Potential IP Infringement
Hello,
I am very new to selling on Amazon, and have recently received an email from an individual telling me to click to the GreyScout website because apparently one of my listings is branded and potential IP infringement .
Before I listed that same product, I was approved by Amazon and never had issues posting. I made a call to Amazon representative, and they have told me to be careful to what links I click if they are not coming from Amazon.
My question is: Do you know about GreyScout website? Has anyone ever experienced this before? Is this a scam?
Best,
Lazar
Potential IP Infringement
Hello,
I am very new to selling on Amazon, and have recently received an email from an individual telling me to click to the GreyScout website because apparently one of my listings is branded and potential IP infringement .
Before I listed that same product, I was approved by Amazon and never had issues posting. I made a call to Amazon representative, and they have told me to be careful to what links I click if they are not coming from Amazon.
My question is: Do you know about GreyScout website? Has anyone ever experienced this before? Is this a scam?
Best,
Lazar
0 replies
Seller_OvL8C4BJWiuS9
Are you selling a branded item? It doesn't matter if Amazon approved you. If you are violating a brand, then you need to produce documentation proving otherwise.
Seller_nRFmxiQg4EGrw
Greyscout bills itself as an IP protection service for brands, tracking down unauthorized sellers.
So while still best to not click on the link, I would take the message seriously. What brand are you selling? Do you have permission FROM THE BRAND to sell it? And are you sourcing it through proper AUTHORIZED distributors?
If you are not authorized to sell the brand, then your best move is probably to take down and FULLY DELETE the listing; then be thankful that they contacted you directly, rather than filing a complaint with Amazon, which would have resulted in your account being shut down.
Then in the future, be sure that you are authorized to sell any brands that you list; Amazon allowing you to create the listing is NOT authorization.
Seller_nRFmxiQg4EGrw
Because that's YOUR job, not Amazon's.
When you list an item on Amazon, Amazon assumes (often incorrectly) that you are running your business properly, and know how to source items and obtain permission.
Dougal_Amazon
Hello @Seller_FNuFR6nlqRgVY,
My name is Dougal from the Community Manager Team and I can address your potential IP infringement issue.
Looking through the correspondance below, you received an email from another company and not Amazon. I can only assist with Amazon policy and procedures are. If you receive a complaint on information from an entity outside of Amazon, I recommend seeking legal advice.
Approval for listing a brand on Amazon is outlined in the Apply to sell a product, category, or brand Seller University video. I assume you provided all the proper documentation when applying to sell the brand since you mention you were approved. There is a possibility that the brand or their 3rd party enforcement company does not know your store name or any other detail about your Amazon account.
I recommend that you reach out to your contact at the brand and discuss what you received with them. If you had received notice of potential IP infringement, it would come via a performance notification and you would see it on your Account Health Dashboard. Here is a great resource on how to Respond to an intellectual property (IP) policy violation
As mentioned by @Seller_nRFmxiQg4EGrw and @Seller_OvL8C4BJWiuS9 mentioned, the ultimate decision on selling a brand is with the brand owner. Here are a few other resources that I encourage you to review.
- Intellectual Property Policy for Sellers
- Selling policies and seller code of conduct
- Amazon Brand Name policy
Please let me know if you have any additional questions.
Best, Dougal
