TAS 152 : How This Attorney Removes Hijackers and Protects Amazon Sellers

It’s a big deal when another person or company undercuts your Amazon product listing and begins selling an inferior product as if it is yours. It’s called hijacking and can be a very serious problem. Scott’s addressed this issue in a handful of episodes lately and today he’s chatting with an attorney, Ted Limus, who’s helped some clients of his take on hijackers and get them off the product listings. Scott’s got lots of questions for Ted about best practices for addressing this important issue in an effective way. Be sure you listen to get some great tips for handling hijackers.

The “ramp up” strategy this attorney uses to address product hijacking.

Attorney Ted Limus has discovered that the best way to approach the hijacking of one of his client’s listings is to start with the least threatening approach first, then escalate things as needed. He begins with a simple and kind email to the hijacker, asking them to do the right thing. The assumption is that the person on the other end of the communication has made a mistake and is giving them the benefit of the doubt. It’s a kinder, gentler way to approach the issue that gets results 50% of the time. You can hear how Ted escalates the process from there, on this episode.

You can write your own cease and desist letter.

A Cease and Desist letter is simply a documented correspondence that you send to a person who is breaking Amazon’s product listing rules, notifying them that you are aware of their infraction and that you are warning them that they must stop their activity on the listing or else you will take legal action. It’s fine for you to write your own C&D letter, but there are certain things you need to make sure you do in that letter to keep yourself out of legal trouble. On this episode, attorney Ted Limus shares the basics of what can and should not go into a cease and desist letter, so be sure to listen.

Is a Trademark really necessary?

Today’s guest, attorney Ted Limus, recommends that Amazon sellers who are making a decent profit on their product sales consider going through the process of registering a Trademark for their brand name. Doing so gives you a very strong legal footing, should a hijacker try to take over your listings. Amazon is much more likely to take action against a hijacker if you can easily prove your ownership of your brand through a trademark. But it’s important to note that you aren’t required by anyone to get a trademark, it’s just a good idea. Hear Ted speak to the process of securing a trademark and what to expect as a benefit, on this episode.

The best prevention against hijackers.

If you want to keep hijackers from taking over your product listings, there are some specific things you can do to make it less likely that your products will be targeted. First off, make sure your product is unique. Logos on the product, specialized packaging, combinations of unique products into bundles, and many other things can help. On this episode Ted Limus also shares something you can do with your product listing to inform your buyers of a way that they can watch for counterfeit products masquerading as yours. You can get those details by listening to this episode of The Amazing Seller.

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OUTLINE OF THIS INTERVIEW EPISODE OF THE AMAZING SELLER

[0:05] Introduction of the topic and guest, Ted Limus, attorney. [2:03] How you can attend one of Scott’s free workshops. [2:45] An upcoming event in Denver, Colorado on May 1st - Limited space! [5:02] What is product hijacking? [6:12] How Ted got into helping Amazon sellers with hijacking issues. [9:59] Ted’s “ramp up” strategy. [14:00] A kind approach is the first step.. and how it works 50% of the time. [18:20] The next step: Cease and Desist. [20:20] Tips for using a cease and desist letter. [23:00] The next step: Following Amazon’s process for disputing an issue. [27:57] The process of following Amazon’s process. [30:46] Dealing with counterfeit situations. [33:30] Why bundling, differentiation, and good descriptive instructions help. [36:37] How a hijacking impacts your listing in terms of shipping time. [38:19] The benefits of a trademark and using the Amazon brand registry. [40:02] The trademarking process compared to the brand registry process. [43:22] The overall results Ted has experienced and how effective he’s been. [46:19] Ted’s advice and how you can connect with him for more info or help.

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Ted’s website: www.TedLawFirm.com or call 626-993-7000

www.TheAmazingSeller.com/150 - Surround Yourself With LIke Minded People

Scott’s free workshop - http://www.TheAmazingSeller.com/workshop

www.TheAmazingSeller.com/FB - the TAS Facebook Community