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Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

I recently had an item blocked for being inauthentic. This item is a remanufactured printer cartridge- perfectly legal, and okay to sell on amazon as confirmed by half a dozen representatives. I suspect the complaint was from a buyer who expected an original ink cartridge, and received a remanufactured one (my cartridges are described accurately as remanufactured in the title, bullets & description).

When I politely contested the removal via email (and provided proof of volume), I was denied, and the listing was removed with a warning not sell again.

I have never received any other complaints on this account which contains many cartridge listings, and have seen many similar ink cartridge listings offered by competitors with reviews in the hundreds and thousands (implying they were able to sell many items without complaints).

Given that there's no evidence to support my items are inauthentic based on amazon policy, what should I do at this point? is it possible to reach seller performance via phone? Alternatively, I can choose to not respond and not relist the item. However, I sell other remanufactured cartridges, and I wander if they put my account in danger.

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

Was your compatible listed under an OEM product ASIN or did it carry it's own ASIN? Did it mention OEM in the listing?

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

If you listed the product against an ASIN for the original non remanufactured ink cartridge then amazon and your customer are correct. If I ordered a HP cartridge and received a non HP original I would be pretty pissed.

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

OP said title, bullets, etc matched his item.

Unfortunately, if you've already supplied invoices and were denied, there's nothing more to do.

If you re-list, your account will be permanently suspended.

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

Thanks for your reply. It was listed with its own ASIN, it did not mention OEM, and the word remanufactured was mentioned throughout the listing.

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

Thanks for your reply. I'll obviously not relist this item, but I have other cartridge listings for sale on my store, as well as new ones coming in.

In your opinion, are ink cartridges inherently dangerous to sell? or is this a common occurrence once items get popular (I've been selling 100-200 different cartridge packs per day for 2 months)?

Also, roughly speaking- how many complaints from other ink cartridges can my account sustain without being penalized?

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

In my opinion, it depends on the brand of the cartridge.

Obviously, as you just witnessed, a lot of customers are borderline retarded. They can't be bothered to read something as simple as a title or bulleted list. And it only takes ONE complaint to shut you down forever.

But then again, as you said----you sold thousands without any issues. So really, it's just luck of the draw. Sooner or later you might get some moron who can't read and calls your legitimate items phake. Nothing to be done about it.

It's been my experience that 4 complaints about inauthentic merchandise will result in a permanent account closure, though sometimes it takes fewer. Sometimes only 1 will kill an account. Depends on the age and history. But 4 is a guaranteed death sentence.

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

GOA, not trying to antagonise, but please explain your why 4 complaints will result in deletion and your experience.

Most customers will complain direct to amazon and you have (or maybe have) no access to this info. Most pissed customers will not leave leave negative feedback in fear repercussions.

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

For amazon? I find that they will leave neg feedback faster than any stellar feedback hah if they have to

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

4 complaints that any item you are selling (or any combination) are phake, bootleg, inauthentic, etc will result in a permanent account closure if you cannot come up with proof of authenticity. If you have accounts that have survived 4 phake complaints without proof of authenticity, I would love to hear about them.

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

So where does the magical 4 come from, experience?

If people are selling counterfeit of course they will get closed, but accounts get many complaints especially if you are selling volume that an item is counterfeit, produce the paper work or other valid proof and no problem. Thats my experience.

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

Read the above. Every question you ask is answered in my above posts.

Also, I explicitly said you need proof of authenticity. Oftentimes, even if you have that it doesn't matter, as we see with GhostDog. 4 complaints and you're done, 9/10 times.

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

So basically "from your experience, 4 complaints about counterfeit product and you cannot proof of authenticity you are suspended" So the only conclusion from your statement is that YOU cannot prove authenticity of the goods YOU sell and you got 4 warnings and were suspended. I assume that is what you are saying.

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

GOA, maybe he was selling "false remanufactured cartridges" unwittingly.

This type uses new built empties instead of non-patented (permissible) OEM components. It’s only a ⊗⊗⊗⊗ copy but sold as remanufactured.

A bit like people selling latest releases of counterfeit DVD's and CD's as used.

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

Jeff Weico has also confirmed that 4 is the magic number.

You seem to be antagonizing without any reason...which isn't unusual for you, but still, rather annoying.

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

Not really being antagonising but the forum needs facts NOT FICTION. You say 4 from experience, is this a fact or fiction. If a fact then you must be selling questionable goods.

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

Here's an idea: If you think I've full of it, why don't YOU have 4 complaints on an account and come back and tell us it survived. But that won-t happen...you'll be whining and complaining about how it's unfair. If you don't have any experience, then don't post in the thread. Obviously you have no idea how Amazon handles complaints about authenticity. If you did, you wouldn't be arguing.

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

Let say I have been around more than likely many more years than you. I have one account which a few months back went over the 1 million feedback and I am an amazon.co.uk and amazon.de vendor. Most weeks we get feedback claiming the goods are counterfeit which then triggers a performance notification which requests we check if the stock matches the ASIN. Other times we get the the same notification without any negative feedback where we assume a customer has complained direct to amazon. The account has never been suspended over these policy warning and we have only had one title restricted due to a spelling mistake on our in house sticker. So the 4 warnings is garbage information.
Also you never clarified if you have actually had 4 warnings and then your account suspended.

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

I have had accounts go down to to competitors purchasing products and claiming "phake" via emails or A-to-Z claims. Yes, I do have experience with it. In fact, products can be removed without a buyer even purchasing an item from you. If they send an email asking "is this product authentic?" Amazon often will remove the listing.

This is especially true with certain categories, such as any media. I would imagine that say, home furniture is less strict.

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

GOA, I certainly don't sell home furniture, but an amusing assumption. Products I sell come under the highly counterfeited umbrella.

However if you buy your goods from a recognised licensed distributor and have invoices then you should have no problem proving your goods are legit. But if you are buying from China you will get problems.

If an account is not established, say less than 4 months and less than 500 feedback amazon will take a more in depth review of that account, but if the paperwork stacks up all will be OK. Amazon realise customers are not experts in determining if goods are original or not.

If the licensed distributor complains your goods are counterfeit then you are dust.

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

Errmm I beg to differ.. this cut from Sandisk 64 Gb micro sd cards on Amazon
The guy has 1,175 BAD reviews.. and still in operation.. at the TOP of the bad reviews are complaints about ⊗⊗⊗⊗.. COUNTERFEIT cards..
Has Amazon shut him down ..
NO.. and hundreds of stores just like his sell the same ⊗⊗⊗⊗ cards.

***********************************************
Most helpful critical review
See all 1,175 critical reviews›
1,074 of 1,101 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 starsBeware of counterfeit cards
ByFadeeCG1on July 1, 2015
Received another counterfeit memory card. Please reference attached image. Left is an original "non counterfeit" and on the Right is a counterfeit card i just received yesterday.

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

LOL

You need to learn the difference between a PRODUCT REVIEW and ACCOUNT FEEDBACK.

The reviews aren't even necessarily related to the vendor you're discussing. There could be 500 different sellers for the item, and 499 of them could be selling phakes.....doesn't matter. They need to purchase or contact the seller DIRECTLY in order for Amazon to take direct action against the account. Just because some other guys lists phake merchandise under the same ASIN as my REAL merchandise doesn't mean Amazon will punish me due to his phakes.... :doh:

Also, customers can leave 1 or 2 stars for any reason they choose, as trivial as they don't like the color, not just for phakes......

One bad review over one item from ONE seller doesn't mean every product listed under the ASIN is phake.

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

It doesn't matter Micky. You can have the documents and all your ducks in a row and STILL get blocked from the ASIN. See OPs issue above.

It also doesn't address generic goods....you can create your own generic product and get a complaint and still be blocked...even if the item is unbranded. I see these threads at least once a week.

Your naivety is very cute, but I'm afraid your judgement that every product removal Amazon makes is justified is far from the truth.

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

Again I will disagree, I would suspect amazon get it right most of the time. If I am selling a DVD from Universal and supply an invoice from Universal then that product would not be blocked.
The OP, we have his post, but he could be selling items that I listed earlier in the thread.
The problem with a forum like this, is that everyone has had a problem with amazon thats why we all here. I have had mine and lost over $100k in deleted accounts. But I realise that a coin has two sides. People knowingly sell or unknowingly sell counterfeit and thats the main reason people get suspended, step 2 they try again and get linked.

I am not naive but maybe you are in believing everything that is written on a forum.

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

There's no incentive to lie. If you sold phakes, who cares? This is an anonymous forum. No one here is going after you. People make mistakes.

I agree, some people do lie. But I don't think that when someone says they were selling generic unbranded items and someone said they were phake that they are lying. That's silly. I know how brutal Amazon is about the subject from experience. Perhaps you have great wholesale relationships with awesome, well known brands. If so, congrats. I guarantee you are not the average person if that's the case. Pat yourself on the back, but get off your high horse.

If you really think you're untouchable, PM me some of your accounts store links, and I'll use my stealth buyer accounts to make a few complaints about authenticity. We'll figure out who's really right about the way Amazon handles complaints.

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

Buddy, why would I give out any information on myself or my companies to a complete stranger, cos thats what you are.

Yes I have an excellent relationship with amazon as a vendor and as a retail merchant and now they run pretty much hand in hand. But I still lost a fortune through linking in the early days before stealth etc was even thought of, luckily this was never linked to my vendor account.

And I will stand by what I said earlier, I believe amazon get it right most of the time and the majority of people on the forum have fcuked up one way or another with amazon.

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

That's what I thought. You won't put your money where your mouth is.

Stealth accounts aren't real info. You're not afraid of me, you're afraid I might be right. And I am.

The day you are willing to put your business at risk for your theories is the day I'll listen. Until then, it's hypocrisy.

I'm done arguing about the subject. Plenty of evidence to show how Amazon deals with complaints. You're guilty until proven innocent, and sometimes even then---still guilty. Nice chatting with you.

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

Just admit you are wrong once again.

Afraid is totally stupid word, why should I give you any info on my companies,LLC, LTD, PLC, all the info held on my companies is public information and readily available for anyone to view, little do you know. Stealth for amazon as they don't search companies info, but not stealth for the general public. In the EU if you are a company your information of who you are is posted above your feedback with your VAT number.

To be honest your full of it.............as you confirmed earlier you had 4 hits and out as you could not provide the information amazon require to verify the authenticity of your goods. Any legitimate business has receipts to prove the authenticity of there goods, unless they are buying from China.

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

Sigh.

No, I'm not. And if you're accusing me of it, you're essentially accusing half the Amazon side of the forum of it. Search "listing removed" or "listing blocked" or "counterfeit complaint" you'll find dozens of threads. Plenty of people buy legitimate goods and are still get blocked on Amazon. And, AGAIN, you can buy legitimate generic goods from China, or even create your own brand.

It comes down to the old "A rich man doesn't need to tell you he's rich." If you were as successful as you pretend, you wouldn't be here arguing with such scum as myself (to paraphrase you). :lol:

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

GOA, I basically here to relieve an element of boredom and help a few members trying to establish a stealth account.

When did I ever say I am rich or boast my wealth, never.

Plenty of people get listing blocked etc, for one reason only, amazon don't like what they are selling, wether counterfeit (usually the case), unlicensed product (original but not purchased through the licensed distributor), non copyrighted material, your own brand is more than likely copying someone else patent/copyright.

And I am not accusing you, you admitted to the forum that you have had 4 infringements of copyright/counterfeit goods accusations from amazon and your account was suspended, so maybe you are the "scum" as you call yourself for stealing rights holders property. I have had plenty of infringements but have the invoices to verify my goods are genuine whereas you seem not to process these for one reason or another.

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

So as in one post by another forum member, stop digging a deeper hole for yourself.

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

Thanks, I'll keep that info in mind.

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

:lol::lol::lol:

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

so...what did we learn here today?

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

My account has 2 current complaints of authenticity, but I'm not sure where to obtain proof of authenticity since the supplier are in China and they are not the authorized distributor. I sell new and used item, never counterfeit. Can I make ⊗⊗⊗⊗ invoices to get over this, or Amazon will know and find out after contacting the invoice's contact information and result in suspension of my account?

Re: Amazon listing removed - inauthentic
 

Just STOP SELLING THE MERCHANDISE RESULTING IN THE COMPLAINTS!

It's really not that hard.

Sell that **** on eBay, or if you really need to sell it on Amazon, do it on a separate stealth account. Or kiss your account goodbye----3rd strike, you're out!