How to solve the 6 common infringement problems faced by Amazon sellers?

▪ Click on the seller’s name on the product page and select the “Ask A Question” button. Then send them a cease and desist letter stating that you are the original owner of the listing, asking them to stop selling the item, and informing them that their actions are in violation of Amazon’s Terms of Service.

▪ File a complaint with Amazon, whether or not you are a brand registrant.

▪ Contact a lawyer and let them handle it.

The only way to combat this and keep your listings safe is to find out where they are sourcing from and try to cut off the supply.

If you discover that a seller is infringing your copyright or trademark, take the same steps as with piggybacked listings: send a cease and desist letter, file a complaint with Amazon through the Amazon Brand Registry or the infringement violation report.

You will follow pretty much the same steps as for trademark infringement, but when you send a cease and desist letter or fill out the infringement violation form, gather as much evidence as possible. The success of your complaint will depend on whether you can prove that you are the original owner/designer.

▪ Utility patents, which protect the use or production of a product. These patents are highly technical in nature, so they can be expensive and take a long time to obtain protection.

▪ Design patents, which protect the design and appearance of a product. These patents usually take less time to secure and are cheaper, but you will need to prove that part or all of the design is 100% original.

▪ Email the seller (using the email address provided by Amazon) and ask them to outline what intellectual property you have violated. Staying calm and rational is key, as your goal is to resolve this issue as quickly as possible.

▪ Then get more detailed information from the seller. If you may have violated their intellectual property, you should get as much information as possible.

▪ Finally, if their claim of intellectual property infringement is unfounded, then you need to file a counter-DMCA notice with Amazon.

Before taking any action, take screenshots of any reviews you think are suspicious. Find and screenshot as many reviews as you can. For fake reviews, contact Seller Support and provide them with the details and a screenshot of the review.

▪ Place your trademark everywhere including on the product and its packaging.

▪ Use the barcode provided by Amazon (FNSKU) instead of the barcode provided by the manufacturer.

▪ Secure your account on Seller Central by logging in with 2-step verification.

▪ Consider using a third-party app that will alert you to potentially suspicious behavior, such as changing your description or image.

▪ Apply for an official trademark for your brand and logo.

▪ Join the Amazon Brand Registry so that your brand and products will be categorized and identified.

▪ Take it a step further with Amazon Transparency, which assigns a unique barcode to your product.