My Epic Amazon Brand Registry Removal and How I Fought Back

How's your experience with Amazon Brand Registry so far? Hopefully, it's been smooth sailing, and you're making the most of it.?

Let me share my personal journey with Brand Registry, one filled with many ups and downs. I've found it incredibly beneficial, such as allowing me to optimize my Age of Sage listings with captivating A+ content and brand stories. However, everything changed when my Amazon Brand Registry was unexpectedly revoked.

Navigating Amazon Brand Registry removal can be a daunting experience for sellers. Last year, I faced this ordeal, a turbulent journey that tested my resolve. In this article, I'll share my saga, shedding light on the hurdles I faced and the lessons I learned.?

Join me as I delve into the intricacies of Brand Registry removal, offering valuable insights to help you navigate this challenge with confidence.

Why Brand Registry Matters To Amazon Sellers?

Brand Registry is an Amazon program designed for brand owners, offering tools to protect and improve their brand. It's essential for Amazon sellers for several reasons:

1. Enhanced Content: Brand Registry provides access to A+ Content, allowing brand owners to enhance product detail pages with extra images, text, brand stories, etc., boosting traffic, conversions, and sales.
2. Brand Store: Sellers can create a dedicated brand store, showcasing their full product range in one place, aiding customers in discovering all associated products.
3. Anti-Counterfeiting Protection: Brand Registry offers protection against counterfeit goods, empowering brand owners to find and report violations, ensuring customers receive authentic products.
4. Improved Listing Control: Brand Registry grants brand owners greater control over their product listings, ensuring accuracy and completeness.
5. Exclusive Features: Brand Registry members gain access to new tools and features exclusive to the program, such as advanced advertising options, selling features, and analytics.

Impact of Brand Registry Removal on a Seller's Brand

The removal of Brand Registry can significantly impact a seller's brand on Amazon in various ways:

1. Loss of A+ Content: Without Brand Registry, sellers lose the ability to enhance their product detail pages with additional images, text, and brand stories, potentially reducing traffic and conversions.
2. Inability to Create Brand Store: Brand Registry allows sellers to create a dedicated brand store, enhancing brand visibility and potentially boosting sales. Without it, sellers lose this feature.
3. Reduced Protection Against Counterfeit: Brand Registry provides strong protection against counterfeit goods. Without it, sellers may find it harder to protect their products and brand reputation.
4. Loss of Listing Control: Brand Registry gives brand owners more control over their product listings. Without it, sellers may struggle to maintain accurate and comprehensive product information.
5. Ineligibility for New Features: Amazon often introduces new tools and features exclusively for Brand Registry members. Without this status, sellers miss out on opportunities to improve their selling capabilities.

Brand Registry Removal And Appeal Day 1: Blacklisted Attorneys and BR Removal, Are These Two Related?

Amazon has placed hundreds of attorneys who have filed trademarks on a blacklist, resulting in the removal of brand registries for numerous sellers who engaged these attorneys.

I am personally impacted by this situation. My brand, Age of Sage, lost its Brand Registry status because the attorney who filed my trademark is on the blacklist. While I had a positive experience with this attorney, I am unaware of the reasons for their blacklisting.

Rectifying this issue involves a complex and uncertain process. I had to file an attorney withdrawal with the USPTO and subsequently appeal to Amazon. This process, which I explained in this video required significant time and effort, and the success of my appeal remains uncertain.

Here is an image of Amazon saying it could take up to 15 days to review my appeal.

Brand Registry Removal And Appeal Day 2: Appeal Process

Like many other sellers with similar challenging experiences, I approached the appeal process with determination. Here's a glimpse into my journey:

1. Verification of trademark ownership: This required providing receipts or documentation.
2. Setting up manufacturing details: This involved specifying product information and linking the brand's website and Amazon page.
3. Creating a manufacturing certificate: While complex, this step was crucial and required including product invoices in the appeal.

Facing unexpected removal from the Brand Registry? Watch this video for a step-by-step guide on the appeals process. The challenges stemming from Amazon's recent blacklisting of attorneys are affecting thousands of brands.?

Amazon Brand Registry Removal And Appeal Days 3-5: Proactive Steps To Take While Waiting For Amazon’s Reply?

While awaiting Amazon's response to your brand registry removal appeal, consider taking these proactive steps:

1. Research and Prepare: Investigate potential reasons for the removal and gather all relevant documents and evidence to support your case.
2. Network with Other Sellers: Connect with sellers who have faced similar issues for valuable insights and advice.
3. Keep Selling: If possible, continue selling your products on Amazon, as brand registry is not a requirement to do so.
4. Diversify Your Sales Channels: Explore other e-commerce platforms like Walmart and Shopify to reduce dependence on Amazon.
5. Develop Contingency Plans: Plan for different outcomes, including reapplying for brand registry, legal actions, or business restructuring.
6. Stay Updated: Keep abreast of Amazon's policy updates and regularly check your Seller Central account for notifications.

Patience and persistence are crucial during the appeal process. While it may take time, many sellers successfully regain their brand registry status through thorough preparation and effective communication.

Brand Registry Removal And Appeal Day 6: Video Conference (Interrogation) 30 Days After Brand Registry Removal

On the sixth day following the removal of my brand, Age of Sage, from the Brand Registry, I received Amazon's response to my appeal, which came with an unexpected twist. Amazon has requested a video conference to closely examine my brand, asking me to prepare to unpackage 50 units at random for three unique ASINs they've selected.?

However, the conference is scheduled for a whole 30 days from now. This means that I've lost control of my brand on Amazon, and the possibility of regaining it won't be feasible for at least 37 days.

Brand Registry Removal And Appeal Day 7: Brand Registry Removal breaks my store links, some product links redirect to a search page of competitors

With my brand registry revoked, there were two confusing outcomes I observed when visiting specific product pages for Age of Sage and clicking on the brand store link:

• Some products redirect you to a search page showing competitor products.
• Other products inexplicably take you to my other brand store, Momstir, which is completely unrelated.

I believe that it is unfair to hurt the thousands of sellers who did nothing wrong. Amazon should not remove brands from the Brand Registry without first contacting the sellers and asking questions.

Amazon, I urge you to reconsider your policy of removing brands from the Brand Registry without first contacting the sellers. This is hurting legitimate sellers and hindering their businesses. I believe that it would be a better use of your time to help sellers instead of hindering them.

Yes, Amazon has been hindering sellers instead of helping them. Just take a look at what happened to Horus X.

Brand Registry Removal And Appeal Day 8: Amazon Also Removes My Second Brand, But It's Not Related To The Blacklisted Attorney Issue

Momstir, my oldest one, was also removed from Brand Registry, eight days after Age of Sage was revoked.

Brand Registry Removal And Appeal Day 9: Mulling Over What’s The Best Course Of Action

Amazon is not a transparent company. I highly recommend selling on Amazon. I'm just a transparent agency that talks about the complications.

Those familiar with my content across various platforms, including videos, podcasts, and social media posts, can confirm that I am transparent about the challenges of selling on Amazon while sharing my knowledge and expertise. The process of brand registry removal and appeal is just one example of the topics I address. I seek solutions for my brand's issues and openly share these insights with my audience.

Brand Registry Removal And Appeal: Video Verification

Initially, Amazon provided dates set 30 days in the future, which would mean a month without the ability to introduce new products, edit A+ content, videos, or the store, or run Sponsored Brand Ads. Adding to the complexity, my products became disassociated from my store, and a second brand was removed from Brand Registry (for a trademark I filed independently, without an attorney).

Waiting for 30 days wasn't feasible for me, so I reached out via email, requesting an earlier appointment. Fortunately, I secured one for Wednesday, 9/6/23. I'm sharing a copy of the email they sent me to illustrate how Amazon seems to hold the roles of Judge, Jury, and Executioner.

Reports indicate that during this call, Amazon conducts an interrogation, asks you to open random products, and follows a scripted approach robotically. Discussing the possibility that the removal was an error on Amazon's part? Apparently not an option..

My Brand Registry Status Resurfaced...Only to Vanish Again

It seemed like Amazon granted me one final moment to appreciate having my Brand Registry status restored, allowing me to enjoy benefits like optimizing my listings with brand stories, A+ content, and more for a brief period before Amazon revoked it once again.

Safeguard Your Brand Registry

Every Seller has his own Brand Registry experience. While mine was not that inspirational, I must say that it is still filled with many lessons to learn. And if your Brand Registry is still intact, be sure to take precautionary steps like permanently affixing your brand name.

and logo, as shared in this post by Jon Elder.

Trademarks Are Territorial?

A trademark is a requirement for enrolling in Brand Registry, but its protection applies only within the country where it was approved.

International trademark laws have a significant impact on Brand Registry, and it's crucial for Amazon to take them into account. Shireen Smith (nee Behzadi) featured in her post a recent case in the UK Supreme Court, which highlighted the importance of understanding and complying with these laws.?

The case involved Amazon selling US-branded goods under the label Beverly Hills Polo Club on its UK website, targeting UK shoppers by indicating delivery to the UK. However, an unrelated entity owned the UK and EU trademarks for Beverly Hills Polo Club and objected to Amazon's actions, leading to a legal dispute.

This case underscores the need for Amazon to adhere to trademark principles when targeting customers in other countries. Trademarks are territorial, so owning a trademark in one country does not protect against infringement claims in another. Amazon's approach to targeting customers in different jurisdictions must align with international trademark laws to avoid legal issues and protect its brand registry status.

These are common reasons for Amazon Brand Registry removal, so be cautious:

• Violating Brand Registry policies, such as submitting invalid notices or tampering with the catalog.
• Being associated with accounts or brands that violated Amazon or Brand Registry policies.
• Failing to provide sufficient evidence of branding on products/packaging.
• Having a deactivated selling account.
• Filing a trademark application through a firm that may be violating US federal regulations and USPTO rules.
• Falsely accusing sellers of selling counterfeit products.