Branded Items being listed as Generic
Good Morning,
Can someone please explain why Amazon is allowing sellers to list clearly branded products as "Generic"?
Per amazons generic guidelines/policy:
"Generic products are unbranded products that do not belong to any identifiable brand. An unbranded product does not have a distinctive name or logo. For example, a mobile phone case that does not belong to a brand would not have any branding, so the product should use the string “generic” for the brand name field when creating a new listing.
1) Using another brand’s Intellectual Property in your generic product listing, or listing a branded product as generic, are violations of our listing policies. For more information, see our Brand Name policy."
-End quote-
It clearly states above that using a branded product in a generic listing is against their protocol and is a violation of TOS. I tried bringing this to AMZ's attention for a listing and they were just like nah nothing is wrong.
I also tried getting catalog authorization for a branded item as i did not see a correct listing for said item, but was told an ASIN exists already for said product and I quote was told: "If you not wish to list under the requested brand name, I highly advise you to use the brand name as "Generic".
This makes so sense to me.. i know I'm pretty new to the FBA scene, but could someone explain the logic there as its quite hypocritical in terms of the policy vs what I'm being told to do. The last thing i want to do is list a branded product as generic if it could result in a violation.
Thanks!
RGL
Branded Items being listed as Generic
Good Morning,
Can someone please explain why Amazon is allowing sellers to list clearly branded products as "Generic"?
Per amazons generic guidelines/policy:
"Generic products are unbranded products that do not belong to any identifiable brand. An unbranded product does not have a distinctive name or logo. For example, a mobile phone case that does not belong to a brand would not have any branding, so the product should use the string “generic” for the brand name field when creating a new listing.
1) Using another brand’s Intellectual Property in your generic product listing, or listing a branded product as generic, are violations of our listing policies. For more information, see our Brand Name policy."
-End quote-
It clearly states above that using a branded product in a generic listing is against their protocol and is a violation of TOS. I tried bringing this to AMZ's attention for a listing and they were just like nah nothing is wrong.
I also tried getting catalog authorization for a branded item as i did not see a correct listing for said item, but was told an ASIN exists already for said product and I quote was told: "If you not wish to list under the requested brand name, I highly advise you to use the brand name as "Generic".
This makes so sense to me.. i know I'm pretty new to the FBA scene, but could someone explain the logic there as its quite hypocritical in terms of the policy vs what I'm being told to do. The last thing i want to do is list a branded product as generic if it could result in a violation.
Thanks!
RGL
0 replies
Seller_rI7BZIczK8iAC
The bots just didn't yet see such a listing. You are right, this is a violation and there are too many.
Soon or late these listings will be taken down.
Seller_wntYGZu7DZfgO
I've reported such a product - plainly branded but listed as generic.
I have reported endlessly with the same result.
Nothing wrong here!
Listing it as generic blocked other sellers from offering the item.
What a hoot!
Seller_aUbEyzlSSnsDJ
Amazon told us in writing we can list a brand as generic. Our supplier said we could list their brand a generic. Why because Brand Registry is full of fake brands. The catalog is full of duplicate listing. Amazon is a very big mess and the amazon gods have out done themselves leaving chaos. Good sellers are being given a choice bad or worse.
Seller_bLIYLL0iN5C04
Amazon seems to have put out contradicting policies. You're correct on the policy, but Amazon has encouraged sellers to list items as generic.
An even bigger problem IMO is sellers who are taking products that are clearly branded, putting them in a mulipack and then adding a sticker or something stupid and branding it as their own product. Its a clear trademark and branding policy violation, but the seller support agents don't understand the policy and the concept of branding well enough to understand its wrong. Amazon guidelines tell us to list those products as generic, but policies aren't enforced at all.
Seller_z1JDNz6de1lqc
And they will not do anything about it! Dont forget about all the branded items that are clearly knock offs being sold by made up garage brands shipping from china.
Seller_n2KUJ2Y2VfmMt
Can someone from Amazon give the proper and most effective way to report brands being listed as generic.
Seller_rTBWL2OeoixkP
Amazon doesn't know what it's doing, and seller support is incompetent 98% of the time. They inspire me to apply for a job at NASA. Must be nice to get paid when you're not qualified for a job. If they can do it, so can I. Maybe. But probably not. NASA is the real world.
No one will be able to give you a real answer.
The solutions for error code 5885:
Avoid the listing altogether if you want to be safe.
List using flat file
Or open a case with seller "support", provide asin, title, sku, and REAL WORLD images, and they'll ungate that listing for you.
This is what happens when Amazon forgets where it came from and starts to give priority and power to brands instead of it's sellers. Sellers adapt. The garbage brands on here exist because Amazon decided it's the only thing they respect now.
In the old days, if someone messed up a listing, you could call in, explain, and make contributions that would fix the listing. Now, a listing could be completely transformed by a rogue seller to something completely misleading and/or inaccurate, and you can't change it back unless you're the "brand owner"
Goes even further than that, Amazon recently changed a listing they're not even on. Images, title, everything. And it took a lot of work from me to change it back to what it was when it was accurate. I kept getting the whole "brand owner" speech, but Amazon isn't the brand owner either.
And then there's the gating. First sale doctrine who?. You'll be ungated, everything's fine, then they'll regate you and then deny ungating applications that they had previously approved. And your stuff's at fba. So now you have to pay for a removal order. It's no wonder sellers are listing under generic.
Seller_6421QTxyx2Nye
Amazon is out of control. You can post anything you'd like if you get creative.
Seller_Ys8Kz8TPanVFB
This is a great topic. Nice job. @Seller_Yq1D9kJhpAgvv
Generic is out of control. Just today I tried listing three name brand products but I can't "contribute" to this ASIN because it is listed as "generic".
WHAT IN GOD'S GREEN EARTH DOES THAT MEAN?
How is "generic" a protected brand?
How are clear name brands "generic"?
How is "generic" a "Brand" at all?
By definition shouldn't "generic" be NOT a brand, let alone a protected Brand?
Amazon, what are you doing?
Seller_bxkxXAyw3oQYN
There are quite a few reasons why. Ill list a few for you, and you can narrow it down for yourself:
- Its gated, and someone wants to sell their inventory that they cannot, so they use this as a work around.
- Amazon's catalog system has attached a legitimate UPC or GTIN to an antiquated ASIN which is no longer for offer. Trying to update product information, however legitimate, leads to a dead ASIN which cannot be fixed, so they use the generic workaround. Sometimes a legitimate user within a brand's brand registry will see an otherwise legitimate listing, and append it to a real listing as a variation, or they will fix it and make it fall under the correct "brand". Not just anyone can do that, it has to be an authorized user with the requisite permissions. I am an authorized brand registry user for a number of companies, and fixing stuff like this takes up quite a bit of my time.
- Its a variation of a product that doesn't have an identifier, like a 2 pack of a brand of dishsoap. The actual bottle has a UPC, but since the bundle is a 2 pack, it was made as generic. Its not supposed to be, but again, this is a workaround since there is no easy or commonsense way to make a bundled variation on amazon. Good luck with the case pack templates, the idea is sound, the execution is not.
- Sometimes the product details have changed, and it isn't possible to change within the typical method of edit listing. Again, this isn't how its supposed to be done, but often people go for what works rather than what is supposed to be.
There are other reasons too, but these are common ones that will fit most cases. Best of luck
