Amazon Brand Protection/Infringement Lawyer
Amazon has become an essential part of the nation’s online commerce infrastructure. Many businesses choose to sell their own goods through Amazon. But even if your business is not on Amazon, it is still at risk for what has become an increasingly significant problem–counterfeiting.
The reality is that many Amazon sellers offer knock-off products that deliberately infringe on the copyrights and trademarks of their lawful owners. Amazon does have systems in place to protect intellectual property owners, even those who do not sell through Amazon. If you need expert advice from an experienced Amazon brand protection/infringement lawyer on how to secure your own IP rights, contact Perkins Law today to schedule a consultation.
How Amazon Fights Counterfeiting Online
The Amazon Brand Registry is a program intended to help manufacturers and brand owners to protect their intellectual property rights in Amazon’s marketplace. Launched in 2017, the Registry is free for brand owners regardless of whether they are active Amazon sellers themselves. According to figures published by Amazon in 2022, there are roughly 22,000 brands currently enrolled in the program.
The main benefit of being on the Amazon Brand Registry is that it gives intellectual property owners access to specific tools to aid Amazon in promptly identifying and removing seller listings that infringe on known copyrights or trademarks. Amazon works directly with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to prevent trademark fraud. The company’s internal reporting claims that over 5,000 false “brands” have been removed from Amazon’s e-commerce platforms as a result of this collaboration.
Some of Amazon’s other tools designed to help IP owners include:
- Amazon Patent Evaluation Express: Launched in 2019, the APEX system is designed to help utility patent owners resolve infringement disputes without having to go to court. APEX relies on third-party evaluators to determine if a product listed on Amazon infringes a utility patent. According to Amazon, this process usually takes about 6 weeks.
- Project Zero: Also launched in 2019, Project Zero enables brand owners to upload their logos, trademarks, and other key data to a system that automatically scans Amazon’s billions of product listings daily to identify and flag potential counterfeit items.
- Counterfeit Crimes Unit: Amazon has its own counterfeit crimes unit that includes former federal prosecutors, FBI agents, and other experts to track potential counterfeiting. This unit often works directly with brand owners to shut down counterfeiting activity in Amazon’s online marketplace.
Altogether, Amazon claims it has removed more than 6 million counterfeit items from the supply chain.
Contact Perkins Law Today
While Amazon’s tools may be robust, they still require significant understanding of trademark and intellectual property law to use effectively. Our qualified Amazon brand protection and infringement lawyer can assist you in making the most out of these services. We can also help you in developing a full-scale plan for protecting and asserting your intellectual property outside of Amazon. Contact Perkins Law today to schedule an initial consultation.
