What is Amazon Brand Protection?
Amazon brand protection is the term for the AI-powered tools and services that Amazon provides to brand owners. They essentially protect brand owners’ intellectual property (IP) against unauthorized sellers and counterfeits which can harm their business reputation.
Read the rest of this article to learn more about Amazon brand protection, its main features, and how they can benefit your business.
What are Key Features of Amazon Brand Protection?
Amazon brand protection is linked to Amazon’s Brand Registry program. This is where you can access AI tools to protect your brand against IP infringements or other violations. Here are some of its key traits:
- Project Zero: this is a self-service tool you can use to remove fake or counterfeit products.
- Transparency: this is used to confirm product authenticity with unique serialization. It stops third parties from making product counterfeits your customers accidentally purchase.
- Report a Violation: you can use this tool to submit complaints so that you can enforce your brand protection in a faster way. You can also remove any infringements yourself.
- Automatic Brand Protection: it uses machine learning and brand information to spot and remove potential IP violations.
Who is Eligible for Amazon Brand Protection?
To be able to use Amazon’s range of brand protection tools or services, you have to meet certain criteria.
- Project Zero: You need to own a registered trademark and be registered in the Amazon Brand Registry. You also need to have used the Report a Violation tool within the last six months with an acceptance rate of at least 90 percent.
- Transparency: You must be a brand owner accepted into the Amazon Brand Registry, your trademark must have the ® mark, and you must have a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) on your products. You also have to be enrolled in Brand Registry in specific regions, such as the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan, India, Australia, and the U.K.
- Report a Violation: If you’ve enrolled in Amazon Registry, you can use this tool.
- Automatic Brand Protection: If you are a seller who has enrolled in Amazon Brand Registry, you can use this tool.
Why Do You Need Amazon Brand Protection?
If you’re selling goods on Amazon, it’s worth using its brand protection features. Here’s why.
- You can prevent counterfeits. By being able to spot and remove counterfeit listings, you can stay on top of protecting your brand from fake goods that tarnish your brand reputation and mislead your customers.
- You can stop unauthorized resellers. This helps you to prevent illegal product diversion, such as via unauthorized channels.
- You can protect your intellectual property. This includes stopping violations of your patents, trademarks, and copyrights.
- You can build customer trust. By ensuring that your customers pay for and receive authentic goods, this builds trust in your brand.
Do You Need a Trademark for Amazon Brand Protection?
Before you can access Amazon’s brand protection, you need to register a trademark. This has other benefits, such as providing you with greater brand security and legal protection. `
When you have a registered trademark, your brand is protected under federal law. You are the rightful owner of the trademark with exclusive rights to elements such as your logo and brand name.
On eCommerce sites, your registered trademark also protects your brand by ensuring it’s distinguished from competitors. It’s a recognizable mark for your customers who will know it’s authentic.
How Do You Sign Up for Amazon Brand Registry?
To access all the tools in Amazon brand protection, you should sign up for the Amazon Brand Registry. Here are the steps to follow.
Step One: Go to Brand Registry
Head to Amazon’s Brand Registry page. Click on “Get started.” You’ll need to sign up with your Amazon seller account. Once you do, choose the option to enroll a brand from the dashboard. You’ll require a pending or registered trademark.
Step Two: Provide Brand Details
Input information about your brand, such as your brand name (make sure it’s the name you used in your trademark application), logo, and trademark registration or serial number.
Step Three: Include Product Information
Provide information about the items you’ll be selling. This includes choosing categories that best describe the products, such as beauty, jewelry, or handmade products.
Provide between one and three ASINs (Amazon Standard Identification Numbers) so that your products will be correctly identified on the Amazon catalog. These numbers are created in the Amazon Seller Central when you add a new product listing. If you don’t have ASINs, you can leave this section blank.
Step Four: Submit a Product Image
Upload a minimum of one product image that displays your branding clearly. To guide you with image selection, Amazon provides information about what images are more likely to get accepted.
Step Five: Provide Business Information
You’ll be prompted to select if you’re a seller or vendor. Business details to provide include your valid tax ID and business address.
Step Six: Include Manufacturing and Distribution Information
You’ll be prompted to choose the option of either having your own manufacturer or using a third party. Then, you’ll have to upload a copy of a recent supply, sourcing, or manufacturing invoice that includes your brand’s product name on it.
In the distribution section, you’ll be asked if you sell to distributors. You should mention the country where you’re distributing your products and if your brand licenses trademarks to other manufacturers associated with your IP.
How Can a Lawyer Help You with Amazon Brand Protection?
Working with a qualified lawyer has many advantages when registering for Amazon brand protection. These include the following:
- A lawyer will help you to register your trademark so that you don’t make any mistakes which can delay the approval process.
- They will handle any infringement claims against counterfeit sellers.
- They will help you enroll in Amazon Brand Registry to ensure you have secure IP protection.
- They can help you to monitor your listings so that you remain compliant with Amazon’s policies.
Where to Get a Lawyer for Amazon Brand Protection
If you need to hire an intellectual property lawyer, you should contact one on ContractsCounsel, one of the biggest online legal marketplaces that makes it easy for people to connect with vetted, experienced lawyers on the platform.
Instead of cold-calling traditional law firms, you can find lawyers from the comfort of your home based on factors such as their expertise, credentials, project history, and client ratings.
