Amazon brand protection is the key to your brand’s success. With so many people who are using Amazon for purchases, we’ve seen how unlawful activities can be possible on that platform. Your goal as a seller should be to ensure that your brand is protected from counterfeiters and unauthorized sellers. There are a number of issues that can affect not just your brand, but also brands that aren’t listing any products on Amazon.
As an Amazon seller, you can put a stop to losing customers to these counterfeiters and unauthorized sellers. But navigating the depths of the platform can be overwhelming. As your brand continues to grow, you’ll notice an increasing number of users who are reselling your products. So, how is this fair?
Amazon wants sellers to compete with each other as much as possible so they can secure the lowest possible price for buyers. It may sound very helpful for buyers, but this competition isn’t always legitimate. Here’s why you need to act. Amazon brand protection is important, and you can do it in 5 easy ways.
Amazon Brand Protection: 5 Ways to Protect Your Brand
Below are 5 easy ways you can do to protect your brand from unauthorized sellers and counterfeiters:
Apply for brand registry
Cyber insurance is important for any online business. This is to protect sensitive and private information about your brand. But registering your business for the Amazon Brand Registry is even more important because it helps protect your business within the Amazon world. The Amazon Brand Registry helps make sure that you are certified as the brand owner. And as a brand owner, there’s no need for you to use universal product codes or UPCs for you to list your products. What’s even better is that your content contribution as the brand owner will outweigh other sellers’. The keywords and content you choose to submit will override the content that other sellers have submitted.
The Amazon Brand Registry also protects your products by making sure that you can represent it accurately. Sadly, it doesn’t stop other people from reselling your products. But it’s a simple process to apply for, nonetheless, so there’s no reason for you not to add this protection to your brand.
Confront any illegitimate reseller
For you to recapture your profits in full, you need to confront any illegitimate reseller. You can do so by sending a formal message over Amazon. This is the easiest way to go about this. Instruct the resellers to cease their actions, and that should back off. Try to compose a simple, yet effective message, and send it to those resellers. A threat of direct contact with Amazon may also work in your favor if they still continue to undermine your business.
Look for legitimacy
One way of identifying whether or not a reseller of your product is legitimate is to add their products to your cart. If you can set the quantity to a high number that may be unreasonable, say 900, then you need to take further action.
Be proactive
If you don’t know anyone who’s selling the same products in your niche, then you’re lucky. You’re fortunate that you’re in the perfect position to stop anyone from coming in and redistributing your products without your permission.
Know that Amazon will not help you in taking down any unauthorized seller that set up shop, so you should always promote your brand identity as much as you can. Make it simple, identifiable, and unique.
You can also set up and maintain a public website that will contain information about your products. Promote your brand icon on your website, and then print it on your product packaging. By creating unique packaging, it will set you apart from the others. Your unique brand will help you identify any counterfeit product.
Your own packaging is important if you want to set up under the Amazon Brand Registry. So, why don’t you kill two birds with one stone?
Deal with the distributors
Make sure to forge fool-proof agreements with your distributors. They won’t be able to sell your products on Amazon if they sign strong, legal agreements. Binding contracts with distributors are especially very helpful with the aid of a lawyer.
If, however, you find your distributor to already list your products on Amazon, then it may help you if you increase their wholesale price. Increasing the wholesale price of your goods will force their Amazon listings to be more expensive than yours. This means that it won’t be profitable for them if they still resell your products. Your products will be cheaper now, and exactly the same listing, so customers won’t be interested to opt for your products.
There are different reactive and proactive steps you can make if you want to optimize your Amazon brand protection. Make sure to follow these tips to ensure that your brand is the most profitable possible.
Amazon Brand Protection: What if the problem continues?
Let’s say you’ve done all of the five Amazon brand protection tips mentioned above, and your message still fell on deaf ears? Your next step will be to report them to Amazon’s infringement team. If you want to ensure that Amazon will act upon your report, try to outline why they should. Make it clear that you are protecting your interest as a legitimate seller.
Amazon is also protecting its interests. Your customers are getting the best treatment and products, so it’s a win-win. Amazon will then take convincing, so you need to point out the important terms and conditions that your reseller is violating. Amazon’s conditions can prevent the listing of counterfeit products.
It may also be good to read through your letter to the seller and your report to Amazon before you send them. This will help you get rid of anything personal or emotional you have written in the heat of the moment. Let a friend or family member read through it, and change whatever needs to be changed.
