Parallel Import?
Hoping someone can inform us what Parallel Import means? We have had a policy warning today from a brand owner’s complaint. The product is very popular on Amazon and is a rapid, profitable seller. We source it from the official UK distributor. The brand owner have managed to remove all the competition including us, leaving Amazon themselves as the only seller.
Parallel Import?
Hoping someone can inform us what Parallel Import means? We have had a policy warning today from a brand owner’s complaint. The product is very popular on Amazon and is a rapid, profitable seller. We source it from the official UK distributor. The brand owner have managed to remove all the competition including us, leaving Amazon themselves as the only seller.
30 replies
Seller_BS5lg2keRs2QO
Quickest Google ever:
“A parallel import is a non-counterfeit product imported from another country without the permission of the intellectual property owner.”
Seller_7VbclcPFFRTnc
Are you buying direct from the manufacturer / brand owner ?
Do they allow you to sell on Amazon ?
They may have an exclusivity contract whereby amazon are only allowed to sell
Seller_z5YGdbo8puD4a
It isn’t Newell/Sharpie by any chance? We’ve had many of these in the past 2 months. It looks like what they are trying to do is find every listing that isn’t “official” and rather than merge or similar, just submitting this BS parallel import.
Basically it says something along the lines of “We own the IP in EU, we did not authorise seller to import it into the EU. Therefore Seller is not allowed to sell” - Policy Warning. However, we purchased ours from UK distributor. If that is the case, UK law allows resell.
In theory, what they (in the case of Sharpie) are doing makes sense - cleaning up the catalog or duplicates, but there are cases where they are truly different listings, but they are targetting those too.
It’s extremely frustrating, as I have sourced from a UK distributor - who receive from Newell (in my case) - but they ignore any requests for clarification/correction.
What’s your item/brand that’s doing this/
Seller_77IcbQKVGdZo0
Have you checked with them what rights you have to sell the product. Some distributors I have worked with have told me that certain lines are not allowed to be sold on Amazon these are normally clearly marked on their website.
Also often known as Grey Market products, they are available at cheaper wholesale/retail prices on international markets and some wholesalers will sometimes import these so they can offer a better wholesale price to UK customers. The products are not designed to sell on UK markets but it is not illegal to sell them. Some shops, market stalls etc will sell them perfectly legally.
Seller_BS5lg2keRs2QO
Assuming it’s the really big distributor in Birmingham (A&F), they have this in their T&Cs:
“The Buyer may not advertise or sell the Goods by auction, telephone, post, mail order catalogue, any media channel or outlet, fax, email or other electronic means of communication or on any third party website including but not limited to eBay and Amazon”
Seller_yIBB7KXl5fiWU
I got one for a hg product. Were a uk distributor and buy direct from hg uk. They filed a complaint with amazon. We have been buying from hg uk for 25 years. And they wasnt interested in removing the complaint. They want market prime position in relationship with amazon. To cut out everyone else.
Seller_nT7psArrIHc2I
I got one of these on a book last week.
I just took them off sale. It is pretty pointless to try to fight with Amazon.
Seller_DJwE1RXTpAHPh
not a parallel import
IP rights (with regard to resale) exhausted after first UK-UK sale
