Brand Registry Question
I am thinking of registering my business name with Brand Registry so that I can start looking at buying white label goods and branding them to sell.
I thought it best to start by enrolling in Brand Registry first - just in case of any problems and before outlaying any money.
So first question - is this the best way to do this?
Ive gone into the first few screens and get to a point where I have to accept Terms of Use. Not a problem - but one of the terms says:
You represent that you own or are authorized by the brand to act on behalf of any brands you register in Brand Registry.
Now this raises another totally separate question. Some of the goods I sell are licensed branded goods (lets say ABC) made by a manufacturer (lets call them XYZ). I often run into trouble with the existing listings as some have been created with the Brand set to ABC and others with XYZ. When I try to update the listings I get the usual ‘Only brand owner can make these changes’ - even if the update is to correct a mistake in the listing. Even worse, if the item comes in multiple sizes, but one size is using ABC and another with XYZ for Brand, I cannot join them into a variation listing.
The manufacturer do not want to register themselves or get involved in Brand Registry so in turn they cannot authorise me on Amazon to make the changes.
Now I have full authority to re-sell the goods. So now I am wondering if I can add these Brands to my Selling Account under the Brand Registry program? Will this then enable me to make the changes? If so can I safely register both ABC and XYZ? I can them attempt to change Brand of the different sizes to be the same and join them as a variation listing.
8 replies
Seller_7VbclcPFFRTnc
Firstly do you have a UK trademark for your own goods ?
Secondly, in order to add licensed goods to your list of brands, I believe you would have to become the brands agent or representative - which I’m not sure would work on licensed goods - ie Disney etc if that’s what you mean
Seller_qZO3ZCjoBXEeL
Not unless you can show Amazon that you are the authorised representative of the trademark owner. The usual way for this to happen is the brand registers their trademark and then gives you access to their brand registry I believe. It could also be that you license the trademark exclusively in this region and then act as the trademark owner for the same purposes.
From what you’ve written, I don’t think either is an option.
Seller_tRuvBEHDedp4q
Yes - that is what I thought. The Brand registers first then authorises a seller on Amazon.
However, in the case of licensed goods, it just is not possible. For example, Disney are not going to authorise each and every re-seller on Amazon. They would have to employ a full time person to do just that lol. Disney will license a manufacturer to make goods branded Disney, and then I expect the manufacturer registers in Brand Registry and authorises its re-sellers.
The Brand attribute in Amazon ‘should’ be set to the manufacturer in these cases - and this would conform with Amazons interpretation of Brand if you read the info on what should be entered for this attribute (which TBH is different from my interpretation of Brand).
It is just how that 1 sentence in accepting Brand Registry Terms of Use reads in that it ‘infers’ you only have to acknowledge you are authorized to represent the brand. I am just wandering if this is how listing sometimes gets changed when it often seems impossible without getting the dreaded ‘only brand owner can authorise this change’ error.
You represent that you own or are authorized by the brand to act on behalf of any brands you register in Brand Registry.
TLS - no I do not have any trademark. I am registered with GS1 and have my own set of EANs I can use. I thought I did not need a trademark - just that any labels/packaging etc showed the name I am registering with. Its just an idea of mine I am investigating at the moment.
Seller_tRuvBEHDedp4q
So is it best to get a TM or just go for Brand Approval?
