How to Effectively Respond to Unauthorized Sellers on Amazon

For most U.S. brands, Amazon is both a massive opportunity and an ongoing challenge. It’s where millions of shoppers discover products every day…. but also where control over pricing, distribution, and customer experience can quickly slip away.

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According to our latest Unauthorized Sales Report, nearly 60% of brands identify Amazon as their #1 marketplace concern. At the same time, 41% of brands surveyed said they were “unsure” if they lost the Buy Box. As visibility on Amazon grows, so do the risks. Unauthorized third-party sellers can:

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• Hijack listings, altering product details or attaching their offers to official listings.
• Disrupt pricing strategies, undercutting prices and triggering unwanted price wars.
• Undermine brand credibility, creating inconsistent customer experiences through shipping delays and questionable product quality.
  
  

These problems often surface before brands even realize what’s happening, making proactive monitoring essential. Here’s how to identify, prevent, and respond to unauthorized sellers before they impact your bottom line.

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Building a Preventive System

The most effective way to manage unauthorized sales is to detect and respond before the damage spreads. These four strategies form the foundation of a proactive prevention system:

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1. Strengthen Contracts with Authorized Distributors

The first step is safeguarding any unintentional leakage from authorized distributors by including an Amazon-specific clause in wholesale and retail partnership contracts, outlining clearly what is and is not permitted. However, since many unauthorized listings come from indirect channels or unknown resellers, brands must pair these legal safeguards with monitoring and enforcement strategies.

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2. Set a Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) Policy

A MAP (Minimum Advertised Price) policy establishes the lowest price that resellers can publicly advertise. This helps prevent excessive price competition that leads to brand value erosion. Notably, MAP policies typically apply only to first- or second-tier distributors. When products pass through multiple resellers, Amazon does not enforce these pricing rules, limiting their potential impact.

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3. Leverage Amazon’s Brand Protection Programs

By signing up for the Amazon Brand Registry, brands can protect intellectual property assets like logos, images, and content while gaining access to IP violation reporting tools.

Programs like Amazon Transparency add another layer of protection by assigning a unique code to each product, allowing brands to better trace distribution. As a result, it becomes easier to block counterfeit or diverted goods. Additionally, the program lets customers verify authenticity by scanning the product code themselves, improving both trust and supply chain transparency.

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4. Introduce Product-Specific Serial Numbers

Issuing unique serial numbers for each item makes it possible to distinguish products distributed through official channels from those entering through unauthorized routes. This enables faster identification and enforcement against unauthorized sellers.

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Monitoring and Responding to Unauthorized Sellers

Once preventive systems are in place, consistent monitoring and timely response are key. Brands should routinely review all Amazon listings, check MAP compliance, and track pricing fluctuations.

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When violations are detected, brands can report them using “Report a Violation” in the Brand Registry or Seller Central. If reporting alone doesn’t resolve the issue, sending a cease-and-desist letter can initiate formal legal action. Another effective tactic is conducting test purchases to verify whether the reseller’s products are genuine and to collect evidence for takedown requests.

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Real Case: A Successful Unauthorized Sales Response

One MarqVision client, Brand A, created Amazon-exclusive products with unique lot numbers and packaging registered under distinct ASINs (Amazon Standard Identification Numbers). Despite this, outside resellers began listing products under the same ASIN.

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Although these resellers sold genuine products, their lot numbers and packaging differed from the Amazon-exclusive versions, indicating the products were sourced through wholesale channels. After test purchases confirmed these differences, the brand submitted a counterfeit report to Amazon. Amazon recognized that the reseller’s listings didn’t match the registered ASIN and classified them as counterfeit, resolving the issue.

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This case highlights how distinct lot numbers and packaging, combined with proactive reporting, can help brands effectively eliminate unauthorized sellers beyond basic price monitoring.

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Takeaways for Brands on Amazon

For brands operating on Amazon, platform dependence brings both opportunity and exposure. Unauthorized sellers and counterfeits can threaten brand trust, pricing integrity, and profitability. That’s why a systematic strategy combining prevention, monitoring, and enforcement is essential.

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Leveraging seemingly small product variations, such as exclusive packaging or serial number tracking, can serve as powerful tools for activation and reporting. Ultimately, brand protection starts not with reaction, but with proactive strategy and constant vigilance.

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Tired of spending hours tracking unauthorized sellers by hand? MarqVision takes that burden off your team. Our AI-powered monitoring and enforcement platform scans Amazon and other global marketplaces in real-time, helping you regain control, preserve pricing integrity, and protect your growth.

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👉 Request a free demo today and discover how a tailored Amazon brand protection strategy can safeguard your business.