The Christmas shopping season begins next week. So people will not just spend money. Many will look for ways to make money. But for some, that means selling counterfeit goods online. You better not do it on Amazon. Because Amazon is on the warpath: Amazon sues counterfeiters.
That’s right. Amazon cracks down on counterfeit sellers. As a result, they’re suing these sellers. These lawsuits come due to many business complaints. They complain counterfeits cripple their business and their products put customers in danger. For example, Amazon just filed a lawsuit against sellers for peddling fake sporting equipment with TRX’s trademark. They filed another lawsuit against sellers. This group sold fake moving products in the name of Forearm Forklift.
Hence, Amazon isn’t just looking out for Amazon. They’re looking out for legit companies doing business on Amazon. Consequently, Forearm Forklift lost millions in the last few years. They can thank counterfeit sellers for this. Mark Lopreiato is the company’s founder. He fights these sellers with everything he has. But they won’t stop. Counterfeiters just keep on selling. Training equipment company Fitness Anywhere joins this lawsuit. Who knows? As this ball gets rolling, maybe other American companies will join these lawsuits.
This fight won’t be easy. Amazon is probably the most profitable e-commerce site today, if not all-time. They make $75 billion a year. Much of that comes from third party sellers. Some sellers are legit. In fact, the majority are legit and doing the right thing. It’s just a few that sell products in other people’s name. Then they reap all the product. At first, I thought, “Here’s Amazon, a $75 billion business, complaining.” But there’s a deeper meaning. Amazon isn’t getting hosed here. Neither are major corporations. But these are medium level American corporations. And they’re losing profit to counterfeit businesses. In conclusion, who does the counterfeit? If it’s you, keep in mind you’re not just fleecing a multi-billionaire or A-list celebrity. You’re fleecing a hard working American out of his/her mortgage, car payment, or kids’ college fund. Are lawsuits the right action to take?