Navigating the Amazon Brand Registry and Appeal Rollercoaster: Steven Pope's Insider Journey

Update: Steven's Amazon Brand Registry Saga continues! There's a piece of positive news - his brand registry has just reappeared!

Although he hasn't received any formal email from Amazon officially announcing the reinstatement of his brand registry, it's definitely something to celebrate because his brand store is back up and running. This means he can once again enjoy brand registry benefits like optimizing his listings with brand stories, A+ content, and more.

How familiar are you with Amazon Brand Registry Removal and Appeal? Are you one of the numerous sellers dealing with this issue? If you are, then this is an article you will find worth reading.

Amazon Brand Registry is a program that gives brand owners exclusive rights to sell their products on Amazon. However, there are cases when brands are removed from the Brand Registry. This can happen for a variety of reasons, such as trademark infringement, counterfeiting, or failure to maintain the account.

What Is Brand Registry And Why Is It Important To Amazon Sellers?

Amazon Brand Registry is a program by Amazon for brand owners that provides access to tools designed to help protect and enhance their brand. It's crucial for Amazon sellers for several reasons including:

1. A+ Content: Amazon Brand Registry provides access to A+ Content, which allows brand owners to enhance their product detail pages with additional images, text placements, a unique brand story, and more. This can help increase traffic, conversion rates, and sales.

2. Brand Store: Brand Registry allows sellers to create a dedicated brand store. This provides a place to showcase a brand's full product range in one place, helping customers discover all products associated with the brand.

3. Protection Against Counterfeit: With Brand Registry, sellers receive robust protection against counterfeit goods. It gives brand owners the ability to find and report violations, ensuring that customers receive authentic products.

4. Greater Control Over Product Listings: Brand Registry gives brand owners more control over their product listings. This ensures that the product information is accurate and comprehensive.

5. Access to New Features and Tools: Amazon often releases new tools and features that are exclusive to brands enrolled in the Brand Registry program. These can include enhanced advertising options, new selling features, and advanced analytics.

How Will Brand Registry Removal Impact A Seller's Brand

Brand Registry removal can impact a seller's brand on Amazon in several ways:

1. Loss of A+ Content: Without Brand Registry, sellers lose access to A+ content, which means they can no longer enhance their product detail pages with additional images, text placements, a unique brand story, and more. This could potentially lead to a decrease in traffic and conversion rates.

2. Inability to Create Brand Store: Brand Registry allows sellers to create a dedicated brand store. Without it, sellers lose this feature, making it harder to showcase their full product range in one place and potentially impacting brand visibility and sales.

3. Reduced Protection Against Counterfeit: Brand Registry provides robust protections against counterfeit goods. Without it, sellers risk having their products copied, leading to potential loss of sales and damage to brand reputation.

4. Loss of Control Over Product Listings: Brand Registry gives brand owners more control over their product listings. Without it, they may face difficulties in ensuring that their product information is accurate and comprehensive.

5. Ineligibility for New Features and Tools: Amazon often releases new tools and features that are exclusive to brands enrolled in the Brand Registry program. Without this, sellers miss out on these opportunities that could enhance their selling capabilities on the platform.

Therefore, it's highly beneficial for a seller to maintain their Brand Registry status or to appeal promptly if it is removed.

In this newsletter, you'll discover what seems like a brand registry removal and appeal from Steven Pope, founder of My Amazon Guy. It details his experience of having his Age of Sage and Momstir brands removed from the Amazon Brand Registry. Steven shares the reasons why he thinks Amazon removed his brands, the steps he took to appeal the removal, and the outcome of the appeal.

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

Amazon has started removing thousands of brands from #BrandRegistry.

Many brands are affected by Amazon's unexplained blacklisting of attorneys. To regain your brand registry status, action is essential. If you received an email notifying the removal of your brand from the brand registry, let me help you find a solution.

Watch and learn how to remove your attorney from the USPTO application, a key step in reapplying for the brand registry. Let me guide you through the process with real-time insights, ensuring you navigate this complex procedure smoothly.

Learn how to verify your identity through ID.me, a necessary step for connecting with USPTO. With over 2,000 trademarks filed with Amazon, I've helped numerous sellers tackle brand registry issues.

Don't let Amazon's blacklisting hinder your business. Follow these steps to regain control of your brand registry.

Age of Sage Removed From Brand Registry

Amazon has blacklisted hundreds of attorneys who have filed trademarks. This has led to the removal of brand registries for thousands of sellers who used those attorneys.

I am one of the sellers who has been affected by this. My brand, Age of Sage, was removed from the Brand Registry because the attorney who filed my trademark was blacklisted. I do not know why he was blacklisted, but I have had a good experience with him.

The process to fix this is a lot of work and uncertainty. I had to file an attorney withdrawal at the USPTO and then file an appeal with Amazon. This took hours of work and I am not sure if my appeal will be successful.

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.

I have also been blocked from filing new brands with Amazon. This is a major setback for my business.

I am the founder of My Amazon Guy, a 400-brand agency. We have seen dozens of our clients' brands start to be removed. We are working on helping those affected.

Recently, I invested $3,000 in hiring legal assistance to remove the attorney associated with 1,257 marks I've filed, including one with a blacklisted name. This strategic move ensures the protection of my customers' marks, keeping them unaffected by the blacklisting issue.

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.

Important Things To Keep In Mind:

• The blacklisting of attorneys is reportedly due to concerns about trademark infringement. However, Amazon has not provided any specific information about the reasons for the blacklisting.
• The removal of brands from the Brand Registry can have a significant impact on businesses. It can make it more difficult to sell products on Amazon, and it can also lead to lost sales and revenue.
• The process of appealing a decision to remove a brand from the Brand Registry can be long and difficult.
• Amazon has not yet responded to the concerns of sellers who have been affected by the blacklisting of attorneys.

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

I recently lost my Age of Sage Brand Registry, and I want to share my experience with the appeal process. Here's what I encountered:

Verification of trademark ownership using receipts or documentation.

Setting up manufacturing details, specifying product information, and linking the brand's website and Amazon page.

A crucial step involves creating a manufacturing certificate, which can be complex but is essential. This includes including product invoices in the appeal.

Discover How to Restore Your Amazon Brand Registry: This video addresses the unexpected removal from the brand registry and offers a step-by-step guide to the appeals process.

The challenges stemming from Amazon's recent blacklisting of attorneys are very real, affecting thousands of brands. Are you facing similar challenges?

Amazon Brand Registry Removal And Appeal Days 3-5: What Can I Do While Waiting For Amazon’s Reply?

While waiting for Amazon's reply to your brand registry removal appeal, there are several proactive steps you can take:

1. Research and Prepare: Look into potential reasons for the removal and prepare your response. Gather all relevant documents and evidence that support your case.

2. Network with Other Sellers: Connect with other sellers who have faced similar issues. They can provide valuable insights and advice based on their experiences.

3. Keep Selling: If possible, continue selling your products on Amazon. While the brand registry provides added benefits, it's not a requirement to sell on the platform.

4. Diversify Your Sales Channels: Use this time to explore other e-commerce platforms and diversify your sales channels. This can help reduce your dependence on Amazon.

5. Develop Contingency Plans: Plan for different outcomes. This might include strategies for reapplying for brand registry, legal recourse, or business restructuring.

6. Stay Updated: Keep up with Amazon's policy updates and check your Seller Central account regularly for any updates or notifications.

Remember, patience and persistence are key when dealing with Amazon's appeal process. It might take time, but many sellers successfully regain their brand registry status with 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 after my brand, Age of Sage, was removed from Brand Registry, I received Amazon's response to my appeal and it came with an interesting twist.

Amazon has requested a video conference where they intend to closely examine my brand. They've asked me to be prepared to unpackage 50 units at random for three unique ASINs that they've selected.

The catch?

This conference is scheduled a whole 30 days from now. As a result, I find myself in a situation where I've lost control of my brand on Amazon, and the prospect of regaining it won't even be possible for at least 37 days.

Such is the life of an #Amazonseller.

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

When you visit certain Age of Sage product pages and click on the brand store link, you'll encounter one of two perplexing outcomes:

• Some products direct you to a search page displaying competitor products.
• Other products inexplicably lead you to my other brand store, Momstir, which is entirely unrelated.

My heartfelt gratitude goes out to Amazon for providing such a delightful selling experience on their platform.

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

Just eight days following Amazon's removal of my largest brand's Brand Registry, they've now taken the same action with my oldest brand, Momstir.

Farewell, Momstir.

I haven't even had the chance to complete the appeal process for Age of Sage. It appears that Amazon is using the initial takedown as a basis for taking down all my other brands.

I'm yet to receive an official "court" date, and Amazon continues to hinder my ability to utilize their platform.

P.S. We've observed brands in IP Accelerator facing similar treatment. Thousands of attorneys and brands are being blacklisted by automated systems.

Useful Links for sellers who are going through the same experience of Amazon Brand Registry Removal and Appeal.

Learn how to remove a lawyer from your trademark to safeguard your Brand Registry: https://youtu.be/6zx7Exl8IPY

Understand how this issue is affecting my store links: https://youtu.be/LTmhOlHGnMw?

Amazon's request for an on-camera interrogation: https://youtu.be/S6m_RIAaHdM (And the catch? I won't be able to meet with them for 30 days.)

Discover the process for filing a brand registry appeal: https://youtu.be/knH3r-ykVlE

Should Sellers File A Petition

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.

Anyone who has watched my videos, listened to my podcasts, or read my LinkedIn (and other social media) posts, can attest to this. As I share my Amazon knowledge and expertise, I have also been honest about what I think and feel about the complications involved with selling on Amazon.

This brand registry removal and appeal is no different from all the other topics I have discussed. I look for ways that can solve my brand’s problem and share it with everyone.

Brand Registry Removal And Appeal Day 10: Amazon Also Removes My Second Brand, But It's Not Related To The Blacklisted Attorney Issue

Day 10 has arrived since Amazon removed my Brand Registry.

Initially, Amazon provided dates set 30 days in the future. That means a whole month without the ability to:

?? Introduce new products

?? Edit A+ content, videos, or the store

?? Run Sponsored Brand Ads

Adding to the complexity:

?? My products have become disassociated from my store.

?? A second brand was removed from Brand Registry (for a trademark I filed independently, without an attorney).

Waiting for 30 days wasn't an option 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 suggest 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 on the table.

Amazon has blacklisted thousands of attorneys, alleging they were on the USPTO disciplinary action list. They're not, and there have even been defamation lawsuits related to this issue.

I hope that more lawyers, reporters, and influencers shed light on this situation. It's arguably the most absurd development in the history of Brand Registry.

Is TikTok Shop our last resort?

P.S. To safeguard my own clients, I proactively removed the attorney from 1,200 Trademarks. It might be a wise move for you too!

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Amazon Brand Registry removal and appeal process can be a challenging and frustrating experience for sellers. The stories and experiences shared by those who have faced these issues highlight the need for more transparency and fairness in Amazon's procedures.

While the 30-day wait for an appeal may seem daunting, sellers have shown resilience in seeking early appointments to resolve their issues. However, the reported interrogation-style calls and scripted responses raise concerns about the lack of genuine dialogue in these proceedings.

The blacklisting of attorneys and the subsequent defamation lawsuits emphasize the importance of accurate and fair assessments in these matters. It's crucial for Amazon to address these issues promptly and ensure that legitimate brands and sellers are not unfairly penalized.

In the face of these challenges, sellers continue to seek solutions and share their experiences, fostering a community that advocates for positive change within the Amazon ecosystem. As we navigate the complexities of Brand Registry removal and appeals, the collective voice of sellers and the dedication of advocates like Steven Pope remind us that the pursuit of fairness and transparency remains paramount in the ever-evolving world of Amazon selling.

What’s your personal and professional experience about dealing with Brand Registry Removal and Appeal?

Let’s hear about them in the comments.

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