The COOL Online Act mandates that online sellers conspicuously disclose a product's country of origin and their principal place of business for certain goods, with specific exclusions for food, drugs, used items, and small sellers.
Carlos Gimenez
Representative
FL-28
The COOL Online Act mandates that internet sellers conspicuously disclose a product's country of origin and the seller's principal place of business for certain goods sold online. This requirement excludes agricultural products, most food and drugs, used items, and sales by very small sellers. Enforcement falls under the Federal Trade Commission, with implementation guided by an interagency agreement.
New COOL Online Act Mandates Country-of-Origin Labels for Internet Shoppers Starting in 2025
If you’ve ever ordered a 'genuine leather' bag online only to realize it shipped from halfway across the globe, you know the frustration of the digital blind spot. The COOL Online Act aims to fix that by requiring internet retailers to clearly disclose two things before you hit 'buy': where the product was actually made and where the seller is based. Under this bill, any product that already requires a physical country-of-origin label under the Tariff Act must now have that same info displayed 'conspicuously' in the online description. It’s a move to bring the transparency of a physical store shelf to your smartphone screen, ensuring you know exactly whose economy you’re supporting with your paycheck.
The Digital Fine Print
This isn't just about a 'Made in USA' sticker; it’s a full-scale data handoff. The bill requires everyone in the supply chain—manufacturers, importers, and distributors—to feed this origin info to the retailers. If you’re a small business owner running a boutique site, the law gives you a 'safe harbor' protection: as long as you pass along the info your supplier gave you in good faith, you aren't on the hook if they lied to you. However, the bill is a bit fuzzy on what 'conspicuously' means. We don't know if that means the info has to be next to the price tag or if it can be buried in a 'specs' tab three scrolls down. For the average shopper, this could mean the difference between easy transparency and another game of digital hide-and-seek.
Who’s In and Who’s Out
Before you expect to see a map on every listing, check the fine print on the exclusions. The bill gives a pass to a massive chunk of your shopping cart. Most food, drugs, and agricultural products (like meat or eggs) are exempt because they fall under different agency rules. Used goods sold on marketplaces like eBay or Poshmark are also out, as are 'small sellers'—defined as those with less than $20,000 in annual sales and fewer than 200 transactions. This means if you’re buying a handcrafted table from a local hobbyist, you might not see these labels, but if you’re buying a new power tool from a major platform, the origin must be front and center.
The Waiting Game and Enforcement
Don't expect these labels to pop up overnight. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Customs, and the USDA have six months to sit down and figure out how they’re going to play nice together. Once they publish their official game plan, retailers have a full 12-month grace period to get their websites in order. If they don't comply, the FTC can come after them with the same teeth they use for deceptive advertising. For the consumer, this means a more honest shopping experience is coming, but for the millions of mid-sized online sellers, it’s a looming deadline to audit their entire inventory’s paperwork or face some very expensive government headaches.