The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office previously stated that it will adjust or increase certain trademark fees in October 2020. The trademark fee increase will range from $25 to $200.

In view of this, service agencies have recently issued notices on price increases for trademark registrations, and some have even stated that the price will increase by 1k directly after the new regulations. As a result, many sellers with trademark registration needs have caught the last train before the trademark price increase.

But the problem of trademark registration also arises. Recently, many sellers have asked: "To register a trademark, you must have a link to the branded product on sale, but if you don't have a brand, you can't create a link. What should I do?"

This article analyzes and answers this issue for sellers.

Is it necessary to have a link to the branded product for sale when registering a trademark?

Many sellers said that when they registered their own brands with the U.S. Trademark Office, the agency said that there must be an Amazon sales link, and the title of the sales link must include the brand name.

So the seller started to create a listing and filled in the brand name in the brand column, but the listing could not be uploaded. Customer service said that it was necessary to provide evidence and pass the Amazon whitelist, otherwise the seller could only upload and sell the product through the unbranded NA.

So the sellers began to fall into a vicious circle: brand registration and filing requires an Amazon link, but the Amazon link requires a whitelist, and the prerequisite for the whitelist is a registered brand?

In fact, there is nothing wrong with the logic of this process. The seller wanted to save trouble when registering, but did not understand the rules.

Here is some basic knowledge: US trademark registration is divided into 1A and 1B.

Obviously, 1A saves money and effort, so most trademark registrations on the market use 1A.

Of course, the use evidence includes but is not limited to [product images] and [sales links] . Product images can be provided when registering, and sales links are best provided if available, but many organizations currently require sales links. The sales links do not have to be from Amazon, as long as they are sold to the United States, including independent websites.

Although the trademark issue was clarified, the seller was "killed" in the lack of evidence of use.

Many sellers said that they only operate on the Amazon platform and cannot provide links to other platforms. Moreover, only brands that have been registered on the Amazon platform, or brand names that the store has been using before, can upload listings normally. This means that sellers must first obtain Amazon whitelist before uploading links.

How to get whitelisted on Amazon

I believe many sellers have encountered this situation: if you upload a listing using a new brand name and have not registered it on the Amazon platform, you will receive an error code reminder of 5665.

So how do you get Amazon whitelisted and then successfully create a link?

Zhiwubuyan user @陈半仙种太阳shared a method of contacting customer service to obtain Amazon’s whitelist. The content is detailed and sellers can read it carefully for reference↓↓↓

1. Get error code 5665

Upload the product listing, fill in the brand name you want to register, and then receive error code 5665.

2. Open a case to consult and obtain preparation materials

Open a case to ask customer service how to solve the "5665 error reminder appears when uploading the listing" problem. Customer service should give you the following reply:

All you have to do is prepare the materials according to their requirements. The most difficult part is "branded product packaging", because small sellers who are just starting out usually do not purchase enough goods for customized packaging, and they all use neutral packaging without a brand.

3. Prepare Materials

At this time, you need to make a sample yourself. If you have one, ask the supplier for the die-cutting pattern of the packaging box. If not, use Canva or PS to make a simple die-cutting pattern yourself. Then go to the cloud proofing platform to select the appropriate box type for proofing. The specific operation process is as follows:

01. Select the box type.

02. Enter the box size, material, process requirements, etc.

03. Pay the order, and then download the structure diagram in "My Orders".

04. Editing the die-cutting pattern with PS actually means pasting corresponding pictures on the 6 sides of the box.

05. Save the edited die-cutting pattern as a PNG image and upload it to the cloud proofing platform.

After confirming the design draft, you will receive a branded sample box within 2 to 3 days.

4. Submit materials for review

Then you need to follow the requirements of Amazon customer service, take photos, and open a case. The review will take about a week. After the review is passed, you can upload the listing using this brand name.

Some sellers feel that it is difficult for them to carry out the above steps, while others suggest that they can directly customize the packaging boxes and tattoo stickers with brand names on the omnipotent Taobao, stick the tattoo stickers on the packaging boxes, take photos and review them, but the approval rate of this method cannot be guaranteed.

By the way, Amazon announced that starting from September 30, sellers only need to provide the product name and pictures showing all sides of the product and packaging to apply for GTIN exemption, without providing a letter of certification from the brand owner. This means that the above steps of [Prepare materials] also apply to sellers to apply for GTIN exemption.

Amazon brand registration through TM mark

In fact, the above series of steps are all preparations for registering a US trademark, and the ultimate goal is to obtain the R mark to apply for Amazon brand registration.

In fact, in addition to the R mark, sellers can also apply for Amazon brand registration through the TM mark.

Direct link to TM brand registration: https://brandservices.amazon.com/pending-trademark-request (copy and open in browser)

TM trademark application Amazon brand registration is currently an invitation-only pilot program in the United States and India. To join the waiting list, sellers can first check the eligibility requirements:

If the seller meets the above eligibility criteria, they can then fill out the web form. Amazon will review the seller's shortlist request and notify the seller when they can start the application process for the Brand Registry.

Finally, let’s summarize: Trademark registration is divided into 1A and 1B. Only 1A requires proof of brand use. If sellers want to create brand product links, they can contact customer service to provide materials to obtain an exemption to create brand links.

In addition, sellers can also register their brands on Amazon through the TM mark.

I hope this article can help sellers better carry out trademark registration and brand filing. If sellers still have questions related to trademark registration, welcome to discuss and communicate in the comment area~

Text ✎ Xiyue/

Statement: When reprinting this article, the title and original text must not be modified, and the source and original link must be retained.