Issues claiming ownership of listing for products we manufacture – brand registry denial
So, a little back story: Recently, we have done a packaging change to our products, around early December 2023. So, our packaging no longer looks like the photos in our listings, although the contents are the same. SO, as I have done many times since 2014, I went into the listings and changed the photos and some of the information. None of the changes were showing up after 24/48 hours, so I contacted Amazon support to see what was going on. After a couple of back and forth tickets and emails etc., they basically told me that I am not the brand owner, and did not have the authority to make those changes on any of my listings. That was news to me, since I own the company that manufactures the products that we sell on Amazon, and the listings belong to me, as I created them a very long time ago. With that prefaced, now I move into my issue with Brand Registry: In the last communication I had with an Amazon rep while trying to update my listings that are literally false advertising at this point since the products I am sending to the FBAs are not the same as what is shown, they directed me to Brand Registry. I had been meaning for years to trademark our name and logo, and I knew that this would require that. So, I hired a lawyer and got everything done and submitted for our marks with no conflicts anywhere that the lawyer could find. With all of that accomplished, and being armed with the serial numbers from submitting the trademarks, I submitted the application for brand registry. Almost as soon as I clicked the mouse to submit the application, I was denied. Now this was actually more surprising to me than them refusing to change my listings because I wasn’t the listing owner now somehow. I can now appeal the decision to deny our brand registry application, but I have one hang-up. Sending them pictures of our products etc. with our name and logo is easy, we make the products entirely in-house. However, the second question is do you manufacture your own products or is it outsourced (paraphrasing). If you select that you do manufacture the majority of your own products, it wants you to upload a copy of a “manufacturing certificate”. We are a milling company, we make all of our own products by milling corn. There is no certificate of manufacturing for this in our industry. Can anyone help out with a pathway forward for this. Amazon is almost impossible to deal with as a seller when you have issues. No one cares.
Problem 1. I am sending our products to Amazon in their new packaging, and can’t change my listings to reflect the changes. This has resulted in refunds and customers accusing us of false advertising and AtoZ claims being approved (regardless of proof provided of shipping and delivery).
Problem 2. Amazon says I am not the owner of the listings that I own, and will not make the changes I submitted, even though they are fulfilling orders to Amazon customers and sending them the products that do not match the listings now.
Problem 3. For some reason I do not understand (neither does our trademark attorney), we are being denied brand registry. We make the products, the products we manufacture and send to Amazon bear our name, logo, and the physical address of our company.
If anyone can help us out or suggest a way forward to resolve these issues, I would really appreciate the assistance.
submitted by /u/devmeista
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