Any legal way to prove authenticity permanently?
I sell branded eyewear on Amazon. I have been selling on Amazon for 15+ years. I buy from closeout specialists who buy from manufacturers. I do not buy direct from manufacturers (license holders). I do not have LOA from the manufacturers or my suppliers. All I know is that they are authentic products and my suppliers are unable to give me an LOA. Besides, LOA from my suppliers will be rejected by Amazon anyway.
Authenticity complaints has always been my #1 problem on Amazon. Due to some unknown reason, Amazon has blacklisted my suppliers. There are perhaps 4 or 5 of these closeout specialists in USA. Buying from different suppliers is not an option.
I am coming to end of the rope as far as my account health is concerned due to the amount of authenticity complaints I have gotten over the years. All are invalid, of course. For ex, one buyer said a $10 eyeglass case I sold her was fake. I dont need to explain that one. Another said the Tory Burch sunglasses I sold her were fake because they were made in China. Truth is, most of the Tory Burch eyewear are, in fact, made in China. List goes on with these uneducated and uninformed accusations but once the complaint is made, there is no turning back. And my account health suffers.
I can not invest more money into my Amazon business because I never know when Amazon will shut me down. Towards that end, I am wondering if there is a way that I can prove to Amazon, once and for all, that my products are authentic. I will fly to wherever their office is and bring all the documents and anything else they require to whitelist my suppliers so that whenever there are fake complaints, I will win my appeals. I want to have a permanent note on my account that says all my products are authentic and I don't want to fear these fake complaints any longer.
Is there ANY way to achieve this?
Any legal way to prove authenticity permanently?
I sell branded eyewear on Amazon. I have been selling on Amazon for 15+ years. I buy from closeout specialists who buy from manufacturers. I do not buy direct from manufacturers (license holders). I do not have LOA from the manufacturers or my suppliers. All I know is that they are authentic products and my suppliers are unable to give me an LOA. Besides, LOA from my suppliers will be rejected by Amazon anyway.
Authenticity complaints has always been my #1 problem on Amazon. Due to some unknown reason, Amazon has blacklisted my suppliers. There are perhaps 4 or 5 of these closeout specialists in USA. Buying from different suppliers is not an option.
I am coming to end of the rope as far as my account health is concerned due to the amount of authenticity complaints I have gotten over the years. All are invalid, of course. For ex, one buyer said a $10 eyeglass case I sold her was fake. I dont need to explain that one. Another said the Tory Burch sunglasses I sold her were fake because they were made in China. Truth is, most of the Tory Burch eyewear are, in fact, made in China. List goes on with these uneducated and uninformed accusations but once the complaint is made, there is no turning back. And my account health suffers.
I can not invest more money into my Amazon business because I never know when Amazon will shut me down. Towards that end, I am wondering if there is a way that I can prove to Amazon, once and for all, that my products are authentic. I will fly to wherever their office is and bring all the documents and anything else they require to whitelist my suppliers so that whenever there are fake complaints, I will win my appeals. I want to have a permanent note on my account that says all my products are authentic and I don't want to fear these fake complaints any longer.
Is there ANY way to achieve this?
0 replies
Seller_8sP6ffckcRn6v
The only way you can prove authenticity to Amazon's satisfaction is with an LOA directly from the brand or their authorized agents.
What may had worked before does not anymore...
Seller_nRFmxiQg4EGrw
Not a verifiable source of inventory.
How do you know that your suppliers are selling you only authentic products? Because they tell you they are?
Besides, in many cases, YOU have to be authorized BY THE BRAND to sell many brands on Amazon.
Yes, Amazon has stated that closeout/liquidation sellers are not considered proper suppliers. This is not new.
Why not? Why are you unable to buy from authorized wholesale distributors? Why are you unable to get LoA from the brand?
Seller_nRFmxiQg4EGrw
Then that of course is why you are deactivated. Nike doesn't (generally) allow the sale of their products by 3rd party sellers on sites like Amazon.
Show Amazon your written authorization FROM NIKE to sell Nike products (presumably as NEW) on Amazon, and you should be good.
Otherwise, even if you feel " the supply chain invoices from the manufacturer to my supplier to me which veriifes the source.", Amazon doesn't care without actual authorization.
So when you buy direct from Nike, does that include permission to resell the products on 3p platforms such as Amazon? Nike has loosened restrictions lately, but just a few months ago, such reselling was strictly prohibited; are you sure that YOU are one of the few no longer subject to those rules? Do you have it in writing for Amazon to verify?
Seller_nRFmxiQg4EGrw
Amazon has long made is clear that "close out" or liquidation sources are not legitimate for IP issues.
You're about 6-7 years late to realize this. This is nothing new. And frankly, I see that as a good thing, at least if you are not being clear that your items are not new nor authorized.
Seller_nRFmxiQg4EGrw
But since you bought through unauthorized sources, you have no way of proving that. And of course, since it's from a liquidator, for many products there is no longer a warranty, so another violation of Amazon policy if that is the case.
Just keep in mind that when they kick you out, they'll also keep any money still in your account. Plan accordingly.
Seller_nRFmxiQg4EGrw
No, you can't. If there is doubt of the authenticity, Amazon will not release the funds, short of you getting a court order. This is LAW.
Seller_nRFmxiQg4EGrw
Well, "nothing to lose" other than the costs involved with filing in court. And the court may not side with you, since you bought liquidation lots, so don't have even a retail receipt.
Why would Amazon be on the hook for your legal expenses when you are the one not following the rules? The burden of proof for authenticity is on you. if you can prove it to the court, then Amazon can release your funds, but unlikely that you'll recover your court costs. But speak to a lawyer for more info (and of course, more cost).
The court will not be ruling that Amazon should let you sell; they will absolve Amazon of liability in case the product is not legit.
Seller_nRFmxiQg4EGrw
Yeah, good luck with that.
But in the meantime, you might want to re-read the ToS that you agreed to when you signed up. And be sure to take a copy of it to your lawyer when you say you want to sue.
So why not stop and sell elsewhere, BEFORE you have to go through 'all this'? I can understand your frustration at being put in a hole; I can't understand your insistence to keep digging deeper.
