Amazon Affiliate Marketer basically copied my website...
I have my own website, can I say it here? xxxxxxxxxxxx.com.
An affiliate marketer for Amazon came in and put up a new domain, thexxxxxxxxx.com. It contains all my Amazon listings and links to them. And a link to the main store.
You may be asking now, what's the problem with this? Well.....
-It will poach sales from my website. I don't want to do that. It's much cheaper for me to do a sale on the website than here.
-There is no customer service from that site. There is an email and phone number. Neither work, I tried them. I don't want my customers to be confused here.
-They are using my trademarks without my permission.
Anyone see this before? How'd you deal with it?
Amazon Affiliate Marketer basically copied my website...
I have my own website, can I say it here? xxxxxxxxxxxx.com.
An affiliate marketer for Amazon came in and put up a new domain, thexxxxxxxxx.com. It contains all my Amazon listings and links to them. And a link to the main store.
You may be asking now, what's the problem with this? Well.....
-It will poach sales from my website. I don't want to do that. It's much cheaper for me to do a sale on the website than here.
-There is no customer service from that site. There is an email and phone number. Neither work, I tried them. I don't want my customers to be confused here.
-They are using my trademarks without my permission.
Anyone see this before? How'd you deal with it?
7 replies
Seller_CW0P5hgbsiqWX
Somewhere in your venture, you gave permission, and did not read the fine print, for Amazon or the third-party app to enter your account. Since 2005 I've own 5 standalone retail online stores and never gave permission to anyone, or any 3rd party company to enter them. And they've never been taken over.
Seller_Ggt6s7zXEwLbA
Ignore sellc - there's a handful of posters who rapid fire post when they think there's an opportunity to blame a seller and rub salt in their wounds - and they don't care if they know what they are talking about or not.
I suggest reviewing Amazon's affiliate terms to know exactly what information, images, names, etc., Amazon allows affiliates to use. Generally, that would be brand name, product information and pictures, but without seeing the domain anyone is just guessing of what is used and how it is used, but they are limited to use of information on Amazon and not your separate website.
If something is blatantly against policy review the affiliate site for any complaint contact.
If their domain is virtually the same as yours then you may have a domain trademark claim. Your position is certainly enhanced with their fake customer service information.
You should consult with a trademark attorney familiar with domain UDRP disputes.
Few sellers here are going to be familiar with the ins-and-outs of Amazon's affiliate program.
Seller_JIL0QkeGgufq0
Do some research to find out either who the website host is or the domain name provider then report for either copyright infringement or Trademark violation.
Sometimes it's hard to find the hosts (I had to use ChatGPT recently because one was so well hidden) but they usually act within 72 hours.
Seller_0EiTWTPC4Lbig
@Seller_Ggt6s7zXEwLbA is basically right here.
What you are describing is not someone “taking over” your site. It sounds like an affiliate created a separate site that mirrors parts of your brand/product presentation and then sends traffic to your Amazon listings.
The first question is what exactly they copied.
If they are only using Amazon product titles, images, and links in a way Amazon permits affiliates to use them, there may not be much you can do.
And in fact would not want to, as they are simply increasing your top of funnel brand awareness and feeding listings to your Amazon page. Although you are worried this will siphon sales, in the real world it really does not.
But if they are:
- using a confusingly similar domain
- using your trademark in a way that makes customers think it is your official site
- copying your independent website content/design
- presenting themselves as your company
- using fake customer service information that creates confusion
then that is a very different issue.
At that point I would stop thinking of it as an Amazon seller problem and start thinking of it as a trademark/domain issue.
The proper path IF you want to spend the time and money is an attorney, not Amazon.
But think about the pros and cons. Right now you have an affiliate trying to help you grow sales. If you follow this path, you will spend $1000's of dollars and end up with less potential sales most likely.
