hijack, product not as described
I am the original manufacturer of an item. I was the first to list anything like it on amazon back in 2016. Nobody can resell without purchasing from me first and I do not wholesale etc. I have no problem with competing with other similar items on their own listings. but....Hijackers have taken over my listing in an attempt to bolster their own listings...which would not succeed in a fair marketplace as I have a superior product. Those sales have led to 1 star reviews . Amazon will not allow me to sell my product at my price anymore. They allow these hijackers to set the price and undercut me. I have ordered countless of their products and they are not the same as mine. They are different handle styles. I have filed countless cases with no resolution. This is not a "trademark" issue , it is an issue of allowing others to sell a similar product under an original manufacturers own listing. What recourse do I have?
hijack, product not as described
I am the original manufacturer of an item. I was the first to list anything like it on amazon back in 2016. Nobody can resell without purchasing from me first and I do not wholesale etc. I have no problem with competing with other similar items on their own listings. but....Hijackers have taken over my listing in an attempt to bolster their own listings...which would not succeed in a fair marketplace as I have a superior product. Those sales have led to 1 star reviews . Amazon will not allow me to sell my product at my price anymore. They allow these hijackers to set the price and undercut me. I have ordered countless of their products and they are not the same as mine. They are different handle styles. I have filed countless cases with no resolution. This is not a "trademark" issue , it is an issue of allowing others to sell a similar product under an original manufacturers own listing. What recourse do I have?
0 replies
Michelle_Amazon
Hello @Seller_jPjs1KOEojKAp,
Michelle at Amazon here. Can you please provide me with the cases you have filed that show that their products are not the same as yours so I can take a look?
Thanks,
Michelle
Seller_Vrp1PfcZQQzWv
this happened to me a few times the past few months and amazon will do nothing unless you have a registered trademark. i sent pictures that were side by side comparisons showing the differences and nothing was ever done. amazon allowed this Chinese seller to continue selling the item. this is a huge issue and they should make it easier to remove these hijackers
Seller_hRcW3boFdNOVe
Hello Nnancy,It sounds like you're experiencing a frustrating situation where unauthorized sellers are hijacking your Amazon listing by offering counterfeit versions of your product. This is not only unfair competition but also detrimental to your brand's reputation due to the poor-quality knock-offs leading to negative reviews. Here's a strategic approach to address this issue:
Document the Infringement: Purchase the counterfeit item, then document the differences between the genuine product and the counterfeit item you received. Detailed photographs and a side-by-side comparison in a PDF format can be very effective.
Report to Amazon: Use the 'Report Abuse' feature in your Seller Central account. Provide Amazon with the order ID of the counterfeit product you purchased, along with the detailed documentation you've prepared. This step is crucial for Amazon to see the clear differences and understand that the product sold by the hijacker does not match the listing.
Request Removal of the Hijacker: Amazon takes counterfeit claims seriously. Once they verify the information you've provided, they are likely to remove the hijacker from your listing and may even suspend the hijacker's account.
Monitor Your Listing: Consider utilizing listing monitoring tools that alert you whenever you lose the Buy Box. This can be an early indication of hijacking activity, enabling you to act swiftly before significant damage is done to your listing's reputation.
Address Negative Reviews: After successfully having the hijacker removed, focus on addressing the negative reviews stemming from the counterfeit products. While Amazon is cautious about removing reviews, presenting evidence that the reviews are for counterfeit products, not yours, may help in getting them removed.
This process does require persistence and meticulous documentation but is essential to protect your brand and ensure that only genuine products are sold under your listing. Unfortunately, these challenges are part of the online selling landscape, but with proactive measures, you can safeguard your business.
Remember, the success of your Amazon business involves not just managing but actively defending your listings against unauthorized sellers. It might be laborious, but it's crucial for maintaining the integrity and success of your brand on Amazon. [Moderator Edit: removed personal information]
Best of luck, and stay vigilant.
Seller_guhQr0EQt0lfM
I thought BRAND REGISTRY was supposed to give you the power to stop this kind of thing. Directly from brand registration page here:
Protect your brand
Detect and report suspected intellectual property infringement with Amazon Brand Registry tools. Accurate submissions continue to drive our feedback loops, which aim to automatically block violations before they impact your brand and customers.
Report a Violation
Leverage this self-service tool to search, find, and report intellectual property infringements identified on Amazon (trademark, copyright, design, or patent).
Access the unprecedented ability to immediately remove counterfeit listings without the need to contact us. Project Zero unlocks exclusive counterfeit protection for brands like yours who are experienced in using our brand protection tools.
So if you are still having issues and cant get them off your listing....whats the benefit to Brand Registry?
Seller_hxlxgnQ5Ls8SZ
@Seller_jPjs1KOEojKAp We have had this happen as well. In those cases, I have contacted the seller(s) directly and simply told them that they are hijacking the listing for a branded product, and that they need to remove their product from the listing, or it will be reported to Amazon.
The seller runs the risk of being removed from Amazon completely. If they have any sense, they will apologize and change course. Nine out of 10 times that is enough.
In my experience it has generally been Asian sellers who see a product that they can undercut. Generally, my letting them know that if it is not removed, I will report it to Amazon (as mentioned in the great post by @Seller_hRcW3boFdNOVe.
On the contrary, we also see sellers who are listing our own products (we are also the manufacturer and own the brand) at very high prices, for example on Amazon in another country. These sellers are generally called "retail arbitragers". They find listings that exist in one country but not another and offer that product at a price where they can purchase from Marketplace X and sell at a profit in Marketplace Y.
Unfortunately, we generally find that they create the listings and sometimes the specifications for what the product is, the size, what it can or can't do are incorrect or exaggerated. Those are easy to spot because a) they are generally selling at a high price, b) they are generally using media that we created and c) when we look at the listings by that seller they generally have thousands of them.
Typically, we use the same approach. We contact them, let them know what we have seen, and tell them they must be an authorized representative to sell the product. I also politely inform that that because they have 10,000 listings, that we understand they are likely a retail arbitrage seller, and I let them know that we reached out to them before contacting Amazon as it may put their business at risk.
Generally speaking, we have been successful using these two techniques. If the counterfeit seller is brazen, then you will need help from Amazon to correct the issue.
I hope this information helps you. Good luck!
