Over the last few years more and more brands have decided that they don’t want just anyone selling their items on Amazon. If you have been an Amazon seller for any length of time you have likely run into this either by Amazon blocking you from listing an item for sale or by receiving a message from the brand requesting that you take down the item.
The latest brand you can add to your list of do-not-buys is Cra-Z-Art. I received an e-mail (read below) from them just this morning requesting that I remove one of their products. The problem for sellers is you really never know when a brand will decide to take action against you. This particular item I have had for for almost 10 months. The problem for buyers is higher prices.
Cra-Z-Art is not claiming that the items I have for sale are counterfeit or are in any other way different from what is described on the Amazon listing. Their only gripe with me is that I did not buy the product directly through them or through one of their distributors. By restricting anyone from selling their product who has not gotten written permission to do so they are artificially reducing competition and creating higher prices. Cra-Z-Art is only one of hundreds of brands who have taken this or similar action on Amazon over the last year or 2. Sellers have to be especially careful how much money they are willing to invest in a product because you could very easily get burned when/if the brand gets restricted. Buyers need to know that it is becoming more and more rare to find great deals on Amazon. Between fee increases and brand restrictions the operating costs for sellers is going up and up. These sellers need to either raise prices to stay profitable or get out all together. It is more important now then ever before to shop around before making purchases online, especially for those high dollar items.
E-mail from Cra-Z-Art:
LaRose Industries, LLC, is the exclusive authorized representative of the Cra-Z-Art trademark in the United States. In addition, LaRose Industries, LLC provides all warranty services for the products sold by authorized resellers of Cra-Z-Art products in the United States. As part of its due diligence, LaRose Industries, LLC confirms the origin of each and every product sold by the Company. Accordingly, no reseller of Cra-Z-Art products may market or otherwise distribute, sell or offer to sell any Cra-Z-Art product without LaRose Industries, LLC’s written permission.
Because you are not recognized as an authorized Cra-Z-Art retailer or distributor in the United States, we hereby demand that you remove all Cra-Z-Art brand products within twenty-four (24) hours of this letter. Additionally, we hereby request that you forward LaRose Industries, LLC the following information concerning your activities:
– Source of goods;
– Identity of the customer making the purchase;
– Identity of goods sold; and
– Quantity of goods sold.
If you do not purchase from LaRose Industries, LLC directly, your distributor needs to contact LaRose Industries, LLC on your behalf to inquire about your authorized status. If you purchased the merchandise directly from LaRose Industries under a different name you are to contact our E-Commerce Assistant Manager at 973-598-3800 ext. 261. If you purchased it through an authorized distributor you will need to contact this distributor and only this distributor should contact the E-Commerce Assistant Manager.
Kindly confirm that you will refrain from distributing, selling or offering to sell Cra-Z-Art product without LaRose Industries, LLC’s written consent by emailing the undersigned compliance team within twenty-four (24) hours of receiving this message. Provided you comply with the foregoing request and confirm proof of authorized status, LaRose Industries, LLC will not pursue this matter further. Should you choose to continue selling Cra-Z-Art products without the permission of LaRose Industries, LLC, we will be forced to pursue this matter further.
Thank you.
Amazon policy states that Amazon;
“Does Not Enforce. Detail Page Ownership and Image Restrictions: When a detail page is created, it becomes a permanent catalog page on Amazon.com that will remain even if the creator’s inventory sells out. Additionally, when you add your copyrighted image to a detail page, you grant Amazon and its affiliates a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right to exercise all rights of publicity over the material.
Other sellers can list their items for sale against pages that you have created or added your copyrighted images to. However, we do require sellers to list only against detail pages that exactly match their items.
Exclusive or Selective Distribution: Amazon respects a manufacturer’s right to enter into exclusive distribution agreements for its products. However, violations of such agreements do not constitute intellectual property rights infringement. As the enforcement of these agreements is a matter between the manufacturer and the retailers, it would not be appropriate for Amazon to assist in enforcement activities.”