As a manufactuer of a Brand is there a way to restrict the people who sell our products?
Is there a way to get your brand registered brand gated and be able to determine is able to list our products on Amazon? Since we are the manufacturer it is hard to control who is selling out products on Amazon. Is there a way to get your brand gated or be able to pick and choose who is able to list and sell your brands products on Amazon?
As a manufactuer of a Brand is there a way to restrict the people who sell our products?
Is there a way to get your brand registered brand gated and be able to determine is able to list our products on Amazon? Since we are the manufacturer it is hard to control who is selling out products on Amazon. Is there a way to get your brand gated or be able to pick and choose who is able to list and sell your brands products on Amazon?
55 replies
Seller_b9MTK4QOrYHu2
yes but why.. let give you money up front... u making money easier.. set MAPP rules etc.
Seller_4lwdnsP1MyKRq
Is there a way to enforce our MAP policy on Amazon?
Seller_b9MTK4QOrYHu2
I don t know amazon MAPP policy.. I sell major brands. but here is fast example of one
minimum advertised price policy(MAPP) for Georgespet
1. Introduction
This Manufacturing Assessment Price Plan (MAPP) outlines the pricing structure and terms for the product "Georgespet." This document establishes the guidelines and regulations for resellers to ensure compliance with the established Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) and to address potential violations.
2. Minimum Advertised Price (MAP)
The Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) for Georgespet is set at a level that reflects the value of the product and maintains fair competition among resellers. Resellers are prohibited from advertising or promoting Georgespet below the established MAP. The purpose of the MAP is to prevent price erosion, maintain the brand's perceived value, and ensure a consistent retail environment.
3. Pricing Structure
The pricing structure for Georgespet is as follows:
Manufacturer's Wholesale Price: The price at which resellers purchase Georgespet directly from the manufacturer.
Minimum Advertised Price (MAP): The lowest price at which resellers are allowed to advertise or promote Georgespet.
Retail Price: The price at which resellers sell Georgespet to end consumers.
4. Reseller Agreement
By entering into a reseller agreement with the manufacturer of Georgespet, resellers agree to abide by the terms of this MAPP. Resellers are required to follow the MAP guidelines during all advertising and promotional activities.
5. MAPP Enforcement
5.1 Monitoring and Reporting
The manufacturer reserves the right to monitor reseller advertising and promotional activities to ensure compliance with the established MAP. This includes online advertisements, printed materials, social media posts, and any other form of promotion.
5.2 Penalties for Violations
If a reseller is found to be in violation of the MAP, the following penalties will apply:
First Violation: The reseller will receive a written notice informing them of the violation and a warning regarding future compliance. The reseller must promptly correct the violation within a specified timeframe.
Subsequent Violations: For subsequent violations within a 12-month period, the reseller will be subject to a fine of $250 per violation. The fine will be invoiced and must be paid within 15 days of receiving the notice.
6. Dispute Resolution
If a reseller believes there is an error or discrepancy related to a violation notice, they may submit a written appeal to the manufacturer within 10 days of receiving the violation notice. The manufacturer will review the appeal and respond within a reasonable timeframe.
7. Amendment and Termination
The manufacturer reserves the right to amend or terminate this MAPP at its discretion. Resellers will be notified of any changes in writing with a reasonable notice period.
By signing below, the reseller acknowledges their understanding of and agreement to abide by the terms and conditions outlined in this Manufacturing Assessment Price Plan for Georgespet.
Reseller Name (Printed) Reseller Signature
Date: ___________________
Please keep in mind that this document is a sample and should not be considered legal advice. It's recommended to consult with a legal professional to ensure that your specific situation and jurisdiction are taken into account when drafting legal documents.
Seller_4lwdnsP1MyKRq
@Seller_b9MTK4QOrYHu2
Thanks for the Response. We have agreements set up like this with all of our E-commerce dealers. We have several customers whom we have given permission and the MAP of all of our products. They all follow the instructions we have given them. The problem is we sell to thousands of people wholesale for brick-and-mortar locations so it is impossible to control who just goes and lists our products on Amazon. Anyone can make an Amazon Seller Central Account and list our Brand on Amazon and we are unable to enforce a map for those hundreds of people doing that. We are unable to contact any of these sellers because Amazon does not let you do that also they may be our direct customers but there is no way to know because they can operate on Amazon with a different name.
This is why I was wondering if I could get our Brand Gated and then only accept the 3 or 4 approved sellers that we work exclusively with for e-commerce.
Any thoughts on this would be appreciated
Seller_CF0URQS5DxG2u
Amazon does not enforce MAP. In fact, Amazon actively violates our MAP all the time in their 1P listings of our items. We are constantly being undercut on goods that they source from our distys.
Amazon actually forced the street price of our most popular ASIN down by $1 (not much on paper, but it's a low margin, low price, high volume consumable) because of their lack of MAP enforcement coupled with their bot-driven price matching.
They forced us to list at a price lower than we normally do, because someone else was violating MAP on some random website, offloading stock that we couldn't pinpoint the source of (with wildly high shipping costs too, mind you).
Amz took that listed price as "gospel" and set their price there too.
In response, a major box retailer that sells our product also lowered their price to match, and then Amazon saw THAT price and was like "OKAY THAT SETTLES IT, YOUR PRICE IS TOO HIGH" and we haven't been able to raise the street since that happened last year.
You cannot gate (to my knowledge) resellers off of your items. You can only gate at the source by knowing & trusting your distys.
Seller_kIukTwdhvntAp
NOPE, not at this time BUT that may be changing. One law firm is aggressively going after sellers for some brands and is threatening to sue websites on behalf of the brands.
Seller_kIukTwdhvntAp
As to the MAP issue as long as your authorized sellers follow policy once you get rid of the others it makes life much easier for you.
As to gating, I know they are doing 'whitelists' for brands but I have no idea if there is a sales volume needed to get their attention or if they will just MESS over smaller brands.
Recent successes for brands include Coach with LOTS of sellers having inventory at the warehouses and then this one hit a few days ago --
“As part of our ongoing efforts to provide the best possible customer experience, Amazon is implementing listing restrictions for Eclipse Glasses. You will no longer be able to sell these products and your listings will be removed. We are not accepting applications to sell these products.”
Good luck and let us know what happens!
Seller_L4p4m05RH1LKs
MAPs are inherently anti-competition. Their function is to maximize the brand's profit, at the expense of free enterprise and the consumer. They are a form of monopolization.
Seller_kIukTwdhvntAp
Are you in Brand Registry? If you are there MIGHT be ways to do that. If you aren't you should really do that.
Seller_kIukTwdhvntAp
I've had to cut up my responses since the BOTS keep saying I have 'inappropriate language' in my answers and I have to figure out what bad words they don't like.
Find the Forum topic
https://sellercentral.amazon.com/seller-forums/discussions/t/0d163ef2-7b2a-4845-a663-71204792f942
and @Jim_Amazon has links for the two types of reporting that might help as well.
I think Amazon does not approve of (yup, the use of multiple letter 'x' is an issue) .........😁😁😁
Seller_0rXAME9V4LQSx
We were told by amazon that being brand registered would allow you to "whitelist" companies that sell for you and anyone not on the list wouldn't be allowed. We have yet to see that and there are several posts from people in brand registry with the same complaint.
We have introduced a 3 strikes and you are out policy for MAP violations. We have cut off several distributors over it. We also reduce their discount rate when we catch them a second time. It has helped since their margin shrinks even further with their pricing.
Seller_XcsT0rjKcqoNJ
Once you are brand registered you can enroll your products in the transparency program. Search brand services for more information. It's a low overhead program for the benefits you gain in my opinion.
Seller_WtOwWhtSrFjva
Yes. As long as it is a product you manufacture. If not, then there is not a way to do it.
Say you are selling a black and decker drill. model AAA. Everyone who sells this model will be able to list on your listing.
But if you sell a black and decker with a drill set or screw set then they can only list on it if they sell the same exact thing to include packaging.
Their product has to be exactly like yours.
