When you have products that you sell online, it is vital to protect them from trademark infringement. With the rise of sites such as Amazon, eBay, Bonanza, and many more, anyone can list any item and sell it to buyers from all over the world.
As a result, many businesses are seeing counterfeits of their products being sold on these third-party sites. This can lead to market saturation and decrease your brand reputation. Take a look at the following ways to protect your product from trademark infringement.
Monitor Third-Party Online Marketplaces
You need to monitor online marketplaces for third-party sellers that are selling your brand. This will include Amazon, eBay, Bonanza, Etsy, and more.
Sellers may not be aware that they infringe on your trademark if they sell your actual products, but some sellers may be selling counterfeit versions. Therefore, you need to search these marketplaces to find out if others have your products listed.
Register Your Trademark
The essential step to protecting your e-commerce products from trademark infringement is to apply for a USA trademark under the “use in commerce” terms and requirements. Your trademark is intellectual property with the exclusive right to use, and others cannot sell products with your trademark.
Your trademark includes any graphic representation of your products, including the name, logo, or packaging. Once you have it registered, you will have the ability to get online listings that are unauthorized removed.
Register Your Trademark on the Amazon Brand Registry
As a trademark owner, you can register your trademark on the Amazon Brand Registry. You can also do this for other sites, such as eBay. When you register your trademark on these sites, you will have access to the tools you need to have listings that infringe on your trademark removed efficiently.
Send the Seller a Cease and Desist Letter
As soon as you discover someone infringing on your trademark, you can send a trademark to cease and desist letter. This is a warning where you tell the seller that they are infringing on your trademark, and if they don’t cease, you will take legal action. This can be enough to get some sellers to take down the listings.
Test Buy the Product
If you think that someone is selling a counterfeit of your product, you can do a test buy. First, you buy the product from the seller so that you can have it in your possession to see whether or not it is counterfeit.
If they are selling a counterfeit version of your item, document the evidence and include it in a formal complaint to Amazon or whatever third-party marketplace you are dealing with. If you have trouble getting it done, you can also give this information to your attorney.
Hire a Lawyer
If you find that your products are being sold in large quantities, you may need to resort to legal action. It can be time-consuming to monitor and file infringements daily, and you may need an attorney to handle it for you. In addition, an attorney can do a lot for you if it has gotten out of control.
Author’s BIO: Lori Wade is a journalist from Louisville. She is a content writer who has experience in small editions; Lori is now engaged in news and conceptual articles on business. If you are interested in an entrepreneur or lifestyle, you can find her on LinkedIn.
