Trademarks and Amazon
Do you want to see your products on Amazon? Have you heard of trademarks? Let’s talk about the trademark requirement to be able to sell on the most famous online retail website in the world.
Amazon requires that “Brands must have a pending or registered trademark”. To enroll a brand, you will need to provide the following information to Amazon:
Your brand name that has an active registered or pending trademark; the trademark for your brand must appear on your products or packaging and you must provide images that depict this.
The trademark registration number provided by the Intellectual Property office (USPTO).
A list of product categories (e.g., apparel, sporting goods, electronics) in which your brand should be listed.
So, what is all this? Amazon is trying to help sellers protect their brands. How? Amazon is asking everyone who wants to sell products on their website to have a registered or in the process of registering a trademark with the USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office). This is positive because having this trademark registration will allow you to defend your brand against those who are trying to copy you. In order to enforce your trademark rights, you have to have registered first with the USPTO. That is how this game works; registration first, then you can file a complaint.
The trademark process is a fun and complicated adventure that should never be a DIY project. You want to consult with an attorney to make sure you are setting your application up for success. Remember: we are trying to register something on a federal level and therefore, we are dealing with the government. A lawyer will be able to do some due diligence on the availability of what you want to register so you can make an informed decision on your brand's continuity. After you do some research, you may want to rebrand! (I know, the last thing you want to hear!)
If you have a name, logo or slogan you are interested in registering as a Trademark to be able to sell your products on Amazon, let me know. We should have a conversation about what this means, what the process looks like and how long it takes. I would be happy to assist you!
Request a free 30 minute consultation and let’s take your business to the next level.
