Fighting Counterfeits on Amazon and TikTok Shop: How Trademark Owners Can Protect Their Brands Online
The explosion of e-commerce has made it easier than ever for brands to reach customers, but it has also created a booming counterfeit market that threatens legitimate businesses. Platforms like Amazon and TikTok Shop are now ground zero for counterfeit products that misuse registered trademarks, copy brand names, and deceive consumers. For trademark owners, understanding how to protect brand integrity on these platforms has become an essential part of doing business in 2025.
Amazon Brand Registry and Trademark Protection
Amazon remains one of the largest online marketplaces in the world—and one of the most targeted by counterfeiters. To address this, Amazon has developed tools specifically designed to help brand owners protect their registered trademarks. The Amazon Brand Registry allows companies with valid federal trademark registrations to monitor and remove infringing listings more efficiently. This program connects your USPTO-registered mark directly to Amazon’s internal enforcement systems, giving you access to reporting tools, automated alerts, and expanded control over product listings.
Amazon’s Project Zero takes trademark protection a step further. Once approved, brand owners can instantly remove counterfeit listings without waiting for platform review. Combined with Amazon’s Transparency Program, which uses unique product codes to verify authenticity, these initiatives give legitimate businesses stronger control over their online presence. However, these systems only work when brand owners remain proactive, regular monitoring and prompt reporting are critical to maintaining control over your intellectual property.
TikTok Shop: The New Counterfeit Hotspot
As TikTok Shop grows into a major e-commerce platform, counterfeiters are following the traffic. Viral videos and influencer-driven sales make TikTok an attractive space for unauthorized sellers, who often imitate successful brands to mislead consumers. Unlike Amazon, TikTok’s commerce happens in real time—through live streams, in-app videos, and shoppable posts—which makes trademark enforcement far more challenging. Counterfeit goods can spread quickly before the brand even realizes what’s happening.
TikTok has launched its own brand protection program, but enforcement remains uneven. Many small businesses find that their trademarks are infringed through unauthorized product listings, imported goods, or misleading hashtags. Filing a takedown request requires proof of a valid USPTO trademark registration, which is why obtaining and maintaining federal protection is essential for every brand active on TikTok Shop.
Best Practices for Protecting Your Brand
The key to fighting counterfeits is preparation. Every business selling products online should secure a federal trademark registration as early as possible. This not only strengthens your legal position but also unlocks access to brand protection programs on both Amazon and TikTok. Once registered, brand owners should:
Monitor listings regularly for unauthorized sellers.
Use platform-specific reporting tools such as Amazon’s Brand Registry dashboard.
File trademark takedowns immediately when counterfeit listings appear.
Maintain consistent branding across packaging, listings, and websites to help consumers recognize authentic products.
Educate customers about where to buy genuine products.
The Future of Online Trademark Enforcement
Counterfeiters are adapting quickly, using AI-generated listings, fake reviews, and new seller accounts to stay ahead of detection systems. Both Amazon and TikTok are investing in artificial intelligence and data-driven verification to detect fakes before they reach consumers, but technology alone can’t solve the problem. Active legal enforcement, coupled with consumer awareness and strong trademark registration, remains the most reliable defense.
In today’s digital marketplace, your trademark is more than just a legal asset, it’s the foundation of your brand’s credibility. Whether you’re an established seller or a startup launching your first product, investing in trademark protection and ongoing monitoring on Amazon and TikTok Shop is essential to keeping your brand safe, your customers confident, and your business growing.
If you are interested in protecting your brand, schedule a free consultation today and get started!