According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. consumers spent $601.75 billion online in 2019. Unfortunately, a significant portion of that went to purchasing counterfeit products.
Counterfeiting is a growing problem with everything from luxury goods to toothbrushes. In 2019, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development reported that counterfeit goods accounted for 3.3% of all global trade, up from 2.5% in 2013.
If you are selling products on Amazon and you are tired of having your products knocked off by counterfeiters, the new Amazon anti-counterfeiting tool, called project zero, will interest you.
“If you need an anti-counterfeiting advisory service you can trust the Moeller team.”
Amazon and Counterfeiting
Counterfeiting has long been a problem for Amazon and other online marketplaces. But, now with the growing popularity of online shopping, counterfeiting has become even more of an issue.
Amazon’s overwhelming share of the online shopping market means no consumer product merchant can afford to avoid it. However, both merchants and consumers have accused Amazon of doing too little to combat counterfeit products.
In response to these concerns, Amazon has introduced Project Zero as a new tool to combat counterfeiting on its platform and ensure that goods that are shipped from Amazon warehouses are authentic.
What is Amazon’s Project Zero?
“Zero” stands for zero tolerance for counterfeit goods on Amazon websites. Project Zero represents a combined effort between Amazon and brand owners who sell on the platform.
The idea behind Project Zero is to block the sale of counterfeit products on Amazon websites and ensure that all Amazon customers receive authentic products. Amazon intends to accomplish this by introducing additional tools for identifying and removing counterfeit products before they are sold through its websites and/or stored and shipped from its warehouses.
What Measures Does Amazon’s Project Zero Involve?
Amazon’s Project Zero consists of three separate measures for combating counterfeiting:
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Automatic Protections;
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Self-service Counterfeit Removal; and
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Product Serialization
Automatic Protections – Artificial intelligence is used to automatically and continuously identify, block, and remove suspected counterfeit goods.
Self-service Counterfeit Removal – Brand owners can directly remove counterfeit products that they identify, without having to contact Amazon and undergo a lengthy process.
Product Serialization – Amazon provides brand owners with unique serial codes that can be printed and attached to every unit of a product that is manufactured. Then, every time a product is shipped to or from an Amazon warehouse, it will be scanned to verify its authenticity. Also, customers can use Amazon’s Transparency app to scan these labels and further verify the authenticity of the product they have received.
Eligibility for Project Zero?
In order to be eligible for Amazon’s Project Zero, you must:
- Be the owner of a registered trademark;
- Have an Amazon Brand Registry account.
- Have reported potential infringements with at least a 90% acceptance rate in the last six months.
Project zero is available to all qualified brand-registered owners. Furthermore, except for Brand Serialization, it is free to use.
For more information regarding Amazon’s Project Zero and other steps you can take to protect the intellectual property rights you have in products that you sell on Amazon and elsewhere online, contact Moeller IP Advisors to consult with an experienced IP lawyer.
