As trademark infringement and counterfeit sales continue to disrupt legitimate business on Amazon, Amazon has developed and expanded its intellectual property enforcement tools. In 2025, Amazon introduced enhancements to its Brand Registry platform to provide trademark owners with more control over their product listings, greater visibility into unauthorized sellers, and more efficient mechanisms for addressing trademark infringement. The most notable updates include a new Brand Catalog Lock feature, improvements to the Report a Violation tool, and expanded takedown options with the Transparency and Project Zero programs.
These developments represent a shift in Amazon's attitude toward proactive enforcement and brand support of legitimate companies. Trademark owners who understand and leverage these updates can reinforce their brand consistency and consumer trust. It is key for companies selling on Amazon's marketplace to understand the benefits and limitations of each of these tools and to determine which ones to use to safeguard their brands on the platform.
Enhancements to Amazon Brand Registry
The 2025 enhancements to Amazon's Brand Registry provide trademark owners with expanded authority over their brand presence and visibility into third-party sellers. The main change is the new Brand Catalog Lock feature, which gives brand owners the ability to "lock" key product detail fields (e.g., titles, images, bullet points, and descriptions) on their product listings. This ensures that once a listing is created by a brand owner, the listing cannot be modified by unauthorized sellers or resellers. The listing remains protected, i.e., locked, unless an authorized representative makes an update. This helps brand owners maintain brand consistency and reduce the risk of counterfeiters misrepresenting a product's features or origin.
In addition to content control, Amazon has integrated machine-learning capabilities into its automated enforcement processes. These tools scan the marketplace essentially in real time and proactively remove infringing listings before receiving a takedown request from a brand owner. Amazon predicts that this system should reduce the need for brand owners to conduct constant manual policing of their brands.
Another valuable addition is improved seller transparency. Brand owners now have access to detailed seller data associated with each Amazon Standard Identification Number (ASIN), including the seller's country of origin, storefront history, and buyer feedback. This level of insight empowers brand owners with trademarks to make more informed enforcement decisions, such as identifying repeat infringers or coordinating cross-platform takedown efforts. Collectively, these enhancements mark a significant change in Brand Registry, transitioning it from a static registration portal to a dynamic enforcement dashboard.
Upgrades to the Report a Violation Tool
Amazon's Report a Violation (RAV) tool also underwent significant improvements in 2025. Amazon updated its submission interface to improve usability. The interface now features a comprehensive dashboard that enables users to track the status of submitted claims. For example, users can now track whether a takedown is under review, accepted, or rejected, along with reasons for any denial. By offering more transparency and real-time tracking, the RAV tool reduces the brand owner's frustration resulting from lengthy or unclear enforcement processes.
If brand owners submit incorrect information in the RAV tool (e.g., a trademark with insufficient proof of use or an inaccurate product match), Amazon may deny or delay enforcement. For optimal results, legal counsel should review takedown protocols and, when appropriate, assist in preparing supporting evidence to ensure compliance with Amazon's internal standards.
Transparency: Proactive Product Authentication
Since 2017, Amazon's Transparency program has been an effective tool for fighting counterfeit products and minimizing disruptions to brand owners' businesses. Transparency is open only to trademark owners enrolled in Brand Registry. Transparency is a tool that assigns a unique QR code (transparency code) to each unit of a product and prints the code directly on the product or its packaging. Amazon verifies the transparency code of products shipped to customers from an Amazon warehouse or by third-party sellers through Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM) models. If a seller attempts to fulfill an order without a valid transparency code, the product will be blocked from leaving the warehouse. Similarly, returned products without a valid transparency code cannot be restocked. For sellers who have repeated violations of selling products with invalid transparency codes, Amazon may suppress their listings or suspend their accounts.
In addition, brands can use transparency to engage directly with buyers through Amazon's app. Customers who scan the code using the Amazon Shopping app can receive authentication confirmation, along with enhanced content such as product origin, ingredient details, or promotional messaging. This added level of consumer trust is particularly valuable for high-end goods, health-related products, and goods that are frequently counterfeited.
In 2025, Amazon implemented Transparency Interoperability, which allows brand owners to enroll in the Transparency program using their existing unique product serial numbers. This eliminates the need for brand owners to add new barcodes or change their existing packaging and production processes, as well as eliminating the cost associated with printing the transparency codes on their products or packaging. The Transparency program is now being implemented in 10 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Canada, Australia, Japan, and India. For trademark owners looking to build a proactive U.S. and/or international enforcement strategy, the Transparency program is an effective option.
Project Zero: Self-Service Takedown Control
For brands that need rapid, direct action, Amazon's Project Zero offers a powerful tool: self-service counterfeit takedown. Once a brand is enrolled, its authorized representatives gain the ability to search Amazon listings and remove infringing ASINs immediately without having to go through Amazon's review process. This real-time removal capability enables brands to eliminate counterfeit listings the moment they appear.
Project Zero is designed for rights holders who demonstrate a high degree of accuracy and responsibility. Amazon requires enrolled brands to maintain a takedown accuracy rate above 99%. Misuse or overreach can result in suspension from the program, so it is essential that trademark owners implement rigorous internal controls to ensure that only clearly infringing listings are targeted. Thus, a brand owner's legal team or outside counsel should evaluate the listing in view of its trademark rights to determine whether Project Zero should be used for the takedown. When used correctly, Project Zero is one of the most efficient tools available for protecting Amazon's brand equity.
In conjunction with Transparency and Brand Registry, Project Zero creates a three-tiered system of protection: listing control, product authentication, and counterfeit removal. Each program reinforces the others and provides coverage across multiple vectors of risk.
Strategic Recommendations for Trademark Owners
Trademark owners should view these 2025 enhancements as an opportunity to reevaluate and strengthen their Amazon enforcement strategies. The first and most important step is to ensure that all core trademarks are federally registered and enrolled in Amazon's Brand Registry. Without a registered U.S. trademark (or a foreign equivalent for international marketplaces), brands are ineligible for access to key tools like Transparency, Project Zero, and the full functionality of the Report a Violation tool.
Once enrolled in Brand Registry, companies should activate the Brand Catalog Lock feature to maintain control over their ASIN content and prevent unauthorized edits. For products with high counterfeit risk or strong brand identity, transparency should be implemented at the packaging level. This not only blocks fake listings from fulfillment but also reinforces customer trust at the point of delivery.
Enrollment in Project Zero should be followed by brands that are confident in their internal enforcement processes and capable of meeting Amazon's accuracy thresholds. In parallel, companies should establish a structured workflow for monitoring their Amazon presence, reviewing seller data, and submitting RAV reports where appropriate. Legal teams or outside counsel should be prepared to escalate enforcement actions in cases involving persistent trademark infringement.
Finally, brand owners should leverage Amazon's brand-building tools such as A+ Content, Brand Stores, and Amazon Attribution to reinforce consumer perception, distinguish legitimate listings, and reduce the appeal of unauthorized sellers.
The 2025 updates to Amazon's brand protection platform provide brand owners with a more robust, brand-friendly environment. Trademark owners now have a range of tools to prevent counterfeiting, enforce their rights, and control their brand messaging. By combining legal trademark protection with Amazon's new tools, brand owners can move beyond reactive takedowns and toward a more comprehensive, preventative takedown strategy.
As Amazon continues to refine its policies and expand access to brand-protection programs, companies that remain engaged and up to date will be best positioned to maintain their reputations, preserve market share, and grow consumer trust.
Special thanks to Summer Associate Iris Tangfor contributing to this article.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
