How to Remove Amazon Counterfeit Products – Everything You Need to Know

As an Amazon seller, there’s nothing worse than discovering that your product has been counterfeited. 

Not only does it damage your brand reputation, but it can also lead to lost sales and potential legal action. 

If you find yourself in this situation, it’s important to act quickly and effectively to remove counterfeit products from the market. 

In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know on how to remove Amazon counterfeit products as a seller. From reporting fake listings to Amazon to taking legal action, we’ll cover all the necessary steps to protect your brand and business. 

Don’t let counterfeiters harm your hard-earned reputation – Read on to learn how to take action against Amazon’s counterfeit products.

Quick Guide

1. What are Amazon’s counterfeit products?
2. What percentage of Amazon’s products are counterfeit?
3. What happens if you sell counterfeit items on Amazon?
4. How to remove counterfeit products from Amazon?
5. How can I report alleged counterfeit products or infringing products?
6. Amazon Counterfeit Crimes Unit and Different Policies Associated With It
7. Conclusion

What are Amazon’s counterfeit products?

Counterfeit products on Amazon refer to fake, imitation, or knockoff products sold under the name of a genuine product or brand. These products are often designed to look like the original, but they are not produced or authorized by the original manufacturer.

Counterfeit products can range from luxury goods to everyday items such as electronics, clothing, toys, and cosmetics. They are usually sold at a lower price than genuine products, which makes them attractive to customers who are looking for a good deal. However, these products can be of poor quality and may pose health and safety risks to consumers.

Amazon has been criticized in the past for its lax approach to dealing with counterfeit products on its platform. In response, Amazon has implemented various measures to combat counterfeits, including investing in technology and hiring staff to monitor and remove counterfeit listings.

Despite these efforts, counterfeit products continue to be a problem on Amazon, and consumers should be cautious when purchasing products on the platform. To safeguard against being deceived or buying fake products, it is prudent to take a proactive approach by meticulously examining product descriptions, reviews, and seller ratings before making any purchase.

The growing problem of Counterfeit products – Amazon’s battle against it

Counterfeit products on Amazon have been a growing problem in recent years, with various reports estimating that anywhere from 10% to 60% of the products sold on Amazon may be counterfeit. The extent of the problem varies by product category, with high-value and luxury items being particularly susceptible to counterfeiting. 

A new report from Amazon reveals it blocked 10 billion attempted counterfeit listings in 2020—up from 6 billion from the year before—and destroyed 2 million fake goods in its warehouses.

Amazon has introduced various programs and initiatives to assist brands and rights owners in protecting their intellectual property on the platform. For instance, the Amazon Brand Registry enables businesses to register their trademarks and have more control over their product listings, while the Transparency program allows brands to label each unit with a unique code that can be scanned to verify authenticity. Additionally, Amazon has established a Counterfeit Crimes Unit to investigate and pursue legal action against counterfeiters and their facilitators. Despite these efforts, Amazon advises customers to remain vigilant and report any suspected cases of counterfeiting to ensure a safe and trustworthy shopping experience.

What happens if you sell counterfeit items on Amazon?

Well, the consequences can be severe if Amazon finds you selling counterfeit items on their marketplace. Amazon takes a strong stance against counterfeit products and has implemented various measures to prevent their sale on its platform.

If Amazon determines that you are selling counterfeit products, it may take a range of actions against you, including

1. Suspending or terminating your selling privileges: Amazon may suspend or terminate your ability to sell on the platform.  This can lead to a significant impact on your business.

2. Removing your listings: Amazon may remove any counterfeit listings from the platform and prevent you from relisting them.

3. Seizing your inventory: Amazon may seize any counterfeit products in your inventory and destroy them.

4. Holding you liable: You may be held legally liable for selling counterfeit products and may face legal action from Amazon or the affected brand owner.

In addition to these actions, selling counterfeit products can damage your reputation and harm your relationship with customers. It can also result in negative feedback and reviews, which can impact your future sales on the platform.

How to remove counterfeit products from Amazon?

As a seller, if you discover any counterfeit versions of your products that are being sold on Amazon, you should take the following steps. 

Identify the IP that is being infringed 

Counterfeit products are a major issue on e-commerce platforms like Amazon, and they can harm both consumers and legitimate sellers. If you believe that someone is selling counterfeit products that infringe on your intellectual property (IP) rights on Amazon, you can take steps to have the products removed.

First, it’s important to identify which type of IP is being infringed. There are three main types of Intellectual Property(IP): trademarks, copyrights, and patents.

Trademark infringement

If you have a registered trademark, you can report the infringement to Amazon. Amazon has a program called Brand Registry that allows registered trademark owners to have greater control over their brand on Amazon. You can enroll your brand in Brand Registry and report any infringing products to Amazon. Amazon will then investigate the report and take appropriate action, which would include removing the infringing products from the platform.

Copyright infringement

If you are the rightful copyright owner of a literary or artistic work, and you come across instances of counterfeit copies being sold on Amazon, you have the option to file a complaint with Amazon. Amazon has a program called the Amazon Intellectual Property Policy, which prohibits the sale of infringing products. You can report the infringing products to Amazon, and they will investigate and take action if they find that the products are infringing.

Patent infringement

If you have a patent on a product and someone is selling counterfeit versions of your product on Amazon, you can file a complaint with Amazon. Amazon has a program called the Amazon Intellectual Property Policy, which prohibits the sale of infringing products. You can report the infringing products to Amazon, and they will investigate and take action if they find them infringing.

In all cases, it’s important to provide as much evidence as possible to support your claim of infringement. This may include documentation of your IP registration, photos or screenshots of the infringing products, and any other relevant information. You should also be prepared to work with Amazon and provide additional information as needed to support your claim.

Navigate to Amazon’s IP Infringement Report Page

To remove a counterfeit product from Amazon, the first step is to notify the platform and request them to take necessary action to permanently remove the product listing. This can be done by completing the Intellectual Property Infringement Report form. The format of the report page may differ depending on the Amazon regional domain where the counterfeit products are being sold.

To locate the correct report page, use the following URL format: amazon[the regional domain extension]/report/infringement. For instance, if the counterfeit product is listed on Amazon US, then the infringement report must be filed on amazon.com/report/infringement. Similarly, if the product is listed on Amazon India, the form must be filled out on amazon.co.in/report/infringement.

It is important to note that filing a report for a counterfeit product on one Amazon domain will not affect the product listing on another domain. Therefore, if the fake product is available on multiple Amazon domains, separate reports must be submitted for each domain.

Additionally, you should have a specific Amazon seller account to complete the form. 

State if you are the IP owner or an agent

When you report a counterfeit product on Amazon, one of the key pieces of information that you will need to provide is whether you are the intellectual property (IP) owner or an agent acting on behalf of the IP owner.

If you are the IP owner, you will need to provide proof of your ownership, such as a trademark or patent registration. You will also need to provide evidence of the infringement, such as photos or screenshots of the infringing product on Amazon.

If you are an agent acting on behalf of the IP owner, you will need to provide a signed and dated authorization from the IP owner that gives you the authority to act on their behalf. This authorization should include the IP owner’s name, contact information, and the name and contact information of the authorized agent. It should also specify the scope of the agent’s authority, such as the ability to report infringing products on Amazon.

By stating whether you are the IP owner or an agent acting on behalf of the IP owner, Amazon can ensure that they’re working with the appropriate party to address the infringement. This can ensure that the process is fair and efficient and that Amazon can take appropriate action to protect the rights of IP owners.

Select the type of IP infringement

When reporting a counterfeit product on Amazon, you will need to open the dropdown menu for ‘The primary complaint pertains to’ and select the type of intellectual property (IP) infringement you are facing. The options include copyright concerns, trademark concerns, patent concerns, design rights concerns, and other concerns.

To report a counterfeit product, you should select ‘Trademark concerns’ from the dropdown menu. In the ‘specific concern’ field, you should select ‘the product is counterfeit.’ This will help Amazon quickly identify the issue and take appropriate action to remove the counterfeit product from the platform.

Give more information about your product

After selecting the type of intellectual property (IP) infringement and indicating that the product is counterfeit, you will need to provide additional information about the product to Amazon. This is important to ensure that Amazon can quickly and accurately identify the counterfeit product and take appropriate action to remove it from the platform.

You will need to provide the following information:

Brand name: This is the name of the brand that owns the trademark for the product.

ASIN or product identifier: This is the unique identifier for the product on Amazon. You can find the ASIN on the product detail page or in the URL of the product page.

Other information: You can also provide any additional information that you think may be relevant to the case, such as the copyright registration number, link to the copyrighted work, or any other details that may help Amazon to investigate the case.

By providing this information, you can help Amazon quickly and accurately investigate the case and take appropriate action to remove the counterfeit product from the platform.

Give your contact details

When reporting a counterfeit product on Amazon, you must provide your contact details. This allows Amazon to get in touch with you if they need additional information or clarification about the case. This will also ensure that the case is investigated thoroughly and that appropriate action is taken to remove the counterfeit product from the platform.

You will need to provide the following contact details:

Your name: To facilitate communication from Amazon, it is recommended to provide your complete name so that they have a point of contact if necessary.

Your email address: Provide your email address so Amazon can contact you via email if necessary.

Your phone number: Provide your phone number so Amazon can contact you via phone if necessary.

By providing your contact details, you are demonstrating your willingness to assist Amazon in its investigation of the case, and helping to ensure that the counterfeit product is removed from the platform as quickly as possible.

Wait till Amazon gets back to you

After you have submitted a complaint to Amazon about a counterfeit product, you will need to wait for Amazon to get back to you. It may take several days for Amazon to review your complaint and take appropriate action.

During this time, it is important to be patient and refrain from taking any further action that could interfere with Amazon’s investigation of the case. This includes refraining from contacting the seller directly or leaving negative feedback on the product page.

Once Amazon has reviewed your complaint, they will contact you to let you know the action that they have taken. This may include removing the counterfeit product from the platform, suspending the seller’s account, or taking other measures to address the issue.

If Amazon requires additional information or clarification about the case, they will reach out to you directly via email or phone. Ensure you respond to their inquiries promptly to get the case investigated thoroughly and appropriate action is taken to remove the counterfeit product.

Give Amazon the time they need to conduct a thorough investigation and address the issue at hand. 

How can you report alleged counterfeit products or infringing products?

If you come across a product on Amazon that you suspect is counterfeit or infringing on intellectual property rights, you can report it to Amazon using the following steps:

• Go to the product listing on Amazon and scroll down to the “Product Information” section.

• Click on the link that says “Report incorrect product information.”
• Follow the prompts to provide additional information, such as the reason for your report and any supporting evidence you may have.

• Click on “Submit” to send the report to Amazon.

Select the reason for the report, which may include “counterfeit item” or “intellectual property infringement.”

Amazon will review and take appropriate action if necessary, such as removing the product listing or suspending the seller’s account. Note that reporting a product does not guarantee that it will be removed, and Amazon may require additional information or evidence before taking action.

Are you a brand-registered seller?

You can report counterfeit or infringing products to Amazon through its Brand Registry program. Brand owners can enroll in the program to gain greater control over their product listings and report any infringing or counterfeit products to Amazon for removal.

In addition to reporting counterfeit products to Amazon, you can also contact the brand owner directly to report the infringement. Many brand owners have dedicated teams that investigate and take action against counterfeit products.

Amazon Counterfeit Crimes Unit and Different Policies Associated With It

Now that you understand how to handle counterfeit products, let’s understand how Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes unit works and its policies. 

Where is the Amazon Counterfeit Crimes Unit (CCU) available?

The Amazon Counterfeit Crimes Unit (CCU) is a global team that is responsible for investigating and taking action against counterfeit products on Amazon’s platform. The CCU is available in various countries where Amazon operates, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, India, and Australia.

The CCU works closely with law enforcement agencies, intellectual property rights holders, and industry associations to identify and remove counterfeit products from Amazon’s platform. The team uses advanced technology, machine learning, and data analysis to detect and investigate fraudulent activities on the platform.

The CCU is part of Amazon’s broader efforts to combat counterfeit products on its platform, which includes investing in technology and hiring staff to monitor and remove counterfeit listings. Amazon is committed to working with brand owners and government agencies to protect consumers and prevent the sale of counterfeit products.

Recommended read: How to set up Amazon Brand Gating?

What is Amazon’s Anti-Counterfeiting policy?

Amazon’s Anti-Counterfeiting policy is a set of rules and guidelines that govern the sale of products on Amazon’s platform and aim to prevent the sale of counterfeit goods. The policy protects consumers, brand owners, and sellers by ensuring that only genuine products are sold on Amazon.

Amazon’s Anti-Counterfeiting policy is part of the company’s broader commitment to fighting fraud and abuse on its platform. By enforcing strict rules and guidelines, Amazon aims to ensure that its platform remains a safe and trustworthy place for consumers to shop and a fair and competitive marketplace for sellers.

To know more about Amazon’s Anti-counterfeiting policy, check out this article.

What is Amazon Associates’ Anti-Counterfeiting Policy?

Amazon is committed to providing a trustworthy shopping experience for our customers. As such, they strictly prohibit the sale of counterfeit or inauthentic products, which includes any products that have been illegally replicated, reproduced, or manufactured. When they identify such products, they immediately remove them from their platform and against the seller who listed them.

If you are an Amazon Associate, refrain from using language such as “dupe,” “fake,” or “faux” in connection with a brand, and avoid promoting counterfeit products or products that infringe on the intellectual property rights of others. Failure to comply with this policy may result in suspension or termination of your account, including withholding of funds, and other legal consequences.

By upholding these policies, we can maintain the trust of our customers and ensure that our platform remains a safe and reliable place to shop for authentic products.

Conclusion

Removing counterfeit products from Amazon can seem like a daunting task, but it is essential for protecting consumers and ensuring a fair and trustworthy marketplace for sellers and buyers. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can take action to report counterfeit products and help Amazon take appropriate action against sellers who violate their policies.

Remember to provide as much detail as possible about the counterfeit product and to be patient as Amazon investigates your complaint. By working together, we can create a safer and more reliable shopping experience for everyone. So, don’t hesitate to take action against counterfeit products on Amazon, and let’s work towards creating a more trustworthy platform for all!

Happy selling!

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