Unauthorised sellers can steal your product pages on Amazon. Learn how to identify, prevent, and remove hijackers to protect your brand.
Jens Vittrup
Selling on Amazon gives you access to millions of customers, but it also exposes your brand to risks such as listing hijacking. Unauthorised sellers can “steal” your product pages, undermine your pricing structure, and damage your reputation. As a brand, it is crucial to understand how you can protect yourself from this threat.
At WeMarket, we have seen many businesses struggle with listing hijacking on Amazon. This form of infringement is becoming increasingly widespread, but with the right knowledge and tools, you can effectively protect your brand and maintain your market position.
Amazon listing hijacking occurs when unauthorised sellers start selling on your product page (ASIN). These “hijackers” may sell counterfeit items, pass off used products as new, or offer genuine products bought cheaply in order to compete on price. In the worst cases, they can even change your listing content, images, and descriptions.
Listing hijacking typically targets successful products with good reviews. Hijackers exploit the credibility and reviews you have built up to sell their own – often inferior – products. This can result in:
In a marketplace where customer experience is crucial, listing hijacking can quickly undermine the trust you have built with your customers. Let us look at how you can recognise the signs of listing hijacking.
To protect your brand effectively, you need to be able to identify when listing hijacking is taking place. Here are the key warning signs to watch out for:
Loss of Buy Box: If you suddenly lose the Buy Box position for your own products, this may be a sign of listing hijacking. The Buy Box is vital for sales on Amazon, as over 80% of all purchases are made through it.
New sellers on your product page: Regularly checking the “Other Sellers on Amazon” box on your product pages can reveal unauthorised sellers you have not approved to sell your products.
Sudden price changes: When hijackers attempt to take over your listing, they often undercut your price to win the Buy Box. An unexpected price drop on your product can therefore be a warning sign.
Changed listing content: If descriptions, images, titles, or other elements on your product page are changed without your approval, this could indicate that a hijacker has gained control over your listing.
Increase in negative reviews: When customers start complaining about product quality, authenticity, or that the product does not match the description, it may be because they have bought from a hijacker selling counterfeit goods.
It is essential to monitor your product listings regularly through Amazon Seller Central. The faster you spot a hijacking attempt, the less harm your brand will suffer. Let us now look at how you can prevent these situations.
Amazon Brand Registry is the most effective frontline defence against listing hijacking. The programme gives brand owners control over their product listings and the ability to report infringements quickly and efficiently.
To qualify for Brand Registry, you must have:
The benefits of Amazon Brand Registry include:
Once you are enrolled in Brand Registry, you also gain access to the Report a Violation tool, making it significantly easier to report and remove unauthorised sellers from your listings. This is a key component in any Amazon marketing strategy, as it ensures your brand integrity remains intact.
Brand Registry is a powerful tool, but it should be part of a wider brand protection strategy. Here are effective proactive measures to prevent listing hijacking on Amazon:
1. Mark your brand on products and packaging
Ensure all your products have clear branding that is difficult to copy. This can include:
This not only makes it harder for hijackers to sell counterfeit items, but also provides you with tangible evidence should you need to file a complaint with Amazon.
2. Create unique product bundles
By creating unique product combinations or bundles, you make it more difficult for hijackers to exactly match your offer. This can also improve your Amazon SEO, as more unique product offers often rank higher in search results.
Examples of bundle strategies include:
3. Implement a strict distribution strategy
Many cases of listing hijacking stem from grey market sales, where products are diverted from authorised distribution channels. To minimise this risk:
4. Join Amazon’s Transparency programme
Transparency is part of Amazon’s Brand Protection Programme, where each product receives a unique code. Amazon scans these codes in their fulfilment centres to ensure only authentic products are sent to customers. This makes it virtually impossible for hijackers to sell counterfeit products through Amazon FBA.
By implementing these proactive strategies, you create multiple layers of protection for your brand and make it significantly harder for potential hijackers to target your products.
Even with the best preventive measures, you may still experience listing hijacking. When it happens, swift and decisive action is crucial. Here is a step-by-step process to remove hijackers from your listings:
Before reporting the hijacker, gather thorough documentation:
In many cases, it is valuable to make a test purchase from the suspected hijacker:
This gives you concrete evidence of whether the hijacker is selling counterfeits or unauthorised goods, which significantly strengthens your case with Amazon.
There are several ways to report an Amazon listing:
If you are enrolled in Brand Registry:
If you are not in Brand Registry:
Via Seller Central:
In parallel with reporting to Amazon, you can try contacting the hijacker directly through Amazon’s messaging system:
Some hijackers will withdraw to avoid further complications and potential consequences for their seller account.
If Amazon does not respond within 24-48 hours, or if their first response does not resolve the issue:
Persistence is key, as it may sometimes take several attempts to get Amazon to act, especially in complex cases.
Amazon has developed several specialised programmes under their Brand Protection umbrella, designed to help brands combat counterfeiting and unauthorised sales. These programmes offer more comprehensive protection than the standard Brand Registry:
Project Zero combines three powerful tools:
Project Zero is invitation-based, and brands must meet certain criteria to qualify, including being enrolled in Brand Registry and having reported a significant number of counterfeits.
The Transparency programme allows brands to apply unique codes to each product. When products arrive at Amazon’s warehouses, the codes are scanned to verify authenticity. Customers can also scan the codes via the Amazon app to confirm they have purchased genuine goods.
For brands selling through Amazon FBA, Transparency is a powerful tool to prevent fake products from being mixed with authentic goods in Amazon’s logistics system.
IP Accelerator helps brands obtain trademark protection more quickly by connecting them with a network of approved trade mark attorneys. This is particularly valuable for new brands that have not yet achieved trademark registration, as it can provide faster access to Brand Registry.
Effective brand protection on Amazon requires a proactive and ongoing effort. Here are key components of an effective brand protection management strategy:
Many brands choose to work with Amazon consultants with specialist knowledge in brand protection, as this area requires both technical expertise and experience with Amazon’s systems.
Even if your brand is not actively selling on Amazon, it is still important to protect your intellectual property on the platform. Unauthorised sellers can list products under your brand, potentially damaging your reputation or diluting your trademark.
Regularly searching for your brand and products on Amazon can reveal unauthorised use:
Even without selling on Amazon, you can register your trademark and enrol in Brand Registry. This gives you the tools to report unauthorised sellers and infringements.
Some brands choose to establish a limited presence on Amazon primarily to control the brand experience:
Consult legal experts to develop a solid strategy:
Protecting your brand on Amazon, even when you are not selling there, is a vital investment in your brand’s long-term value and integrity.
While working to protect your brand from hijacking, it is also important to safeguard your Amazon seller account from various risks. Amazon seller protection is about following Amazon’s policies and best practices to maintain a healthy seller account.
Amazon has strict policies, and violations can result in your account being suspended:
Document all aspects of your Amazon business:
Good customer service is essential to avoid negative reviews and A-to-z Guarantee claims:
Keep a close eye on your performance metrics in Seller Central:
Combining effective brand protection with solid seller protection creates a strong foundation for long-term success on the Amazon platform. Improving your Amazon advertising strategies also helps strengthen your position and makes your brand more resilient to hijacking.
For maximum protection, you can work to restrict or “gate” your brand on Amazon. This means that only authorised sellers can list products under your brand. Here is how you can achieve this:
Applying for brand gating on Amazon involves these steps:
Brand gating is not guaranteed and is most often granted to larger, well-known brands or brands with documented counterfeiting/hijacking issues.
The Transparency programme is a practical alternative to full brand gating:
Make your products harder to copy by:
Implement strict reseller agreements:
By implementing a combination of these strategies, you can significantly reduce the ability of unauthorised sellers to list and sell your products on Amazon.
In addition to the strategies we have covered, here are some practical tips for handling listing hijacking effectively:
Not all hijacking cases require the same level of attention:
Amazon Brand Analytics (available through Brand Registry) can help you:
Amazon regularly adds new features to their brand protection programmes:
For larger brands, it may be worthwhile to outsource brand monitoring:
By combining these practical tips with a robust brand protection strategy, you can minimise the risk and impact of listing hijacking.
Effective brand protection is not just about combating threats, but also about building a stronger foundation for growth on Amazon. Here is how you can leverage your brand protection efforts to strengthen your market position:
Brand Registry provides access to several tools that can boost sales:
The Transparency programme can serve as more than just protection:
With fewer unauthorised sellers, you can:
Your brand protection efforts can strengthen relationships with partners:
By viewing brand protection as a strategic asset rather than just a defensive measure, you can sell more effectively on Amazon and create long-term value for your business.
To make it easier to implement an effective brand protection strategy, here is a concrete action plan you can follow:
Remember, Amazon brand protection is not a one-off task, but a continuous process that requires regular attention and adaptation. By being proactive and persistent, you can protect your brand’s integrity on Amazon and ensure long-term growth.
For many brands, navigating the complex aspects of Amazon brand protection can be challenging. Professional help can make a significant difference, especially if you have limited in-house capacity or expertise.
An experienced Amazon specialist can assist with:
By partnering with experts, you can focus on developing your business while they handle the technical and administrative aspects of brand protection.
Effective Amazon brand protection is an investment in your brand’s long-term health and value. With the right strategies and tools, you can not only react to threats but proactively prevent them and create a stronger foundation for growth on Amazon.
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