Quick answer: “Listing hijacking” is a seller term for someone else selling on your product’s listing with a counterfeit or different product, or changing your detail page in a way that misrepresents it. On Amazon, anyone may add an offer to an existing ASIN if they sell the exact same product, so a new seller alone is not hijacking. It becomes a problem when the product is fake, infringes your trademark, or does not match the listing. Brand owners can report infringing offers or ASINs through Amazon’s intellectual property tools, and a registered trademark lets you enroll in Brand Registry for more control over listings with your brand name.
Hijacked listings cost sales and generate complaints that land on your reviews and account health. This guide explains what Amazon allows, what it does not, and how to protect your listings, based on Amazon’s own policies.
What Amazon Allows on a Listing
Amazon’s ASIN creation policy says that to sell a product already available on Amazon, you add an offer to the existing ASIN. Amazon’s product detail page rules say each detail page covers a single unique item and prohibit duplicate pages for a product that already has one. So multiple sellers on one listing is how Amazon is designed to work, as long as each sells the identical product.
When It Becomes Hijacking
| Situation | Why it is a problem | Amazon tool or policy |
|---|---|---|
| Another seller offers a counterfeit of your product | Violates Amazon’s Anti-Counterfeiting Policy and your trademark | Report the offer for trademark or counterfeit infringement |
| Another seller offers a different or lower quality product on your listing | The offer does not match the detail page | Product detail page rules; report through Amazon |
| Someone uses your photos or copy on their own listing | Copyright infringement | Report copyright infringement |
| Someone changes your brand name or trademark information | Amazon prohibits modifying trademark information on an existing ASIN | Brand Name policy and Brand Registry |
| A product with your trademark that you do not make | Trademark infringement at the ASIN level | Report the entire ASIN |
Reporting Offers vs Reporting ASINs
Amazon’s guidance for rights owners explains two levels of trademark reports. If a product or packaging bears your trademark but you do not make it, you can report the entire ASIN. If a particular seller’s offer infringes your trademark, you can report that offer, but the detail page and ASIN stay live because you are reporting only the offer.
How Brand Registry Helps
Amazon describes Brand Registry as its service for managing and protecting brands. It gives access to text and image search, predictive automation based on your reports of suspected infringement, and increased authority over listings with your brand name. Enrollment requires a registered or pending trademark under Amazon’s Brand Name policy.
What Not to Do
- Do not file reports for products that are genuine. Amazon’s IP tools are for infringement, not for removing competitors who sell your authentic products.
- Do not have sellers file reports as your agent for their own benefit. Amazon’s code of conduct says individuals with active selling accounts may not file infringement notices as a brand’s agent when it benefits their own selling account, and may have their account terminated for it.
- Do not order test buys and leave fake reviews or feedback. Amazon prohibits attempts to damage another seller’s listings or ratings.
How to Defend Your Listings
- Register your trademark and enroll in Brand Registry.
- Make your product and packaging distinctive, with permanently affixed branding as Amazon’s Brand Name policy describes.
- Monitor your listings for new offers, changed content, and complaints in reviews.
- When a new offer appears, check whether the product is genuine before reporting.
- Keep records of your products, packaging, and manufacturing so you can support reports.
Our rights owner complaint service handles IP reports and responses. If hijacked listings have been suppressed or removed, see our listing recovery service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it hijacking if another seller is on my Amazon listing?
Not by itself. Amazon allows sellers to add offers to an existing ASIN if they sell the exact same product.
How do I remove a counterfeit seller from my listing?
As the rights owner, report the offer for trademark or counterfeit infringement through Amazon’s IP reporting tools.
Can someone change my product listing on Amazon?
Amazon prohibits modifying trademark information on an existing ASIN. Brand Registry gives brand owners increased authority over listings with their brand name.
Can I report a reseller of my genuine products?
Amazon’s IP tools are for infringement. Reports against genuine products are not what the tools are for.
Do I need a trademark to use Brand Registry?
Amazon’s Brand Name policy says a registered or pending trademark allows you to enroll in Brand Registry.
Protect Your Listings
Submit your case for a free assessment, or book a consultation.
Sources
- Amazon Seller Central, ASIN creation policy
- Amazon Seller Central, Product detail page rules
- Amazon Seller Central, Intellectual property for Rights Owners and Registered Agents
- Amazon Seller Central, Amazon Brand Name policy
- Amazon Seller Central, Selling policies and seller code of conduct
- Amazon Seller Central, Amazon Anti-Counterfeiting policy
