Brand & product protection
How to remove counterfeit listings from marketplaces
Document the listing and seller, identify the intellectual-property right involved and gather evidence supporting the alleged infringement. Submit through the marketplace's rights-owner process. A low price or unauthorised seller alone does not establish that a product is counterfeit.
What to prepare before requesting removal
- Listing URL or item ID, seller profile and the date of discovery.
- The trademark, copyrighted work or other right relied on, and relevant territory.
- Reference product information and specific reasons for suspecting infringement.
- Rights-holder authority, previous reports and related seller or listing identifiers.
Distinguish counterfeits from other sales issues
A genuine resale, a distribution disagreement, copied product photography and a counterfeit product require different assessments. Record the specific evidence rather than treating every seller outside your network as an infringer.
Compare names, packaging, imagery, claims and seller history against the reference product. Images and pricing can help prioritise a finding, but may not establish authenticity on their own. Some cases need further investigation or a professionally managed test purchase.
Make each report specific and traceable
Use the marketplace's current rights-owner reporting process and identify the particular listings at issue. eBay's VeRO programme provides a route for intellectual-property rights owners; it is not intended to enforce every commercial dispute about how an item is sold.
Match each allegation to the evidence and territory. A trademark complaint should identify the relevant right; a copied-photo complaint should identify the original work. Keep the submission reference so clarification or appeal responses can be connected to the original case.
Track the seller as well as the listing
A removed listing can be followed by a new item ID or seller account. Keep related identifiers, reused imagery and observed relisting patterns together. Treat similarities as investigation leads, not automatic proof that accounts have the same owner.
Separate findings, reports, removals and repeat appearances in your reporting. Those distinctions help your team see whether an enforcement programme is addressing the recurring problem as well as individual URLs.
How Cyber Theft Watch helps
Cyber Theft Watch monitors marketplaces, independent stores and connected online channels for brand and product misuse. Our workflow combines reference matching, investigation, evidence preparation and removal coordination.
Send your brand, relevant rights and example listings for an initial review. Same-day triage and onboarding can begin when the necessary evidence and authority are available. Marketplace decisions and removal times depend on the provider and the case.