 business days of payment, insured, from our logistics centre in Germany. We deliver DAP (Delivered at Place) to the EU and the UK.

For VAT, three cases apply:

• EU outside Germany: intra-community supply at 0 % VAT with a valid VAT ID.
• United Kingdom: orders ship as exports.
• Germany: 19 % VAT.

Product images and data for your shop

Getting a new brand online takes more work than putting it on the shelf. TIC Wholesale includes:

• Product images for your online shop and marketing,
• an inventory list as Excel with the full range and stock,
• ordering by EAN list: upload your list instead of adding items one by one.

Our range covers over 1,300 items from 50 brands, with live stock straight from our warehouse.

Building a first K-beauty assortment

Most retailers start with a small range and extend it once they see what sells. A few practical points:

• Start with categories customers already know. Cleansers, toners, serums, sunscreens and sheet masks are easy to explain. Our guide Korean skincare categories explained for retailers describes them.
• Pick a few brands, not single products from many. Two or three brands with several products each make a clearer shelf and simpler reorders. See the brands in our portfolio.
• Plan the online listing together with the purchase. If images, EANs and ingredient lists come with the order, products go live faster.
• Watch stock, not only price. Live stock in the shop shows what can actually be delivered now.

Checklist before your first order

• Business registered, VAT ID at hand
• EU label with Responsible Person, INCI list and the required language on every item
• Original goods from a traceable source
• EAN, INCI and product images for your online shop
• Minimum order value, payment and delivery time clear

Ready to start? Apply for a wholesale account or read more about TIC Wholesale for retailers.