Amazon's Brand Protection Programmes: Empowering Sellers Against Counterfeits

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Does it sometimes feel like Amazon rolls out a new programme every other week? It can leave sellers unsure about which ones to enrol upon. In this week’s blog article, we’ve highlighted the three programmes we’d recommend you enrol on to protect your brand’s identity. For each, we do an easily digestible breakdown of their key features and benefits.

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Indeed, navigating the complexities of online retail, especially on a vast platform like Amazon, can be daunting for brands looking to safeguard their intellectual properties and ensure customer trust. Amazon has rolled out several robust programmes aimed at combating counterfeit products and empowering sellers. Let's dive into three key initiatives: IP Accelerator, Transparency, and Project Zero.

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1. Amazon IP Accelerator: Fast-Tracking Brand Registry Benefits

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An Overview:

The Amazon IP Accelerator programme is designed to help businesses speedily secure intellectual property (IP) rights and gain early access to the Amazon Brand Registry’s benefits. By connecting sellers with a curated group of IP law firms, the programme enables quicker trademark registration at competitive rates, fostering proactive brand protection.

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Key Features and Benefits:

• Accelerated Brand Registry Access: Sellers can access Amazon Brand Registry benefits swiftly, often within days of applying, even before the trademark registration is officially processed by the government.
• Cost Structure: The service involves certain fees for brand search and trademark filing, managed by Amazon-negotiated rates with IP law firms.
• Proactive Brand Protection Tools: Enrolment offers tools like the 'Report a Violation' feature with text and image search capabilities, enhancing the ability to guard against infringements.

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2. Amazon Transparency: Ensuring Authentic Purchases

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An Overview:

Launched in 2017, Amazon Transparency is a service that checks the authenticity of each unit of a product before it reaches the customer. This programme is pivotal in preventing counterfeits from entering the supply chain and ensuring that customers receive genuine products.

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Key Features and Benefits:

• Product Serialisation: Each product unit receives a unique Transparency code that verifies its authenticity before shipment.
• Consumer Empowerment: Customers can use a mobile app to scan the code at purchase to confirm the product's authenticity.
• Global Reach: Initially piloted in the US, the programme has expanded to Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, and India, enhancing its effectiveness across diverse markets.

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3. Amazon Project Zero: Leveraging AI to Eliminate Counterfeits

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An Overview:

Amazon Project Zero represents a significant advancement in the fight against counterfeit goods on Amazon. It uses artificial intelligence (AI) to automatically and proactively remove suspected counterfeits.

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Key Features & Benefits:

• Automated Protections: AI scans daily product listing updates to identify and remove counterfeit listings automatically.
• Self-Service Counterfeit Removal: Brands can directly remove counterfeit listings without waiting for Amazon’s intervention, enhancing response speed.
• Product Serialisation: Similar to Transparency, but used specifically within Project Zero to verify the authenticity of every purchase.

• Access: Available to brands registered in Amazon’s Brand Registry that meet specific performance metrics, such as a high infringement reporting acceptance rate.
• Costs: Free to enrol, with optional charges related to product serialisation features.

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Final Thoughts

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Amazon's initiatives like IP Accelerator, Transparency, and Project Zero are pivotal in empowering sellers to protect their brands and ensure that only authentic products are sold on the platform. Each programme offers unique tools tailored to different aspects of brand protection, from fast-tracking trademark registrations to providing customers with tools to verify product authenticity themselves.

By understanding and utilising these programmes, sellers can significantly enhance their ability to protect their brands and build trust with their customers, contributing to a safer and more reliable marketplace. If you missed last week’s blog about reporting counterfeits, be sure to give it a read here.