An Amazon trademark complaint means a rights owner, or an agent acting for one, has reported that one of your listings uses their trademark in a way they believe infringes it. Amazon removes the listing, records the complaint on your Account Health page, and gives you two ways back, a retraction from the rights owner, or an appeal showing that your use of the mark is lawful. Which route works depends on one question we ask first in every case. Is the complaint about the product, or about who is selling it? A brand objecting to an unauthorized reseller of genuine goods needs a different response from a listing that uses a brand name, logo or design it has no right to use. Below we explain what Amazon treats as trademark infringement, how complaints are filed, how to read the notice, how to appeal with evidence of lawful use, what never to do, and the review that keeps complaints off your account.

What Amazon Treats as Trademark Infringement

Amazon’s Intellectual property policy for sellers on trademarks defines a trademark as a word, symbol or design, or a combination of them, such as a brand name or logo, that a company uses to identify its goods or services and distinguish them from others. A trademark indicates the source of goods. Trademark law exists mainly to prevent customer confusion about who makes, endorses or is affiliated with a product.

Amazon’s guidance states that the unauthorized use of a trademark in creating a detail page is usually infringing if it is likely to cause confusion as to the source, endorsement or affiliation of the goods. It also states that not owning a trademark does not necessarily mean you cannot sell another company’s product, as long as you clearly distinguish yourself, the seller, from the trademark owner, the source of the product.

Where trademarks appear on a listing

Amazon lists the places a trademark typically appears on a product detail page, including the brand name, the title, the byline, bullet points, the product description and even the Shipped by and Sold by fields. Logos may appear in listings and brand stores. Each of these is a point where a complaint can attach. Backend search terms are not visible to shoppers, but sellers who load them with other brands’ names expose the listing to the same objection.

When you may use another company’s mark

Amazon’s trademark guidance describes situations where a seller can typically use someone else’s trademark.

Selling authentic goods. A seller listing an authentic product may use the brand name to identify it.
Ordinary meaning. Using a trademarked word in its ordinary dictionary sense.
Truthful compatibility. Stating that a product is compatible with a trademarked product, using the brand name and never the logo. Amazon sets a title format for this, your brand, product name, then “for”, “compatible with”, “fits” or “intended for”, then the main product’s brand and name. Listings that do not follow the format may be removed as potentially infringing.
Customized authentic goods. Print-on-demand customization of genuine branded goods, using Amazon’s “customized” or “personalized” title format, without original packaging in images and without listing the customized product’s brand in the Brand field.
Comparative claims. Truthful, substantiated comparisons using language such as “compare to”, using word marks without logos, and never presenting the compared product more prominently than your own.

Counterfeiting is a narrower category

Amazon describes counterfeiting as a specific type of trademark infringement, an unlawful reproduction of a registered trademark, or a very similar mark, on a product that does not come from the trademark holder. It requires use of a registered mark on the product or packaging. A trademark complaint can be filed against a listing even when the product is genuine and no counterfeiting is alleged. Counterfeit cases are covered in our guides on inauthentic item complaints and counterfeit complaints after a test buy.

How Rights Owners File Complaints

Rights owners and their agents notify Amazon through its Report Infringement form, which Amazon describes as intended for intellectual property rights owners and their agents to report alleged infringements such as trademark and copyright concerns. Brand owners enrolled in Amazon Brand Registry, which Amazon calls its authoritative service for managing and protecting brands, also have reporting tools within that program. The same Report Infringement page offers a notice retraction form, which is how a rights owner withdraws a complaint it has filed.

Most complaints we see come from three situations.

A brand controlling distribution. The brand files against resellers it has not authorized, even when they sell genuine goods.
A listing that uses the mark. A title, image or bullet uses another company’s brand name or logo in a way that suggests source or affiliation.
A mistaken match. The rights owner reports the wrong ASIN, an offer on a shared listing, or a product that only resembles theirs.

Amazon acts on complaints quickly, and its intellectual property policy notes that even if a seller infringes without knowledge, Amazon will still take action, and the account might receive a warning or be suspended. Sellers of genuine goods are often surprised that a complaint names products they bought legitimately. That surprise is understandable, and it is also why the first question is always whether the complaint concerns the product or the seller.

Each item is a type of trademark complaint that reaches Account Health. Open one to see what is behind it and how we answer it.

See also How to Restore Amazon Brand Registry Access After Misuse.

Reading the Complaint Notice

The complaint appears in Account Health as a policy warning for a received intellectual property complaint, with the type marked as trademark. Read it carefully before doing anything. In the cases we work, the notice usually identifies the ASINs affected, the type of right asserted, the rights owner or the party that filed, and a complaint reference. Many notices include a contact address for the rights owner.

Record each of these on a working sheet. Then answer three questions from the facts you hold.

Is the product genuine. Can you show, with supplier invoices or Amazon order IDs, that the units came from the brand or an authorized source.
Does the listing use the mark properly. Check the title, brand field, bullets, description, images, packaging shown in images and backend terms for any use beyond identifying the genuine product or truthful compatibility.
Is the complaint aimed at you. Confirm the ASIN in the complaint is one you listed or sell on.

The answers point to the route. Genuine goods with a clean listing usually mean a reseller objection, where a retraction or an appeal with authenticity evidence fits. Problem content means you fix the listing first. A product you never listed means you reply to the notification to say so, which Amazon’s policy states it will investigate.

What the complaint costs

Each complaint removes the listing and adds points to the Account Health Rating. Amazon describes the rating as a score from 0 to 1,000 reflecting policy adherence over the last 180 days, where 200 to 1,000 is Healthy, 100 to 199 is At Risk and 99 or lower is Unhealthy. Points attached to a violation increase each time the same policy is violated, and an account may be at immediate risk of deactivation once it reaches the maximum number of repeat violations for a single policy in 180 days. You gain points back when you successfully address a violation. Amazon’s intellectual property policy also states that it terminates the accounts of repeat infringers in appropriate circumstances. A retraction clears the complaint at its source, which matters more with each complaint on the account. If you have just received your first warning, our guide on the trademark complaint policy warning covers the early steps.

Appealing With Evidence of Lawful Use

Amazon’s intellectual property policy sets out what to do for each type of notice. We follow it closely, because a response matched to the notice type is reviewed faster.

Situation	What Amazon’s policy says to do
You never listed the product	Reply to the notification and say so. Amazon investigates whether an error occurred.
You have a license or agreement with the rights owner	Contact the rights owner who filed and request a retraction. Content may be reinstated if Amazon receives it.
Trademark on the product or packaging	Use Account Health to provide an invoice or order ID that shows the product is authentic. Amazon re-evaluates the notice.
Trademark use on the detail page	Modify the detail page so it does not infringe, then appeal through Account Health. If removal was an error, appeal with supporting documents such as a letter of authorization or licensing agreement.
Multiple warnings, products believed non-infringing	Appeal with a list of the ASINs and at least one of invoices proving authenticity, Amazon order IDs, an authorization letter from the rights owner that is not a forwarded email, or a court order.

Amazon’s trademark guidance adds that when appealing enforcement actions, you are typically required to provide invoices or letters of authorization to demonstrate your right to sell the products, and that if the products are confirmed genuine, Amazon will remove the enforcement claims from your account. To address the violation, go to Account Health and select Submit appeal next to it. Amazon states that each violation has its own appeal experience on that page.

How we write the appeal

Decision and position. Name the notice, the ASINs, the rights owner and the Amazon Intellectual Property Policy. State in one sentence that the listing offers genuine goods and uses the mark only to identify them, or that the complaint rests on a mistaken match.
Root cause. Name the right asserted and why it was triggered, whether an unauthorized reseller objection, a mistaken match, or listing content since corrected. Be specific. Do not blame the rights owner.
Corrective actions. List the content you removed or changed, the retraction you requested and the authenticity records you preserved, with dates.
Preventive measures. Describe your pre-listing trademark review and your rights owner contact log, with an owner and a cadence.
Evidence. Attach invoices or order IDs, any letter of authorization, before and after screenshots of corrected content, and any retraction.
Request. Ask that the complaint be cleared and the listing reinstated.

Lawful use evidence checklist

The complaint notice, complaint reference and rights owner name.
Supplier invoices for the units, meeting Amazon’s invoice requirements, with pricing removable.
Amazon order IDs that show authentic product where relevant.
A letter of authorization or license from the rights owner, as an original document, never a forwarded email.
Before and after copies of the title, bullets, description and images if content was changed.
Proof that any compatibility claim is true, and that the title follows Amazon’s compatibility format.
Any retraction, or your dated retraction request.

Requesting a retraction

Where the rights owner may withdraw, a retraction is usually the fastest route. Write to the contact in the notice. Be brief and courteous. Identify the complaint and ASIN, state that your units are genuine and how you sourced them, describe any listing change you made, and ask the rights owner to submit a retraction to Amazon. Offer documents if they want to review them. Keep a log of every contact. Do not threaten. A brand that feels pressured rarely retracts.

Retraction request email outline

Subject line naming the complaint reference and ASIN.
One sentence identifying your business and the listing.
A factual statement of how you sourced the units, with an offer to share invoices.
Any listing change you have made in response, with the date.
A clear request that the rights owner submit a retraction to Amazon.
Your contact details and a thank you.

If the rights owner will not retract, the appeal goes ahead on the evidence. Our guide on appealing a trademark complaint without a retraction covers that path. Where the brand keeps filing, our rights owner complaint service handles the brand side.

What Never to Do After an IP Complaint

Relisting the same content. Creating a new listing or new SKU with the same title, images or brand use repeats the infringement.
Changing the brand field to dodge the complaint. Moving another company’s name into a different field does not change the use.
Filing a counter-complaint against the brand. Complaints filed in retaliation create problems of their own.
Threatening the rights owner. It ends any chance of a retraction.
Submitting edited or forwarded documents. Amazon’s policy states an authorization letter cannot be a forwarded email. Any edit to an invoice beyond removing pricing is a separate violation. See our guide on altered document findings.
Ignoring the complaint. The points stay on the record and repeat complaints build toward termination.
Using a copyright counter-notice for a trademark complaint. Amazon’s counter-notice process applies to copyright under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Trademark complaints follow the appeal and retraction routes above. Copyright issues are covered in our guide on copyright complaints over listing images.

The left column is what we see sellers try after an IP complaint. The right column is what keeps a retraction or appeal open. Compare each row.

Business Models That Draw Trademark Complaints

Wholesale resellers of brands that restrict distribution

Brands that want control over who sells their products use trademark complaints to remove sellers they have not authorized. The goods may be genuine. To run it compliantly, buy from the brand or its authorized distributors, keep invoices and any letter of authorization on file for every branded listing, use the brand name only to identify the genuine product, and keep a contact log with each brand you resell.

Private label sellers using a competitor’s name

Putting a well-known brand’s name in your title, bullets or backend terms to attract its shoppers reads as trademark use and draws complaints. To run it compliantly, use only your own brand in titles and the brand field, make comparisons only in Amazon’s comparative format, and keep competitor names out of search terms.

Accessory and compatible-parts sellers

Writing “Brand X Charger” when you mean a charger that fits Brand X devices suggests the product comes from Brand X. To run it compliantly, follow Amazon’s compatibility title format, use the brand name only after “for”, “compatible with”, “fits” or “intended for”, never use the other brand’s logo, and make sure every compatibility claim is true.

Regional Differences and the Law

Trademark complaints arise in the United States store through Seller Central and in the European and UK stores through Seller Central Europe. Amazon’s policy decides the appeal on Amazon. The law gives context for your position. This is general information and not legal advice for your case.

Region	Law	What it means for sellers
United States	Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. 1114 (infringement) and 15 U.S.C. 1125(a) (false designation of origin)	Use of a mark that is likely to cause confusion about source, sponsorship or affiliation can infringe. Use that only identifies the genuine product is generally treated differently.
United States	Champion Spark Plug Co. v. Sanders, 331 U.S. 125 (1947), and nominative fair use as described in New Kids on the Block v. News America Publishing, Inc., 971 F.2d 302 (9th Cir. 1992)	Resale of genuine goods under their mark, with adequate disclosure, is generally lawful, and a mark may be used to refer to the trademark owner’s own product.
European Union	EU Trade Mark Regulation, Regulation (EU) 2017/1001, Article 15	Rights are exhausted for goods placed on the market in the European Economic Area by the owner or with consent, unless the owner has legitimate reasons to oppose further dealing, especially where condition has changed or been impaired.
United Kingdom	Trade Marks Act 1994, section 12	Rights are exhausted for goods put on the market in the UK or the EEA by the owner or with consent, subject to the same legitimate reasons exception.
European Union	Digital Services Act, Regulation (EU) 2022/2065, Articles 17, 20 and 21, and the Platform-to-Business Regulation, Regulation (EU) 2019/1150, Article 4	A statement of reasons for removals and restrictions, internal complaint handling, and certified out-of-court dispute settlement for content decisions.
United Kingdom	Regulation (EU) 2019/1150 as retained in UK law	Platform-to-Business protections continue. The Digital Services Act does not apply.

Two practical points follow. In the EU and UK, where the goods were first sold matters, because genuine goods first sold outside the EEA, or outside the UK and EEA for the UK store, may not be covered by exhaustion. In the United States, goods that differ materially from what the brand sells, for example without the brand’s warranty, can support a claim even when genuine. State the law factually in an appeal. Do not threaten.

Pre-Listing Trademark Review

The prevention lesson is to check every listing for trademarks you have no right to use, in titles, images, keywords and on the product itself, before it goes live.

Title and brand field. Your own brand only, or the genuine brand when reselling authentic goods. Compatibility in Amazon’s format.
Images. No logos you created or added, no other brands’ packaging for products that are not theirs, and no original packaging on customized goods.
Bullets and description. Compatibility and comparison claims that are true, substantiated and worded the way Amazon describes.
Search terms. No other brands’ names.
The product itself. For private label, search the USPTO, EUIPO or UK IPO registers before naming a product, and check that nothing on the product or packaging resembles a registered mark.
Sourcing records. Invoices and any authorization on file for every branded listing before it goes live.
Contact log. A record of every rights owner contact, complaint and retraction.

For accounts already carrying several complaints, see our guide on repeat infringer termination.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do trademark complaints get filed on Amazon?

Rights owners file through Report Infringement or Brand Registry. Amazon’s Report Infringement form is intended for intellectual property rights owners and their agents, and Brand Registry gives enrolled brands their own reporting tools.

What happens after a trademark complaint?

The listing is removed and the account loses Account Health points. The complaint appears on the Account Health page, where you can appeal or work toward a retraction from the rights owner.

Can repeat trademark complaints close my account?

Yes, Amazon terminates accounts of repeat infringers. Its intellectual property policy says so directly, and the Account Health Rating policy explains that repeat violations of the same policy within 180 days can put an account at immediate risk of deactivation.

How do I get a trademark complaint removed?

Ask the rights owner to retract it or appeal with evidence your use is lawful. Amazon states content may be reinstated if it receives a retraction, and that it removes enforcement claims when products are confirmed genuine.

Is using a brand name in keywords a risk?

Yes, trademark use in listings, images or the product can trigger a complaint. Keep other brands’ names out of titles, bullets and search terms unless you are identifying the genuine product or stating true compatibility in Amazon’s format.

Get Help With an Amazon Trademark Complaint

When a brand keeps filing against your resale of genuine goods, the realistic route is usually a retraction negotiation backed by sourcing proof, and that is where we take over. We review the complaint and the listing, prepare the evidence, handle contact with the rights owner and draft the appeal where a retraction is not available.

Learn about our Amazon suspension and reinstatement service and our rights owner complaint service, submit your case for an assessment, or book a consultation.

You can also see all our marketplace suspension services.

Resolve an Amazon Trademark Complaint and Restore a Listing