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How to Remove Counterfeit Listings from Online Marketplaces
Counterfeit products listed on Amazon, eBay, Alibaba, and social platforms cost brands billions in lost revenue and eroded customer trust.
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These fakes are often poor in quality, confuse consumers, and damage long-standing brand equity. Removing them is essential—but the manual takedown process can be time-consuming, repetitive, and incomplete.
This guide outlines how to remove counterfeit listings manually on top platforms and why many brands now rely on automated enforcement solutions like Podqi to handle this at scale.
Start with Automation: Podqi's End-to-End Removal Workflow
Before diving into manual enforcement, it's worth understanding how platforms like Podqi simplify counterfeit takedowns.
Podqi is an AI-native brand protection platform that detects and removes infringing listings across more than 7,800 marketplaces, websites, and social channels. It continuously scans the web using machine learning to identify unauthorized listings—flagging counterfeits, logo misuse, and impersonation.
Key benefits of Podqi’s automated enforcement:
Real-Time Detection: AI identifies infringing listings as they appear, across Amazon, Alibaba, eBay, Instagram, and more.
One-Click Takedowns: Once verified, Podqi auto-generates and submits platform-specific takedown requests in bulk—cutting the manual effort by 90%.
Smart Prioritization: Listings are ranked by severity and revenue risk, so your team focuses where it matters most.
Centralized Dashboard: Monitor all infringements and enforcement outcomes in one place.
Revenue Recovery Tools: Go beyond takedowns by converting infringers into licensees or pursuing financial remedies.
For brands overwhelmed by volume—or operating lean teams—Podqi is a scalable, modern solution.
How to Remove Counterfeit Listings Manually
If you're handling removals yourself, here are step-by-step instructions for the top platforms.
Amazon
Amazon Brand Registry is required for full access to enforcement tools. Once enrolled, you can report listings using Amazon’s internal dashboard.
Steps:
Log in to your Brand Registry account.
Use the “Report a Violation” tool to search for infringing listings by keyword, ASIN, or image.
Select the offending listing, choose the type of violation (e.g. trademark, counterfeit), and submit your complaint.
Include supporting documents: your registered trademark, screenshots, and optionally a test order receipt.
Amazon typically responds within 24–72 hours.
If you’re not in Brand Registry, you can still report via the public infringement form—though response times may be slower.
Amazon Project Zero is invite-only but allows trusted brands to instantly remove counterfeits themselves.
eBay
eBay uses the Verified Rights Owner (VeRO) Program.
Steps:
Enroll in VeRO by submitting IP ownership proof (e.g. trademark registration).
Complete and submit a Notice of Claimed Infringement (NOCI) via email.
Alternatively, report directly from the listing by selecting “Report Item” and choosing “Counterfeit item.”
Include all relevant details and supporting documents.
eBay reviews and typically acts within 2–3 business days.
Listings taken down through VeRO often lead to seller account warnings or suspensions after repeat offenses.
Alibaba / AliExpress
Alibaba Group manages counterfeits through its IP Protection Platform (IPP).
Steps:
Register for an IPP account.
Submit personal or business verification documents.
Upload your IP documentation (e.g. trademarks, patents).
Once approved, search for infringing listings and file complaints by selecting the platform (Alibaba, AliExpress, Taobao, etc.).
Include URLs, evidence, and explanation.
Sellers are notified and given three days to respond. If they don’t, the listing is typically removed.
The first setup can take several days, but once complete, future removals are faster.
Facebook & Instagram
To report counterfeits on Meta-owned platforms:
Use the Meta IP Reporting Form (accessible through their Rights Manager).
Provide brand ownership details, the infringing post or shop URL, and a description of the violation.
Upload your trademark certificate and any comparison images.
Meta typically removes confirmed violations within 1–2 business days.
Verified brand owners can enroll in Rights Manager to monitor and report posts more efficiently.
Why Manual Takedowns Are Hard to Scale
While reporting fakes manually works in isolated cases, brands dealing with dozens or hundreds of listings face major challenges:
Time-Intensive: Submitting separate reports for every listing on each platform can take hours daily.
Fragmented Processes: Each platform has different rules, forms, and requirements.
High Volume: Popular products often attract dozens of fakes per week.
Whack-a-Mole Problem: Listings reappear quickly under different seller names.
No Centralized View: It’s difficult to track which complaints were resolved across platforms.
That’s why automation is increasingly the preferred solution.
Why Podqi Is the Smarter Way
Podqi addresses these limitations with:
Continuous 24/7 scanning
Bulk takedown submission
Platform-specific enforcement playbooks
Revenue loss calculations and recovery options
A dashboard for managing and reporting results
Instead of reacting listing-by-listing, Podqi puts brand enforcement on autopilot—giving teams time back and helping them win the bigger fight.
Conclusion
Removing counterfeit listings from online marketplaces is essential—but doing it manually is unsustainable at scale. With Podqi, brands can move from reactive enforcement to proactive, automated protection that spans thousands of platforms. Whether you’re just getting started or trying to streamline a busy IP enforcement program, combining best-practice reporting with automation is the fastest path to results.
