Protect your brand on Amazon and unlock powerful growth tools
With Amazon being the ecommerce powerhouse that it is, there’s limitless opportunities for you to reach a large, switched-on audience on the platform. However, this popularity also comes with some downsides, not least of all Amazon’s growing problem with counterfeit goods.
Poor-quality copycat products can undercut your prices, confuse your audience, and endanger your brand’s integrity as you work to grow on Amazon. Fortunately, Amazon has provided a solution for this exact issue: Amazon Brand Registry.
With Amazon Brand Registry, you can protect your brand on the world’s busiest ecommerce market, detect infringement, and enjoy greater control over all of your listings through some powerful marketing tools.
In this guide, we’ll explore what Amazon Brand Registry is, the benefits it offers, and how you can start taking advantage of this solution as part of your Amazon marketing strategy.
What is Amazon Brand Registry?
Amazon Brand Registry is a program that gives vendors and sellers enhanced control over their brands, and protects them from the effects of counterfeiting from poor-quality third-party sellers.
Alongside its powerful brand protection features, Brand Registry gives you access to a set of marketing tools you can use to optimise your listings and boost your overall performance on Amazon.
Some of the key benefits you can gain access to through Amazon Brand Registry include:
A+ Content
A+ content is a section of image and text content below a product’s standard description, allowing you to highlight additional product features and give your listing an all-around more professional look.
The additional image and text fields unlocked through A+ content give you the opportunity to provide more detailed and engaging information about your products compared to the standard images and description included in a basic Amazon listing. You’ll also be able to support cross-selling with links to your other products embedded in A+ comparison charts.
As a vendor, you may also be invited to unlock A+ Premium content, which lets you use additional A+ module types including video content, image carousels, interactive hot spot images, and more.
Having A+ content on your listings often creates a noticeable uptick in your products’ conversion rates, and can be reason enough to secure Brand Registry if you’re looking to boost your organic marketing on Amazon.
Amazon’s Store Builder
With Amazon’s Brand Stores tool, you’ll be able to create your own ecommerce store within the Amazon platform, where users can explore the other products in your range and discover more about your brand.
Aside from helping to build trust and credibility, an Amazon storefront gives you more complete control over the way Amazon users discover your brand, allowing you to categorise complementary products together or organise your range in a way that reflects your own DTC store.
This level of customisation, combined with data from your own CRO drives, can help tailor the Amazon experience around the behaviours of your unique target audience, and drive healthier sales on the platform.
Full Amazon advertising access
Getting Brand Registry on Amazon also provides you with full access to the Amazon Advertising platform. Though vendors and sellers can still advertise on Amazon without registering their brand, you’ll need Brand Registry to access two key parts of the advertising platform: Brand Stores, which we’ve already covered, and Sponsored Brands.
Sponsored brands is a premium class of Amazon ads that let you display your own video and image assets at specific points in the Amazon shopper journey. This will give you greater control of the touchpoints where Amazon users come into contact with your brand, and help you align advertising on the platform with the nuances of your own sales pipeline.
Eligibility for Amazon’s Project Zero
Amazon’s Project Zero is an anti-counterfeiting system that automates the removal of unauthorised product listings, and prevents counterfeit products from making it onto Amazon in the first place.
Aside from its automated features, Project Zero also includes an intuitive self-service tool designed to help you search for counterfeit listings and remove them more efficiently than you would through standard counterfeit reporting.
Note that while having Brand Registry on Amazon UK is required for Project Zero access, there are a few other boxes you’ll need to check before you’re eligible, including:
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Having submitted potential infringement reports using Amazon’s standard channels within the last six months.
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Being able to apply unique product codes to every unit you manufacture and sell on Amazon.
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Having a valid Global Trade Item Number, for example an EAN barcode.
Why brand protection is essential for vendors
Today, Amazon is by far the most visited ecommerce marketplace in the UK and internationally. Unfortunately, this trait has also made it a hotbed for unauthorised sellers listing inferior products under other companies’ brand names.
While Amazon has its own stringent policies designed to prevent unethical practices on the platform, there’s still a lot of potential hazards you could be exposed to without the protection of Amazon Brand Registry, including:
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Third-party sellers providing a poor-quality product or customer experience under your brand name, and damaging your reputation.
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Unauthorised sellers undercutting your pricing structure and eroding the amount that customers will be willing to pay for your products.
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Third parties using fake reviews or other underhanded tactics to gain an unfair advantage outside of Amazon’s policies.
Getting Amazon Brand Registry isn’t the only thing you can do to protect your brand, but it’s still an effective first step that makes it easy to leverage Amazon’s resources while you develop all aspects of your marketing.
Worried about protecting your brand integrity on Amazon? Our complete Vendor management solutions streamline all aspects of brand protection and marketing optimisation, while executing a bespoke strategy designed to make Amazon your most profitable channel. Find out more
How much does Brand Registry on Amazon cost?
Fortunately, Brand Registry on Amazon UK is completely free!
Although brand registry is an additional service outside of the standard offering that comes with a Vendor Central membership, Amazon provides it free of charge, as it helps support the positive customer experience the platform is known for. This can also help vendors and sellers maximise their profits on the platform, thereby boosting Amazon’s bottom line.
Though Brand Registry itself is free, one of its prerequisites is having a trademark (either confirmed or pending) through the government’s intellectual property office (IPO). If you don’t have a trademark registered already, this will cost £170 as part of a standard registration, but may cost more with the need to hire legal support able to guide you through the process.
Amazon now offers its own service for registering your trademark on the platform, known as IP Accelerator, which you can also use to secure a trademark and make sure you’re set to apply for Brand Registry.
How to register your brand on Amazon Brand Registry
With a range of tools and features to help strengthen your brand’s integrity and streamline your marketing, getting Amazon brand registry is a no-brainer for any vendor who wants to make the most of the platform.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to get Amazon brand registry and start enjoying all the benefits it offers.
1. Access your Brand Registry account
The first step in the process is to log in to Amazon’s brand registry portal, which facilitates the registration process and lets you manage the details of your brand at a later point.
To access this, go to https://sell.amazon.co.uk/brand-registry, and click either “Sign up” to register a new account, or “Log in” if you already have one.
Once you’re logged in, navigate to the “Manage” tab in the top navigation bar, then select “Enroll a brand” from the dropdown menu.
This will take you to a page where you’ll be prompted with two options, either “I have a pending or registered trademark” or “I don’t have a trademark”. If you’re registering without a pending or confirmed trademark for your brand already, the latter option will take you to Amazon’s IP Accelerator.
2. Enter your brand information
In the next stage, you’ll be prompted to fill in some key pieces of information Amazon will need to process your brand registration.
This will include:
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Brand name: Your brand name which should be filled out exactly as it appears in your trademark application, including any spaces, capitalisation, or special characters.
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Trademark office: Choose the national trademark office where your trademark is registered or your application is being processed. Making a mistake here will delay the process of Amazon reviewing your application, and ultimately end in a rejection, so be careful to choose the right trademark office from the list.
3. Enter your registration or serial number
Next, Amazon will prompt you for the registration number or serial number that you received either on your trademark certificate or as part of your application. Enter this exactly as it appears on the relevant documentation, then click “Verify”.
4. Confirm your trademark ownership status
In the next stage, you’ll be prompted to confirm the state of your trademark ownership.
There are three options you can choose at this stage, where you can either tell Amazon that you’re the trademark owner, or that you’re authorised to manage the brand by the trademark owner. Amazon will ask for additional proof of your working relationship if you choose a response from the latter option.
5. Fill in your selling account information
Next, Amazon will ask you for some details related to the way you sell your products on Amazon.
These details include:
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Your business relationship: Whether you sell on Amazon through Seller Central or Vendor Central.
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Brand categories: The Amazon categories that most closely match the kind of product you sell.
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(Optional) Top-selling ASINs: This will help Amazon better understand your activity on the marketplace.
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(Optional) Brand website: Your brand’s official website.
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(Optional) Other e-commerce sites: Any other websites you know of that sell your products.
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Product images: Here, you’ll be required to submit at least one unedited image of your product that includes your brand logo.
6. Confirm your manufacturing and distribution information
Next, you’ll be prompted to share details about how you manufacture and distribute your products.
Some of the information you’ll need at this stage includes:
General information
These details allow Amazon Brand Registry to provide proactive protections against counterfeit items and other third-party activity if your brand is eligible.
First, you’ll be prompted to confirm one of two options that best describes your manufacturing situation:
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You have your own manufacturing setup and manufacture most or all of your products under your brand.
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You have an agreement with a third-party manufacturer who manufactures all or the majority of your products.
With either of these options, you’ll be required to upload documentation either proving that you’re the primary manufacturer, or the nature of your relationship with your manufacturer.
You’ll also need to upload one or more invoices from the past 6 months, which must include the brand and product name. It’s important to make sure these details have any sensitive information like pricing hidden.
Distribution information
Next, Amazon will ask for details about your distribution model, such as whether your brand sells to third-party distributors, and whether these distributors sell on Amazon. You’ll also have the option to specify the countries where your distributors operate, if applicable.
Licensee information
This section will prompt you for details about your licensing agreements. You’ll be asked to confirm whether your brand licenses trademarks to other entities that manufacture products associated with your intellectual property, and whether or not these licensees sell on Amazon.
7. Post-submission
Having shared all the above information, you’ll be able to click “Submit” to send your application for Brand Registry on Amazon.
You’ll then be given a confirmation message letting you know that Amazon has received your application. Reviewing Brand Registry applications typically takes 3-5 business days, though this period can last up to a few weeks depending on how busy the Brand Registry team is and the complexity of your application. If there’s any essential information missing, Amazon may contact you asking you to share these details.
After your application has been reviewed, you may receive the following message from Amazon:
"A verification code was sent to the "public contact" listed on the trademark agency's website. This "public contact" is the representative listed on your trademark record, like your lawyer, company owner, or anyone designated by the trademark office. Contact them to get the code."
If you see this, you’ll need to get in touch with the trademark correspondent listed on the Intellectual Property Office’s website. They’ll send you a verification code provided by Amazon, which you’ll need to submit through the Brand Applications section of your Brand Registry account.
Failing to submit this verification within 10 days of the request will cause the code to expire, meaning you’ll need to start your application from scratch. With this in mind, it’s important to keep monitoring your application closely and act on any new messages as fast as possible.
Once you’ve submitted your verification code and made sure Amazon has all the information it needs, your application will undergo a final evaluation. When this is approved, you’ll gain access to all the features included in Brand Registry on Amazon, and no further action will be needed on your part.
Having trouble navigating your Amazon brand registry process? Our Amazon Vendor management experts have all the knowledge and experience needed to simplify Brand Registry concepts and streamline your application. Find out more
Amazon Brand Registry FAQs
If you want to maximise the potential of Amazon as a sales channel, then getting Brand Registry is a crucial step for protecting your brand, unlocking the full selection of Amazon’s marketing tools, and driving stronger performance on the platform.
We hope this guide has given you a better idea of how Brand Registry fits into your broader Amazon strategy and your next steps as a brand owner.
For more support, be sure to check out our other blog posts, or get in touch to find out how our Vendor management, advertising, and content optimisation services can help your Amazon journey.
What is Amazon Brand Registry?
Amazon Brand Registry is a program that provides vendors and sellers with enhanced control over their brand on Amazon, protecting them from counterfeit goods or unauthorised third-party sellers. It also unlocks powerful marketing tools that can help you optimise your product listings and drive sales.
Why should I register my brand on Amazon?
Brand Registry offers several benefits, including increased protection against counterfeit products, access to A+ Content, the ability to create a branded Amazon store, full access to Amazon Advertising, and eligibility for the platform’s anti-counterfeiting program, Project Zero.
Does Amazon Brand Registry cost anything?
While Amazon Brand Registry itself is free, you must have a registered or pending trademark with the government’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) before applying. The process of getting your trademark may incur costs if you don’t already have one.
How long does the Brand Registry application process take?
The review process typically takes 3-5 business days, but can take longer depending on application complexity and workload. You may also need to submit additional verification details, which has the potential to drag the process out.
Can Brand Registry help protect my brand from counterfeit products?
Yes! Amazon Brand Registry includes tools like automated brand protections, counterfeit detection, and eligibility for Project Zero, which proactively removes unauthorised listings.
Can I advertise on Amazon without Brand Registry?
While you can access some features of Amazon Advertising without registering your brand, Amazon Brand Registry provides access to exclusive features like Sponsored Brands ads and Amazon Brand Stores. These features can help to enhance your brand visibility and marketing effectiveness.
How do I apply for Amazon Brand Registry?
You can apply through Amazon’s Brand Registry portal by submitting details about your trademark, brand ownership, product images, and distribution model. You’ll also need to provide verification details shared through your trademark correspondent at the Intellectual Property Office.
What happens after I submit my Brand Registry application?
Once your application is filed, Amazon will review the details you provided and may request a verification code sent to your trademark contact. You must submit this code within 10 days after Amazon’s request, or your application will be rejected and you’ll need to start a new one from scratch. Once approved, you’ll have full access to Amazon Brand Registry features.
