Do not purchase- absolute junk. That is the one-star rating tom woke up to when reviewing one of his best-reviewed of company products on Amazon. So, what happened? Well, tom, your amazon listing got hijacked. 

Amazon listing hijacking is when a third-party seller hijacks your product listing by providing a counterfeit version of your product, typically at the cheapest rate and quality. Shoppers then buy this knock-off version. Moreover, when the product fails respond with a negative review on your product listing. 

What Is Amazon Listing Hijacking?

Amazon listing hijacking is when another seller offers a counterfeit version of your product on your listing that can decrease your number and sales of positive reviews. These knock-off products occupy your product listing of buy box or appear in the other sellers on the amazon section of your product listing. 

How are Amazon hijackers different from Amazon resellers?

If you are finding at your listing and seeing offers in the other sellers on the amazon section do not panic. 

Amazon hijackers are not the same as amazon resellers. Someone that buys your product and then decides to resell it is not a hijacker. They are reseller. The difference is hijackers sell a counterfeit version of your products versus a genuine one, like a reseller. 

How do I know if an Amazon seller hijacked my listing?

 Your company may spot an amazon seller, which hijacked your listing with the following signs:

• Someone claims the buy box for your listing of products.
• Someone starts selling on your listing that is not your business and a licensed reseller. 
• Shoppers start posting negative or out-of-the-ordinary reviews on your listing.

When every business is vulnerable to amazon hijackers, some factors can increase your risk, for example:

• Limiting branding on products and product packaging.
• Running out of inventory.
• Monitoring products listing at longer versus shorter intervals, like weekly vs. monthly.
• Skipping the amazon brand registry program.
• Promoting products with highly discounted offers.

In most cases, an amazon seller, which hijacks your listing, would advertise your products at the cheapest rate. Like, if you sell your product for $50, they can offer it for $25. This price difference may often help you spot an amazon hijacker versus an amazon reseller. 

How to remove hijackers from your Amazon listing

Speed is critical while someone hijacks your amazon listing. You have to respond fast to minimize your sales losses and potentially negative reviews from shoppers that buy from the amazon hijacker. 

So, if your listing gets hijacked, follow these steps for how to remove hijackers from your amazon listing:

Send your Amazon hijacker a cease and desist letter

The quick response your business can take is with a cease and desist letter. 

Get your desist letter and cease over to your amazon hijackers with these steps:

• Choose ‘’ ask a question’’ from the upper right-hand corner.
• Click the amazon username of the seller (from your product listing) to visit their Amazon page.
• Select ‘’ an item for sale’’.
• Choose ‘’ question about the product’’.
• Submit your letter.
• Enter your cease and desist letter of text. 

If you do not have a cease and desist letter drafted, find online for amazon products listing hijacking layouts. These layouts will provide you with a framework for notifying the amazon hijacker. You may reach out to your lawyers of the company for guidance. 

Report your hijacked product to Amazon

Moreover, to your letter, report the issue to Amazon. 

For the tactic, you would need to have a registered trademark for your product. This trademark will need to exist in the country where the violation occurred. Like, if the U.S. issued your product trademark, the offense will need to have happened on amazon.com vs. amazon.com.uk. 

Report the trademark infringement on amazon through using report infringement of amazon form. 

Purchase your counterfeit product and report it

Your business may also take the step of buying the counterfeit product and then reporting it. 

For the perfect result with this strategy for amazon listing hijacking, buy the product before taking any other response, like sending a cease and desist letter or submitting a trademark infringement claim. If you complete the test purchase after versus before, it is unlikely the hijacker will fulfill your order. 

If you want to take this response, follow these steps:

• Take pictures of your product and counterfeit product.
• Buy the product from amazon hijacker
• Compile a list of differences between the two products

Depending on what you search, you will need to submit one of two forms:

• Violation form if the product uses a different brand name under your product listing.
• Report infringement form if the product uses your brand logo and name. 

With these two forms, you will want to add the following:

• Hijacking amazon page URL of seller.
• Hijacking amazon username of seller.
• ASIN for your product listing.
• Amazon platform where the violation occurred. 
• Product title for your product listing.
• Order ID for your buy of the counterfeit item.
• Legitimate and counterfeit product images.

Therefore, you will also need to explain the following:

• How the amazon product of seller is different from your product.
• What the amazon seller is doing, like selling a counterfeit version of your product listing. 
• Why the amazon seller’s behavior will lead to a poor shopping experience.

Once you complete these steps, go ahead and submit your form. 

Add your product to the Amazon anti-counterfeit programs

Some slower-response tactics for combatting amazon hijackers include joining the following programs:

Amazon transparency program:  this program allows your business to buy 2D UPC codes, which you will add with each of your product units. Amazon will then verify these codes before shipment happens (when you use Amazon or a third party) to stop counterfeits. 

Amazon project zero program:  amazon brand registry members may use project zero to take benefit of the amazon transparency program, and unlock the skill to remove counterfeit listings. If you are already a project zero member, you may use this tool to stop amazon hijackers. 

Even if you cannot use these two tactics immediately, it is worth investing the time to join these programs. That is why; you may prevent future amazon listing hijacking, which will save your business a tremendous amount of money and time. 

5 ways to prevent Amazon product listing hijacking

You know how to remove hijackers from your amazon listing, but how can you prevent it from happening? Your company may use some tactics to protect your sales, brand, and revenue on the amazon marketplace. 

Five effective tactics for stopping amazon product listing hijacking add:

Enroll your business in Amazon Brand Registry

The Amazon brand registry program is the most effective way to avoid amazon hijackers. 

You may apply if you have a registered image or text-based trademark from one of the following:

• Canada
• Mexico
• Brazil
• United States
• Australia
• Japan 
• India
• France
• Germany
• Turkey
• Italy
• Singapore
• Spain
• Saudi Arabia
• Netherlands
• Sweden
• United kingdom
• European union
• United Arab Emirates

Your application, which you may start via your amazon vendor account or seller, must include:

• Your trademark registration number
• Your brand name
• Your list of relevant product categories

If you are not looking forward to the Amazon brand registry application process, you may always invest in amazon brand registry consulting services from our award-winning team of 300+ marketing specialists. 

Add your branding to your product and product packaging

Besides the amazon brand registry program, your company needs also to brand your product. Include your brand name and logo to your product and product packaging, like, make it difficult for amazon hijackers to your products and easy for shoppers to tell your products from a knock-off. 

Trademark your products

If you have not already, trademark your products.

A trademark is one of your best resources when it comes to combating amazon listing hijacking, do you do not need to wait to get one. In most cases, U.S. trademark applications and brand registrations take nine to eighteen months to fulfill. Once you get yours, remember to enroll in the Amazon brand registry. 

Bundle your products

Your company may also use product bundling to decrease the chances of amazon product listing hijacking. With product bundling, you package multiple products together for shoppers. Therefore, if someone wants to hijack your product listing, they need to put further effort into copying your listing. 

If you decide to bundle your products, you need to ensure your product bundle makes sense. 

For instance, in the example, the bundle of seller is a cable management cord and box organizers, which makes sense when thinking about the buy intent. Do the same with your product bundles- brainstorm why someone needs your product, and what else will go well with that purchase. 

Sell your products on your website

The last step is that sell your products on your website, too. 

With this step for preventing amazon-listing hijacking, you are not leaving the amazon platform. Instead of, you are offering a reference that amazon may use to verify your ownership and remove the third-party counterfeit seller. 

Many businesses that use this tactic opt to make a product page, but without e-commerce functionally. 

If you are finding to earn more revenue and sales for your company, though, you need to make it possible for shoppers to visit your website and search and other channels may become customers. 

Protect your listings and revenue with the Amazon Brand Registry

Traditionally, no one wants to lose sales on amazon, especially to an amazon hijacker. 

That is why it is critical to take a proactive major to monitoring your amazon listing and enrolling your brand in protective programs like the amazon brand registry so that you may prevent amazon listing hijacking. 

If you are overwhelmed with the paperwork and other tasks, though, Digitizal may help. 

With our amazon brand registry consulting services, we will take care of getting your business enrolled so you may start earning more customers and spending less time on amazon hijackers. Learn more about our amazon brand registry consulting services for SMBs!