2023/04/14 Copyright ©️GOLD KEEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE
Amazon places great emphasis on the rights of sellers and the consumer experience. In order to prevent unscrupulous sellers from counterfeiting others' brands and selling fake goods, Amazon launched the Brand Registry program in 2017 to help sellers better protect their brand rights and prevent infringement. If you plan to or are currently selling on Amazon's e-commerce platform, be sure to read this article and apply for Brand Registry as soon as possible to ensure that your brand is well-protected and displayed on the Amazon platform. This is very important!
Things to Know Before Registering Your Brand on Amazon
Currently, Amazon Brand Registry accepts registered trademarks (®) from 21 countries or regions worldwide, including trademarks that are pending (™️). The only types of trademarks that can be registered are 'text-based trademarks' or 'image-based trademarks consisting of text, letters or numbers’.
Example:
Amazon Brand Registry is available in the following countries or regions：
Trademarks are territorial, and their use in each country requires separate registration. The trademark examination time varies in different countries, and obtaining Amazon Brand Registry also takes some time. Register your trademark before marketing if your brand has not yet submitted a trademark application, contact us immediately to obtain a registered trademark.
® symbol: Trademark that has been registered; ™️ symbol: Trademark that is pending and has received a notice of acceptance.
The application process for Amazon Brand Registry includes:
To quickly apply for Amazon Brand Registry, go to https://brandservices.amazon.com/?lang=zh-CN and click "Login" in the upper right corner. Choose the corresponding website for the country or region you want to register in. For example, if you want to register your brand in the US, select "United States" here.
If you are already an Amazon seller, you can directly use your Amazon seller platform account and password to log in and complete brand registration. The corresponding seller account can obtain authorization for brand building and protection tools more quickly. If you do not currently have a seller account, you can create a new Amazon Brand Registry account through Sing-In.
Overview of the steps:
1.Go to Amazon Brand Registry portal and log in.
2.After entering Amazon Brand Registry, you can start the registration process.
3.Submitting brand information.4.Provide your seller account information.
5.Provide distributor information.
Submitting application waiting for review
Once you submit the application, Amazon Brand Registry can be completed as fast as 1 week.
Depending on the specific circumstances of the brand, it usually takes around 1-4 weeks.
For example in the United States:
Please note! For pending trademarks filed with different trademark offices, the operating steps here are slightly different, so please make sure to select correctly according to the situation of your trademark in the "Choose a Trademark Office" question.
Notes on Amazon Brand Registry
Before applying for Amazon Brand Registry, please take note of the following:
1.Confirm that you meet the application requirements: Before applying for Amazon Brand Registry, you need to first confirm if you meet the application requirements of the Amazon platform. For example, do you have a valid registered trademark (R mark) in the registration country or a trademark application (TM mark) in progress.
2.Provide accurate trademark information: Trademarks are an essential part of brand registration applications, and when filling out trademark information, it is important to ensure that the trademark name, registration number, application date, and other information are correct. Incorrect trademark information may result in a failed application. For example, the brand name submitted for Amazon Brand Registry must be identical to the Mark Name registered with the local trademark office, and the trademark number submitted for Amazon Brand Registry must be identical to the registration information on file with the local trademark office.
In summary, when applying for Amazon Brand Registry and filling out related information, it is important to carefully read relevant policies and requirements, ensure that the information provided is true and valid, and meets the requirements of the Amazon platform in order to increase the chances of a successful application. At the same time, you should pay special attention to the contact information of the trademark owner, which should be up-to-date and valid, as you will receive a verification email from Amazon after submitting the brand registration, and you will need to return the verification code within 14 days. After submitting the verification code, you should continue to pay attention to email notifications from brand-registry-support@amazon.com
The benefits of Amazon Brand Registry include:
After registering your brand on Amazon, you can access over 30 brand marketing and protection tools on the platform. If you have an R mark, you can also benefit from automatic brand protection, reporting of infringing activity, the Transparency program, and Project Zero. The trademark application process varies by country/region; for example, it takes at least 12 months to obtain a certificate for a US trademark application (with longer periods if there are objections or other procedures). Therefore, it is crucial to start planning for overseas trademark applications early and check for similar prior cases in the EU, Madrid, and US trademark applications.
Project Zero is an anti-counterfeiting program launched by Amazon, aimed at helping brand owners more effectively combat infringement, including three core functions: automatic protection, self-service removal of counterfeit products, and product serialization. Through Project Zero, brand owners can use tools provided by Amazon to quickly detect and remove infringing products sold on Amazon.
Common questions about trademark application and Amazon Brand Registry
Ｑ：Do I need to open a store or register a trademark first to sell on Amazon?
Ａ：You can open a store on Amazon without a trademark, so you may wonder why you should apply for a trademark first. The reason is simple: only after applying for a trademark can you register your brand, use your brand name, graphics, videos, etc. when publishing your products, and accelerate your store's sales. Additionally, everyone wants a good brand name, and if you don't protect your brand by applying for a trademark, you risk having someone else register it.
Ｑ：How long does it take to apply for a trademark? When can I proceed with Amazon Brand Registry?
A:Traditionally, trademark registration is a territorial system, meaning that it must be filed in each country/region where you want protection. The application time for different countries/regions varies. For example, it takes 12 months from submitting a trademark application to obtaining a certificate in the United States and Japan, while it takes 4-8 months in the European Union. However, the process may take longer if there are any complications.
Once you have applied for a trademark and obtained a "Pending TM" status, you can proceed with Amazon Brand Registry. Even novice sellers can benefit from brand protection and quickly scale their business.
Ｑ：Do I need to have a Chinese trademark first? How do I apply for a trademark?
Ａ：Chinese trademarks cannot currently be registered for Amazon brand registry; there is also no need to have a Chinese trademark when applying for an overseas trademark. For example, if Seller A just opened a store on Amazon's US site and has their own brand in China, they still need to apply for a US trademark before registering their brand on Amazon. The trademark application time and review system vary, but JinRui can help you quickly check the probability of trademark approval. For trademark matters, consult a trademark expert!
Ｑ：Do I need to apply for a local trademark on every website when I simultaneously open multiple websites?Ａ：If you already have a trademark and have registered it with Amazon Brand Registry, you can authorize the use of your trademark to other accounts on different websites. To learn more about authorizing your trademark, https://bit.ly/goldkeen56
Applying for brand registry on the Amazon platform is an important process that can help you establish your brand image and protect your intellectual property rights. The basic requirement for applying for brand registry is a "trademark." Trademarks are protected on a first-come, first-served basis, and it's easier for others to register your trademark in areas where it hasn't been registered yet. Therefore, it's important to start your trademark planning early. Contact Goldkeen Trademark Office for more information.
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※ Image source for this article: Amazon Brand Registration
Official Brand Registration process link: bit.ly/3M1TlUQ
