RESOURCES

Counterfeit products have been a long-standing problem for Amazon, its customers, and the brands that sell on the channel. They're so prevalent, Apple claims 90% of its products on Amazon are counterfeit. Amazon understands this is a costly issue and can be a deterrent to selling on the channel. To help brands overcome this, Amazon initially released Project Zero as an invite-only program. But now, it’s open to any brand that qualifies. Continue reading to learn more about Amazon Project Zero and how it will impact brands.

What is Amazon Project Zero? 

Amazon Project Zero is a self-service counterfeit removal tool. It eliminates the middleman for brands that need counterfeit listings removed. Before Project Zero, brands would need to contact Amazon to resolve these issues, with sometimes mixed success. This tool saves brands time and helps Amazon gather data to improve its ability to protect against counterfeits.

There are several requirements brands need to meet before qualifying for Project Zero. For example, brands should enroll in Brand Registry and be the rights owner of a government-registered trademark. Brands also need to provide reports of infringements from the past six months. These submissions should reflect an acceptance rate of 90% or better.

How Can Amazon Project Zero Impact Brands? 

One of the main benefits of Project Zero is the power it gives brands to police third-party sellers themselves. It also helps brands identify where and who is selling their products. After using Project Zero, brands can have a stronger grasp on the customer experience and their own margins. 

Marketplace Strategy’s Point of View  

Now that Project Zero is no longer an invite-only program, it will be interesting to learn what self-service actually entails. We believe Project Zero will mostly serve to target serious trademark infringement. It will also likely layer in its Transparency Service to tackle product serialization. 

It’s important to understand Project Zero isn’t going to simply remove third parties from a brands listings. This will still require expertise and strategy to ensure third-parties are selling appropriately. But, Project Zero is another tool brands can use to successfully combat illegitimate resellers.

Although Project Zero won’t be a fit for every brand, testing it out as an early adopter could be beneficial. We encourage brands to register for Project Zero to test to see how it works and if it’s the right fit. 

If you could use the support of a strategic partner, schedule a free consultation. As always, we’re here to answer any questions.