When you launch an ecommerce business, there are many things to consider. One of the most important is protecting your IP, or intellectual property. Whether it’s combatting infringing content on your product detail pages, or removing suspected counterfeit products from a listing, protecting your IP can be a key part of running a successful online business. It’s also important to report abuse to Amazon to help safeguard customers from counterfeit products and inaccurate product listings.
But how do you report an IP violation to Amazon and get the support you need? What counts as IP infringement, and what violations does Amazon enforce? Read on to learn more about intellectual property, what constitutes a violation, and how to report IP infringement in the Amazon store.
What is intellectual property (IP)?
Intellectual property refers to the intangible assets you create related to your business. This can include product names, images, and designs, as well as the creative work you put in to make those product names, images, and designs, and the processes you use to run your business. Even though it’s intangible, intellectual property has financial value and can be protected by copyrights, patents, and trademarks.
What is IP infringement?
IP infringement means your intellectual property has been violated in some way. There are a number of ways that IP infringement can take place. It often depends on what kind of intellectual property you have and how it’s protected. Some examples of IP infringement include:
- Someone creating or manufacturing products using a patent you own without your permission
- Someone using a copywritten photograph on their website without consent of the copyright owner
- Someone counterfeiting your products, where a company or seller creates a product that’s meant to look like yours, with the intent to deceive customers into buying their product instead
- Someone plagiarizing your written work to falsely claim it as their own
It’s important to claim your intellectual property rights through trademarks, copyrights, or patents to help ensure that customers get the best experience possible with your products.
What types of suspected IP violations can be reported to Amazon?
Before we dive into what kinds of IP violations can be reported to Amazon, it helps to know the three main types of IP and what they protect:
- Copyrights legally protect original works of authorship.
- Trademarks legally protect words, symbols, designs, or any combination of those that are used to identify a company.
- Patents legally protect inventions.
Amazon’s IP enforcement focuses on these three categories. But what’s a violation that should be reported to Amazon, and when should you report a bad actor?
- If someone is using something you have designed, drawn or written to sell a product without your permission, this is a copyright violation.
- If someone is selling a product that includes branding that could be confused with your product or your product’s branding, this is a trademark violation. You can also report counterfeiting to Amazon.
- If someone makes a copy or replication of something you’ve patented without your expressed permission, this is a patent violation.
Review Amazon’s Intellectual Property Policy for Sellers
How can I report suspected IP violations to Amazon?
If your brand is enrolled in Brand Registry, you can report violations using the Report a Violation tool. The tool offers a single, guided experience for reporting IP infringement, store policy violations, and regulatory compliance concerns.
Structured forms walk you step-by-step through the reporting process, and a Submission History tab tracks every report’s status in real time.
If you’re a rights owner who does not have a brand enrolled in Brand Registry, you can submit violations through the Report Infringement form in Seller Central.
Learn more about intellectual property for Rights Owners
Ready to protect your IP and report violations?
Protecting your IP doesn’t have to be a challenging process—especially with Amazon and tools like Report a Violation.
The easier it is for you to report IP infringements, the quicker you can get back to focusing your efforts on making your ecommerce business a success. Start protecting your IP today by signing up for a Professional selling plan.
*A Professional selling plan is $39.99 a month + selling fees. Learn more
