There are a lot of benefits to having a trademarked brand on Amazon. The process can take a year or two but we have a fast track method you can use to get registered in just 2 or 3 weeks.
Top Tip
Your trademark needs to match your Amazon profile or store store name (This shows as “sold by Your Brand” on the product page).
Why Register Your Brand?
Having a trademark helps you in a number of ways. It allows you to build a more valuable business long term as the brand is something that shoppers on Amazon will recognize and begin to trust.
Brand registry also opens the door to a lot of new Amazon PPC ad types which can boost your profits and sales.
If you have a brand, you are also able to fight off hijackers trying to list your products.
How long does it take?
The whole process can be done with just a few hours work but may take 2 to 3 weeks for approval.
Amazon has created the IP Accelerator program. If you register your trademark through an Amazon approved lawyer it can be submitted to Brand Registry BEFORE you have the full trademark granted.
If you do not use an Amazon IP Accelerator lawyer – you have to wait a year or more until the full trademark is granted.
How much does it cost?
The legal fees range from $600 to $6000+ for a trademark. It really depends which countries and categories you want to protect your trademark in and also which lawyer you use.
If you just plan to get the trademark registered in the USA for 1 main product category – it can cost as little as $600 to $1000.
Reach out to the trademark lawyers in the IP Accelerator program for a quote.
First Steps?
Before you can trademark, you need to make sure you have a photo of your product live for sale on Amazon or your own e-commerce site showing that you’re using the logo. Ideally you need to sell at least 1 unit of the product. You will submit this during the approval process. This proof that the mark is being used in commerce.
Don’t worry if you haven’t sold any products using your trademark yet. Your lawyer can file an intent to use with your application. Ask them about it.
Brand Registry
By using an IP Accelerator lawyer your trademark will automatically be submitted for Brand Registry. Usually you will get a notification from Amazon that your mark has been submitted.
Double check with the lawyer upfront before paying the fees to ensure that they will submit the mark to Amazon on your behalf.
Trademark
A trademark on Amazon gives you a lot of control about who can sell your products and means your brand will appear in the brand section of searches.
As your customers build familiarity with your brand, you can use this to prevent other people mentioning it in their listings.
Sadly there are a lot of people who see your success and try to jump on your back and ride your Amazon listing.
They copy your product exactly, and sell it under your listing. They haven’t paid for any promotions or advertising but they get the benefit of all your hard work.
By having registered your trademark you can get Amazon to remove unapproved sellers of your product quickly.
More Professional
A registered trademark on your product, your packaging and your support material makes you look more professional to customers, and the product will seem more premium.
Think About the Future
Before registering a trademark consider whether the name allows you to sell other similar products under the same brand.
If you register Bob’s silicon spatulas it doesn’t allow for much expansion. Use a generic name that can be used for multiple product categories.
Website
Double check that the domain for your trademark is available before you register.
Make sure you purchase the domain name before completing your application.