Constant Suspected Intellectual Property Violations for Brands I am Authorized to Sell
As the title says, for several years now we regularly have several of our listings removed for "Suspected Intellectual Property Violations", despite having been previously approved by Amazon and repeatedly providing the authorization letter from the official distributor confirming that we are authorized resellers of these brands.
The brands in question are biggies, such as Star Wars, Batman, Marvel, etc.
We are approved vendors that purchase our stock directly from Diamond Comics Distributors, the largest distributor of comics and collectibles in North America. We have been clients of their for over 30 years.
When we appeal the violation, we have about a 10% success rate, while 90% of the time our listings just get removed.
What's even funnier is that we will get hit with this baseless violation for a brand, meanwhile we have several other listings for the SAME BRAND that are unaffected.
Make this make sense, Amazon.
Has anyone else experienced this? If so, has anyone ever overcome it once and for all? All advice welcome!
Constant Suspected Intellectual Property Violations for Brands I am Authorized to Sell
As the title says, for several years now we regularly have several of our listings removed for "Suspected Intellectual Property Violations", despite having been previously approved by Amazon and repeatedly providing the authorization letter from the official distributor confirming that we are authorized resellers of these brands.
The brands in question are biggies, such as Star Wars, Batman, Marvel, etc.
We are approved vendors that purchase our stock directly from Diamond Comics Distributors, the largest distributor of comics and collectibles in North America. We have been clients of their for over 30 years.
When we appeal the violation, we have about a 10% success rate, while 90% of the time our listings just get removed.
What's even funnier is that we will get hit with this baseless violation for a brand, meanwhile we have several other listings for the SAME BRAND that are unaffected.
Make this make sense, Amazon.
Has anyone else experienced this? If so, has anyone ever overcome it once and for all? All advice welcome!
3 replies
Seller_7LrAV0m5llaI7
Contact your sales reps at the brand owners that you say you have authorization from and ask them to stop filing claims against you on Amazon.
Christine_Amazon
Hello @Seller_6svnvDY4X7cD2
Christine here from Amazon Forums.
I understand your frustration regarding the IP violation removals, and I'd like to provide some clarity on this situation.
First, it's important to understand that even with authorized distributor documentation, individual listings may still be flagged by our automated systems or through direct brand registry complaints. Here's why this happens and what you can do:
Different ASINs/listings for the same brand can be treated differently because:
- Some may be covered under different licensing agreements
- Brand owners might only flag specific products they're concerned about
- Different products may fall under different categories of IP protection
To better protect your listings, we recommend:
- Maintaining a case log of all successful appeals
- Enrolling in Brand Registry if possible
- Keeping your authorization documentation updated and readily available
- Using the exact manufacturer-provided product identifiers
- Including distributor invoices with your appeals
For Diamond Comics specifically:
- Consider getting direct authorization letters from the IP owners (Disney, DC, etc.) in addition to Diamond's documentation
- Keep documentation of your 30-year relationship with Diamond readily available
To address this systematically, you can:
- Request an account health review
- Contact Seller Support to escalate pattern of removals
- Consider joining relevant seller programs that might provide additional protections
Remember that IP rights management is complex, especially with major entertainment brands. While we strive to protect both sellers and rights holders, sometimes our automated systems err on the side of caution.
Christine
