When another seller shows up on your product page, the first reaction is often "get them off." Sometimes you can. Often you can't, because reselling genuine products isn't against Amazon's rules. What works is knowing which rights you hold, enrolling them properly and reporting only problems you can back with evidence.
This page covers the rights, the Amazon tools and how to handle an unwanted seller. It's general information, not legal advice.
Start with the rights you actually hold
Brand protection on Amazon rests on legal rights, mostly trademarks. Make a simple rights file for each one:
- Owner of the right.
- Country or jurisdiction.
- Registration or application number and status.
- The goods or services it covers.
- Renewal dates, assignments and permissions.
Trademarks are territorial. A US federal trademark doesn't protect you in Canada, and a Canadian one doesn't protect you in the US. If you sell on Amazon.ca and Amazon.com, look at both countries.
Add your artwork and packaging, with their source. If a designer made them, keep the contract or rights permission with the final files. A shared image folder isn't proof of ownership.
Enrol in Brand Registry
Amazon Brand Registry is free and gives you access to Amazon's brand tools and reporting. You need a registered trademark or, on Amazon.ca, a pending application with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office can qualify. The trademark owner has to apply, and the brand name must match the trademark exactly and be permanently on the product or packaging. For the full steps, see our guide to Amazon Brand Registry in Canada.
Keep access separate from ownership
Three things often get mixed up: who owns the trademark, who administers Brand Registry and who runs the seller account. Record each one separately.
Make sure the brand itself always holds admin access. When an employee or agency leaves, the brand shouldn't lose access to its own records.
When another seller appears
Before reporting anything, capture the facts:
- A dated link to the offer.
- The marketplace, ASIN and seller name.
- The condition, price and anything in the offer that looks wrong.
- Screenshots tied to that specific offer.
Then work out what the actual concern is. Each needs different evidence:
- Suspected counterfeit. You need evidence about the item itself: a test buy, photos of the packaging and the differences you found.
- Wrong condition or mismatched product. You need specific details of what was sold against what the listing shows.
- Trademark or copyright infringement. You need the right, and a clear description of how this offer infringes it, such as copied images or misuse of your brand name.
What doesn't count
Amazon staff have said that reselling genuine products isn't, on its own, infringement. An exclusive distribution agreement isn't an intellectual property right that Amazon enforces through its reporting tools either. A price you don't like is a business problem, not a policy violation.
Using an IP complaint to settle a pricing or distribution dispute can backfire. Amazon can reject the report, and inaccurate reports can affect your own account. Those issues belong with your distributors and your contracts.
Use the right reporting path
Amazon's Report a Violation tool separates intellectual property concerns from store policy and regulatory concerns. Choose the path that matches your evidence.
Make sure the person filing holds the right or is authorized to act for its owner. Keep customer information and private reports out of any public dispute.
Record what happens
For each report, keep:
- The evidence version you submitted.
- The person who authorized it.
- The wording and attachments sent.
- The report reference number.
- Amazon's response and your next step.
If Amazon rejects a report or asks for more, read the stated reason before resubmitting. You can organize the evidence and follow up, but the decision is Amazon's.
Other brand tools
Brand Registry also gives access to tools such as Transparency, a product serialization program, and Project Zero. Each has its own eligibility rules and costs. Check whether they fit your products before signing up.
Before you expand to a new country
Review the rights file before launching in a new marketplace. Start with rights that exist in that country, then add them to Brand Registry. For more, see our guide to Amazon Brand Registry in Canada.
How we handle this
We keep brand rights, Brand Registry access and seller reports in one record, and we only file reports the evidence supports. See our Amazon operations work.
Want to know who's selling your products right now? Get a free Amazon check. It shows every seller on your listings and who holds the Buy Box. No account access needed.