Federal trademarks and the Amazon Brand Registry.
An important note before you read on.
Amazon Brand Registry is operated by Amazon, which sets and changes its own eligibility requirements.
Equinomia Legal is not affiliated with Amazon.
Amazon has specific requirements to qualify for the Brand Registry.
Read more about them here. They cover which marks qualify, how your brand name and packaging need to line up, and what to have ready before you apply.
Amazon revises these rules from time to time without notice, so you should always confirm Amazon’s current policies directly with Amazon before making decisions about the Brand Registry.
Where Amazon sellers get tripped up on trademarks.
Two things matter more than sellers usually expect: name availability and class of goods. It’s possible the name you love is already in use or is confusingly similar to another name.
A clearance search helps you understand where your name sits compared to others in the broader marketplace before you spend money on the federal trademark application.
Mistakes in identifying the class of goods are a frequent and very avoidable cause of USPTO office actions.
The advice and assistance of a trademark attorney can help you avoid these kinds of simple mistakes and the associated costly delays.
Price predictability is worth a lot.
Sellers are often planning around uncertain launch timelines, which is why paying in stages matters.
My pricing structure puts you in control of your costs at each major step of the process. The comprehensive clearance search provides you with the information you need to make a confident decision about whether to proceed with your application.
If the risk analysis in my opinion letter indicates it’s advisable to continue with registration, I’ll get your go-ahead and then prepare and file your application.
It’s common for applications to receive an office action from the USPTO, but it’s impossible to know ahead of time whether it will happen or what the examining attorney’s concern might be.
If the USPTO issues a first non-final office action, I respond at no additional charge.
My detailed breakdown of costs and services is located here.
Federal trademark protection is the gold standard.
Federal trademark registration is one of the most important strategic investments a business can make in long-term brand security. The longer you’re in business, the more you stand to lose without it.