Your company’s unprotected intellectual property is vulnerable every day you sell on Amazon without proper registration. This potentially enables competitors to copy your products and use your brand name without consequence. Learn how an Amazon IP Accelerator can connect you with trusted trademark lawyers who can register your brand quickly, giving your company the protection it deserves while selling on Amazon’s massive marketplace.
What Is an Amazon IP Accelerator?
The Amazon IP Accelerator is a tool that helps businesses obtain intellectual property (IP) rights and brand protection on Amazon’s marketplaces quickly. In a nutshell, it connects you with an Amazon-vetted list of reputable law firms. These firms provide high-quality legal services at pre-negotiated fees, especially helping sellers access Brand Registry protections earlier (before the trademark is officially registered).
The Lanham Act in the USA establishes the criteria for registering a trademark, the rights of trademark owners, and the remedies available for infringement. This initiative simplifies the trademark registration process by connecting businesses with a carefully selected network of reputable law firms that provide high-quality trademark registration services at competitive rates.
What Is the Amazon Accelerator Program?
The Accelerator program is designed to assist businesses through the trademark acquisition procedure, facilitating quicker access to Amazon’s brand protection features. Alternatively, you could work with a law firm of your choice to acquire a trademark.
Note that while businesses can gain access to some of the Brand Registry features with a pending trademark application, the official trademark registration process still takes several months. Still, you can use the program to maintain brand integrity, control product listings, and report counterfeit merchandise in the competitive e-commerce marketplace.
However, before you gain these advantages, it’s important to be aware of the program’s nuances and considerations. This is where an Amazon IP Accelerator can guide you.
- Amazon Brand Registry provides exclusive access to brand stores and the brand dashboard. This allows your company to create immersive shopping experiences while monitoring sales performance across all product listings.
- The violation tool within the Registry enables immediate identification and reporting of potential infringement cases, protecting your logos and branded content from unauthorized use.
- IP Accelerator connects you with pre-vetted trademark attorneys who often charge less than standard government filing fees, making trademark registration more affordable despite the upfront costs.
- Once enrolled, you gain access to powerful reporting tools that provide actionable insights on search terms, allowing you to optimize product visibility and conversion rates.
The expedited trademark application process through IP Accelerator grants early Registry perks before final trademark approval, giving you months of additional protection compared to standard application methods.
What Are the Advantages of the Amazon IP Accelerator?
IP Accelerator is a must-have resource if you’re looking to establish and protect your intellectual property rights as you sell on Amazon. Aside from assisting with trademark application, some perks of this program include:
1. Access to Trusted Service Providers
The IP Accelerator program participants gain access to a network of IP law firms strictly vetted by Amazon. This program provides you with quality legal advice and assistance from start to finish when registering a trademark.
2. Faster Registration Process
The Accelerator program is designed to streamline the trademark application system. This can be particularly beneficial for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that may not have the resources or legal expertise to navigate the lengthy procedure effectively.
3. Enrollment in the Amazon Brand Registry
After filing a trademark application through one of Amazon’s IP Accelerator legal firms, Amazon would invite you to enroll in the Brand Registry. This invite comes in before you receive your trademark, meaning you don’t have to wait until the trademark arrives before you can start protecting and building your brand.
4. Cheaper Trademark Registration
The program offers a cost-effective way for businesses, especially smaller ones, to apply for a trademark. The IP law firms Amazon chose have agreed to offer their trademark application services to Amazon businesses at a competitive, pre-negotiated rate. This makes it easier for you to protect your IP without incurring excessive legal costs.
What Are the Disadvantages of the Amazon IP Accelerator?
While an IP Accelerator helps your company register trademarks faster, you should still consider its disadvantages to see if this is a path worth taking. This way, you can have another option of choosing a law firm based on your preferences and budget.
1. Limited to Amazon’s Selected Law Firms
While Amazon does plan to expand its legal firm list to include firms from other countries, it’s only applicable for the United States for now. This limitation restricts merchants seeking protection through the IP Accelerator program to a small pool of Amazon-approved firms, potentially limiting specialized expertise options.
2. Extra Services Require Separate Agreements
Vendors looking to register more than a single brand must file separate agreements for each trademark. This is because the services offered through the IP Accelerator primarily focus on basic Registry access. Additional legal protection or other services beyond the initial registration require negotiating separate contracts, complicating the system for multi-brand businesses.
3. Denied Trademark Can Revoke Brand Registry Access
If your trademark application is denied, Amazon may revoke your access to the Brand Registry only if the trademark was rejected due to issues like failure to meet legal requirements. If the application is pending or in progress, you may still maintain access. This creates uncertainty for businesses that gain temporary benefits yet may later lose these protections.
4. Potentially More Expensive Than DIY Trademark Filing
If you’re in another country, however, you have more options. It may be cheaper and faster to obtain the trademark itself in other countries, although entry to the Registry will be slower because these companies aren’t affiliated with Amazon. DIY trademark filing can save money for businesses comfortable handling the legal paperwork themselves.
How Can Brands Apply for the Amazon IP Accelerator?
The application for the IP Accelerator is a very easy one. Follow these steps to get started:
- Go to the Amazon IP Accelerator website
- Click on Get Started
- Answer the questions related to the country you are in and where you want to sell.
- Choose the IP Accelerator for the service you need help with.
- After answering the questions, a list of law firms will be provided for you to choose from.
- Click on any law firm to read reviews from other Amazon sellers who have used the firm. When you find one you’re satisfied with, you can contact them yourself.
Accelerator Eligibility for Non-US Merchants
You can use Amazon’s Accelerator program if you sell on Amazon, regardless of where you live. However, Amazon’s listed legal firms currently only handle US trademarks. Non-U.S. sellers can still use the IP Accelerator to apply for U.S. trademarks, although they are not eligible for expedited access to the Brand Registry unless they file a U.S. trademark application through the program.
The alternative is that you can register trademarks directly with your local government trademark office. The Registry accepts trademarks from:
- Australia
- Brazil
- Canada
- France
- Germany
- India
- Italy
- Japan
- Mexico
- Singapore
- Spain
- Turkey
- The United Kingdom
- The European Union
- United Arab Emirates
For registering trademarks through the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), submit your country’s IP office registration number. International merchants may find it more cost-effective to register locally and wait for regular Registry access. For many international sellers, the money saved through local registration may outweigh the convenience of expedited access.
What Happens if a Trademark Application Is Denied?
If your trademark application submitted through the Accelerator is denied, your access to the Registry will be canceled. However, the risks of this happening are pretty low because the legal firms handling your case are well-qualified experts.
Trademark applications can be denied for various reasons, including:
- Issues with the application itself
- Likelihood of confusion with existing trademarks
- Insufficient evidence of use
- Failure to meet legal requirements
As a seller, you must make sure that your trademarks meet the statutory requirements, such as distinctiveness and non-generic characteristics. You should also be mindful of potential infringement issues, as the Accelerator program does not guarantee against challenges from other trademark holders.
How Much Does the Amazon IP Accelerator Cost?
The IP Accelerator service is free. You don’t have to pay fees to connect to any of Amazon’s approved law firms.
However, while the program may not have a fee, your lawyers can still charge you for their services in filing a trademark. You’ll also have to pay the government during the application. Here is a breakdown of the maximum service fees the firms will charge:
| Average Fees | Purpose |
| $500 | A high-level search of Trademark Office records for relevant pending applications or registrations |
| $1800 | In-depth brand review that includes Trademark Office records and unregistered uses |
| $600 | Filing a U.S. trademark application |
| $275 | Government fees per class for filing |
Notes on the Trademark Classes
Enrolling in the Brand Registry is one of the best ways to grow your brand and increase your sales on the Amazon marketplace. This, however, is impossible without a trademark in your name. The Accelerator program assists you in getting your trademarks at a lower cost and accessing the Brand Registry quickly.
Trademark classes categorize goods and services, defining the scope of your legal protection. One class, for example, represents a specific market category, safeguarding your brand against infringement within that area. This is why companies like Delta Air Lines and Delta Faucet can coexist because their services operate in entirely separate classes.
The ability of companies like Delta Air Lines and Delta Faucet to coexist illustrates how trademark classes prevent confusion. However, trademarks must also meet the legal requirements of distinctiveness and non-genericness. When seeking entry into the Registry and your product spans multiple categories, an IP lawyer can determine how to achieve comprehensive protection.
Who Are the Law Firms for the Amazon Brand Registry?
Law firms for the Amazon Brand Registry are specialized intellectual property experts who help sellers navigate the trademark registration process with their legal expertise and experience. These firms assist Amazon merchants in protecting their brand through the proper trademark application and registration procedures required for entry into the Brand Registry program.
Their customer service focuses on guiding sellers through complex IP requirements while promoting compliance with Amazon’s brand protection standards. These attorneys provide exceptional support for vendors seeking to secure their IP rights and maximize the benefits of Amazon’s Brand Registry program.
Purpose of Amazon IP Accelerator Law Firms for Brand Protection
IP law firms provide robust legal services that help Amazon sellers establish IP protection strategies to safeguard their brand’s value and prevent unauthorized use. These are their key responsibilities:
- File and manage your trademark application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, a key step for enrolling in the Registry.
- Provide guidance on copyright matters to safeguard your original creative works.
- Develop tailored protection strategies to defend your IP rights against patent or copyright infringement by other Amazon merchants.
- Assist with utility, design, or plant patent application filings to protect your inventions and innovations.
- Offer pre-negotiated services, potentially saving you time and money.
- Help enforce your brand rights on the Amazon marketplace by addressing infringement issues.
Related Questions
Does Amazon Require Merchants to Use Its Accelerator Program?
Amazon won’t require you to apply for its Accelerator program, as you are free to pick any law firm in this regard. Trademark protection is governed by federal law in the United States, primarily the Lanham Act (15 U.S.C. § 1051 et seq.). However, brands will have to broker a separate deal with the law firm for services outside the registration of a trademark.
Is the Amazon IP Accelerator Worth It?
Yes, IP Accelerator is often considered worthwhile for businesses seeking easier and less expensive registration for a trademark and access to brand protection and building tools. This program supports small to medium-sized businesses, offering marketing, product development, and brand-building support.
How to Become an Amazon Intellectual Property Accelerator Law Firm?
Becoming an Amazon Intellectual Property Accelerator law firm is not done through a direct application system. Instead, Amazon identifies and selects firms based on their IP law expertise and proven history. This means law firms cannot simply apply to join the program.
How Does Amazon Select Its IP Accelerator Law Firms?
Amazon selects law firms for its Accelerator program based on their expertise in IP law, especially in registering and enforcing a trademark. The chosen firms typically have a proven track record of assisting businesses with trademark-related matters. They also evaluate the firms’ experience, credentials, and commitment to quality customer service to guarantee that participants receive reliable legal support.
How Long Does It Take to Register a Trademark Through the Accelerator Program?
Registering a trademark through the IP Accelerator doesn’t have a fixed timeframe for full registration, as that depends on the USPTO. However, a key benefit is that after filing a trademark application through an IP Accelerator firm, Amazon often invites you to enroll in Brand Registry within approximately a week to two weeks.
Conclusion
By utilizing Amazon IP Accelerator, your company gains immediate access to Brand Registry protections while selling on Amazon, effectively safeguarding your products from counterfeiters and unauthorized resellers. Take the first step today to protect your business legacy by hiring IP lawyers who understand both trademark law and Amazon’s specific requirements.
