Understanding how to protect your brand with Amazon Brand Registry is vital for selling on Amazon. Over the years you've worked hard building your brand by creating a name, tagline, logo, symbols, and registering intellectual property; all things that build trust and a connection between you and your customers. In order to maintain that trust, you need to take action to protect your brand on Amazon. You must learn about the tools and programs offered by Amazon through the Brand Registry program. Once registered on Amazon, you get access to automated tools and programs that help brands protect their intellectual property. Amazon customers benefit from this as it creates a trusted shopping experience by protecting fraudulent or bad actors on the Amazon Store. In this post, we will cover brand protection programs, the report a violation tool, Amazon Transparency, Project Zero, and the Counterfeit Crimes Unit.
Brand Protection Programs Available to All
Report a Violation Tool
Amazon’s Report a Violation Tool can be used to report intellectual property infringements. To use the tool, you first need to select the ASIN you are reporting and the type of infringement that you are reporting. You may file a copyright infringement, a patent infringement, or a trademark infringement. To file a copyright infringement, you will need to provide the Amazon order number if you have purchased the product or packaging that is infringing your copyright. You can also provide a link to the copyrighted work or a detailed description of it. If the case pertains to patent infringement, you will need to provide the valid patent number that is being infringed. Lastly, for trademark infringement, you will need to provide the trademark that is being infringed. This trademark must be added to your Brand Registry account and enforceable in the jurisdiction of the selected store. Amazon recommends that you complete a test buy to confirm that the product or packaging uses your intellectual property. By reporting intellectual property infringements, you can help Amazon to protect your brand and customers and avoid negative customer experiences.
Amazon Transparency
Amazon Transparency allows you to proactively protect your brand from counterfeits by ensuring every unit of your product shipped is authentic. Amazon Transparency does this by using a unique QR code on every unit of your product. Amazon Transparency is designed to give you valuable insights to streamline your supply chain while stopping counterfeits from reaching customers and improving customer engagement. Transparency allows you to gain detailed batch-level supply chain insights. This allows you to quickly identify and address issues in production and manufacturing, saving time and money. To be eligible to sign up for Amazon Transparency, you must have a Brand Registry, GTIN (Such as UPC, ISBN, or EAN), and have the ability to apply a unique Transparency code to every unit you manufacture no matter where they are sold. Once you sign up for Amazon Transparency, the next step is to choose what products you want to enroll in. Next, apply the Amazon Transparency QR code to the selected products. At the fulfillment center, Amazon will scan the transparency codes to ensure only authentic products are shipped. Lastly, when your happy customer receives the product they may scan it to confirm authenticity. Over 33,000 brands have signed up for Amazon Transparency. To learn more about if Amazon Transparency could be a good fit, Contact Us.
Project Zero
Protecting customers from counterfeit products is a top priority for any brand. Project Zero uses Amazon’s technology combined with a seller’s brand knowledge to discover and remove counterfeit products. Over 22,000 Companies ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies use Project Zero to protect their brand and customers. One requirement for Project Zero is that you must be enrolled in the Amazon Brand Registry. Once you are enrolled in Project Zero, Amazon will ask for information about your trademark, logos, and other key data points about your brand. From there, Amazon will use that information to scan over 8 billion listings a day to make sure no one is selling a counterfeit of your product. If you find a counterfeit of your product yourself, you will have a self-guided portal to report it and even take down the listing yourself. By doing this, you also give more data to Amazon to be even more vigilant in the future. Lastly, Project Zero also has a serialized service that applies a unique code to every single product you produce and sell on Amazon. This program is optional but could allow Amazon to stop counterfeit products before they reach customers. If you are selling a product where you are worried about counterfeits being sold on Amazon’s store, Project Zero could be a good fit for your brand.
Counterfeit Crimes Unit
Amazon's Counterfeit Crime Unit is dedicated to addressing counterfeit issues on a global scale. Amazon’s Counterfeit Crime Unit collaborates closely with brands to gather information about their intellectual property and products. Their job is to detect, investigate, and remove counterfeit items from Amazon’s platform while also identifying and targeting bad actors across the world for potential prosecution. Amazon takes strong action against these bad actors by working hand in hand with brands. Their efforts include conducting thorough investigations, referring cases to law enforcement agencies, and pursuing legal action to seize counterfeit products, ultimately seeking justice for the rightful owners. In addition to these efforts, they are committed to disrupting counterfeit networks by identifying and pursuing counterfeiters at every stage of their supply chain, which encompasses manufacturing, distribution, logistics, and financial resources. These collective actions serve as a deterrent to counterfeiters, discouraging them from continuing their operations on our platform.
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions on How to Protect Your Brand With Amazon Brand Registry
How can I protect my brand on Amazon?
You can protect your brand on Amazon by enrolling in Amazon Brand Registry and utilizing tools like report a Violation, Amazon Transparency, Project Zero, and the Counterfeit Crimes Unit.
What information do I need to provide to enroll in Amazon Brand Registry?
You will need an active Seller Central or Vendor Central account. If you have a vendor relationship with Amazon, you’ll need to provide a vendor code. You will also need a pending or registered text or image-based trademark in the country where you wish to enroll. Next, you will need to provide the trademark registration number that was provided by the Intellectual Property Office. At least 1 image of the product or packaging that clearly shows your brand’s name, logo, or other distinguishing mark permanently affixed to the product. The images should show the product you sell or intend to sell on Amazon and they can’t be computer-generated mockups. Lastly, you will need to supply a list of the products you plan on registering to Amazon Brand Registry.
What are the different types of intellectual property infringement that I can report using the Report a Violation tool?
The three different reports you may file are a copyright infringement, a patent infringement, and a trademark infringement.
How do I report a violation of my intellectual property rights using the Report a Violation tool?
To report a violation, you will need to provide the following information: the type of infringement that you are reporting, the Amazon ASIN of the product that is infringing your intellectual property, and any other information that you believe is relevant, such as the name of the seller or the product listing URL.
How can I prevent counterfeit products from being sold on Amazon?
You can do so by filing a copyright infringement, a patent infringement or a trademark infringement. You can also contact Amazon's Counterfeit Crime Unit.
Does Brand Registry protect pricing?
No, you can not protect MSRP (Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price) or MAP (Minimum Advertised Price) or set any sort of pricing once you are brand registered.
Does Brand Registry stop distributors?
No, Amazon does not enforce any distribution relationships or protect you from a distributor offering lower pricing.
Conclusion
Protecting your brand's integrity and deterring counterfeiters is of paramount importance when selling on Amazon. The Amazon Brand Registry offers a suite of valuable tools and programs designed to ensure your brand's reputation remains intact. From the Report a Violation Tool for reporting intellectual property infringements to Amazon Transparency, Project Zero, and the dedicated Counterfeit Crime Unit, Amazon provides comprehensive resources to protect your brand and enhance the shopping experience for customers. With the support of these initiatives, you can proactively combat counterfeit products and maintain trust with your customer base. If you have any questions or need further information about these brand protection programs, we encourage you to reach out to us today. Our team is here to assist you in understanding and utilizing these tools effectively to secure your brand's presence on Amazon and provide a safe and authentic shopping environment for all customers. Don't hesitate to contact us to ensure your brand's protection and success on Amazon's platform.
About the Author - Will Tjernlund
This post was written by Will Tjernlund, the CMO and Co-Founder of Goat Consulting. Will has been in the Amazon ecosystem for over a decade, starting at his family’s 80-year-old manufacturing business helping B2B brands sell on Amazon. He has vast experience helping different types of businesses protect their brand on Amazon. If you have any questions about how your business could sell on Amazon.com, Will is the guy to talk to!