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> We have a store on Amazon and counterfeits have been able to attach themselves to our page, violating all of our intellectual property.” How is attaching the

> We have a store on Amazon and counterfeits have been able to attach themselves to our page, violating all of our intellectual property.” How is attaching themselves to the page even possible? I don't believe Amazon has any kind of ad system which allow people to buy spaces.

detaro 9y ago
I think they can just say they sell the same product and then they are shown as another seller on the same product page. Reviews get mixed, the counterfeiter might be shown as the cheapest option, ...
- post_break 9y ago
  Yep, it's the reason why buying any Apple accessory can be a mine field.
  - jeffwilcox 9y ago
    This scares me, a lot. After watching enough videos online I've had to start using the Apple Store, paying shipping, to avoid any potential fire hazards. Most consumers probably never know. :( It's crazy that they sell the fakes on the official Apple product pages.
  - dragonwriter 9y ago
    It's a reason why buying anything on Amazon that could be counterfeited is a minefield, especially (given commingling of inventory) if the seller is Amazon or anyone using Amazon fulfillment, because then you can't even rely on experience with the seller, since the item you get may not actually be from the identified seller.
jlj 9y ago
Might be the "have one to sell?" link on each page.
Raphmedia 9y ago
Amazon works this way: If a product is not on Amazon, you create a listing, add images, descriptions, etc. Then everyone that has the same product has to add their under your listing. That means that if you put hours and hours into creating the best Amazon page, a counterfeiter can simply add his version under your listing and gain all your images, descriptions, reviews.
brianwawok 9y ago
They are talking about owning an ASIN For example: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KRYMB88/ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KRYMB88/ The ASIN is B00KRYMB88. Whoever FIRST listed to that item picked the title, description, pictures.. and it created the page on Amazon and assigned it an ASIN. If you have an identical shirt to that, you can list it with ASIN B00KRYMB88, and it will appear on that page (But you can't edit the listing details). That is how Amazon is built. The problem is, what if you have a counterfeit shirt, and you sell under the same ASIN. A customer will get it delivered.. it sucks maybe.. and you blame the listing and leave a bad review.
- dabernathy89 9y ago
  So you cannot prevent other sellers from selling under the same ASIN?
  - j-c-hewitt 9y ago
    It is possible, but only with direct permission from Amazon. It's called 'brand gating.'
    - brianwawok 9y ago
      Yah it is a bit of a process. It is much easier if you are say, selling something with Brand = Nike and you have a company called Nike.. vs just being the first person to sell generic widget X.
- thisisit 9y ago
  Wow. That is an eye opener. The extent to people go to find loopholes. Though given e-commerce is trying to replace traditional brick and mortar, they might put more effort in ensuring quality.
mox1 9y ago
Amazon also co-mingles inventory. If we both have the same exact product to sell it gets put into the same physical warehouse space. Then when it's sold, they just grab a random one out of that space. So its possible that you can "sell" an item that a different supplier actually sent to amazon.
- stevenwoo 9y ago
  I thought one specified the seller on Amazon.
  - Amezarak 9y ago
    Yes, but he's saying that Amazon commingles the inventories of different sellers if they recognize it to be the same item. In other words, if Seller X, Y, and Z all sell Widgets, Amazon puts all their Widgets into the same box. When you buy a Widget from Seller X, you may actually be getting a Widget that originated from Seller Y or Z. From the buyer and seller perspective, it's transparent...unless, of course, one of the sellers is a counterfeiter, in which case the buyer gets agitated that Seller X is selling counterfeit Widgets and yells at Seller X for selling counterfeit Widgets when the item actually originated with Seller Y.
    - acuozzo 9y ago
      > Amazon commingles the inventories of different sellers if they recognize it to be the same item Is this also true of items shipped and sold by Amazon.com? I avoid third party sellers for this reason.
      - j-c-hewitt 9y ago
        You're probably more likely to get something co-mingled sold by Amazon.com than from a third party seller. Generally speaking third party sellers have more of a reason to opt out of it unless they know their inventory is junk.
      - astura 9y ago

detaro 9y ago

I think they can just say they sell the same product and then they are shown as another seller on the same product page. Reviews get mixed, the counterfeiter might be shown as the cheapest option, ...

post_break 9y ago
Yep, it's the reason why buying any Apple accessory can be a mine field.
- jeffwilcox 9y ago
  This scares me, a lot. After watching enough videos online I've had to start using the Apple Store, paying shipping, to avoid any potential fire hazards. Most consumers probably never know. :( It's crazy that they sell the fakes on the official Apple product pages.
- dragonwriter 9y ago
  It's a reason why buying anything on Amazon that could be counterfeited is a minefield, especially (given commingling of inventory) if the seller is Amazon or anyone using Amazon fulfillment, because then you can't even rely on experience with the seller, since the item you get may not actually be from the identified seller.

jlj 9y ago

Might be the "have one to sell?" link on each page.

Raphmedia 9y ago

Amazon works this way: If a product is not on Amazon, you create a listing, add images, descriptions, etc. Then everyone that has the same product has to add their under your listing. That means that if you put hours and hours into creating the best Amazon page, a counterfeiter can simply add his version under your listing and gain all your images, descriptions, reviews.

brianwawok 9y ago

They are talking about owning an ASIN For example: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KRYMB88/ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KRYMB88/ The ASIN is B00KRYMB88. Whoever FIRST listed to that item picked the title, description, pictures.. and it created the page on Amazon and assigned it an ASIN. If you have an identical shirt to that, you can list it with ASIN B00KRYMB88, and it will appear on that page (But you can't edit the listing details). That is how Amazon is built. The problem is, what if you have a counterfeit shirt, and you sell under the same ASIN. A customer will get it delivered.. it sucks maybe.. and you blame the listing and leave a bad review.

dabernathy89 9y ago
So you cannot prevent other sellers from selling under the same ASIN?
- j-c-hewitt 9y ago
  It is possible, but only with direct permission from Amazon. It's called 'brand gating.'
  - brianwawok 9y ago
    Yah it is a bit of a process. It is much easier if you are say, selling something with Brand = Nike and you have a company called Nike.. vs just being the first person to sell generic widget X.
thisisit 9y ago
Wow. That is an eye opener. The extent to people go to find loopholes. Though given e-commerce is trying to replace traditional brick and mortar, they might put more effort in ensuring quality.

mox1 9y ago

Amazon also co-mingles inventory. If we both have the same exact product to sell it gets put into the same physical warehouse space. Then when it's sold, they just grab a random one out of that space. So its possible that you can "sell" an item that a different supplier actually sent to amazon.

stevenwoo 9y ago
I thought one specified the seller on Amazon.
- Amezarak 9y ago
  Yes, but he's saying that Amazon commingles the inventories of different sellers if they recognize it to be the same item. In other words, if Seller X, Y, and Z all sell Widgets, Amazon puts all their Widgets into the same box. When you buy a Widget from Seller X, you may actually be getting a Widget that originated from Seller Y or Z. From the buyer and seller perspective, it's transparent...unless, of course, one of the sellers is a counterfeiter, in which case the buyer gets agitated that Seller X is selling counterfeit Widgets and yells at Seller X for selling counterfeit Widgets when the item actually originated with Seller Y.
  - acuozzo 9y ago
    > Amazon commingles the inventories of different sellers if they recognize it to be the same item Is this also true of items shipped and sold by Amazon.com? I avoid third party sellers for this reason.
    - j-c-hewitt 9y ago
      You're probably more likely to get something co-mingled sold by Amazon.com than from a third party seller. Generally speaking third party sellers have more of a reason to opt out of it unless they know their inventory is junk.
    - astura 9y ago