Unauthorized Sellers

Twelve ways unauthorized sellers get hold of your inventory when there's no direct relationship with the brand, and what to do about each one.

Why the First Sale Doctrine isn't the blanket protection unauthorized resellers claim it is, and how brands can still protect their reputation on Amazon.

The top ten red flags that separate a legitimate retail partner from an unauthorized seller, diverter, or MAP policy violator worth investigating.

Fifteen practical tips for identifying the unknown sellers behind unauthorized listings, so brands can enforce MAP and reseller policies.

How to file an effective DMCA takedown notice against unauthorized sellers and infringing sites using hijacked images or marketing content.

Cease and desist letters to unauthorized sellers are key to protecting your brand and IP rights, though there are some pros and cons to consider.

How unauthorized sellers get your products onto Amazon without permission, the damage they cause, and the steps brands can take to stop them.

Owning a genuine product doesn't mean a reseller can sell it however they want. Jeremy Richardson explains the two key exceptions every brand should know.

The DMCA can pull a copyrighted image off a listing fast, unless the seller is Amazon. Jeremy Richardson explains the loophole and how to close it.

Gray market goods aren't counterfeit; they're genuine products never meant for your market. Jeremy Richardson explains the definition and how to fight back.

A quick AI-narrated deep dive on MAP policies and Authorized Reseller Programs: what each controls, and why enforcement gets hard with reps and distributors.

A retailer and manufacturer checklist of red flags to watch for online, from missing brand-protection policies to poor enforcement.

The brand-protection challenges unique to the pet industry, including unknown and unauthorized sellers, and how brands can address them.

How to identify anonymous "ghost sellers," trace how they got your inventory, and stop the merchant churn they cause among authorized partners.

Why more online sellers isn't always good news for a brand, and how unauthorized sellers drive hyper-discounting and lost margin.

MAP enforcement fails if you don't know where a violator got its inventory. Where to look: direct accounts, distributors and internal sources.