A new Amazon seller thought they’d scored big with liquidation finds, until a rival accused them of selling counterfeits.
What happened next exposed a harsh truth about Amazon’s gray zones.
- Replace your entire Amazon software stack 📚
- Even legit products come with risks ⚠️
- Thought of the Day 🍴
SELLER CONFESSIONS
An Amazon seller (OP) confessed: Another seller threatened them, accusing them of selling a counterfeit product, one OP insists was completely legit.
According to OP, they received a message accusing them of selling a fake version of an ASIN they’d sourced through a liquidation auction.
The other seller demanded OP remove their listing “or face an A–Z complaint.” Fearing an account strike, OP pulled the product.
Now the real question: was the threat real or just hot air?
⚖️ “Gray area” isn’t Amazon’s favorite color
The community didn’t sugarcoat it, this isn’t just an idle threat.
- Liquidation means liability. Even if the product is genuine, Amazon treats liquidation invoices like Monopoly money, making authenticity nearly impossible to prove.
- The private label trap. The listing likely belongs to a brand-registered seller who owns it, and anyone else selling under it risks being flagged as counterfeit.
- Ungated does not mean permission. Just because Amazon did not block the ASIN does not mean you are allowed to list there. Gating filters out beginners, not accountability.
- The moral gray zone. One veteran seller said, “You are freeloading on someone’s branding. I did it once and got burned too.”
🧭 The seller reality check
It’s not always about who’s right — it’s about who Amazon believes.
- A single complaint can trigger suspension faster than you can say “Appeal denied.”
- Liquidation-sourced inventory is always a gamble. Without manufacturer invoices, your defense is paper-thin.
- Private label listings are minefields, unless you built the brand or have written authorization, stay clear.
- Amazon sides with brand owners. Always.
So while the other seller’s message might’ve been aggressive, it wasn’t empty. On Amazon, “better safe than sorry” isn’t advice, it’s survival strategy. 😬
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THOUGHT OF THE DAY
On Amazon, the gray areas are where most sellers get suspended.
BITES OF THE WEEK
- Future-proof Marketing: 12th Annual Digital Marketing for Financial Services (DMFS) NY Summit is happening this fall 2025.
- Holiday Hustle Playbook: Download the Winning the 2025 Holiday Shopper: Insights for Advertisers and Retailers Dive now!
- Retail Media Remix: Ex-Amazon Ads evangelist Jeff Cohen unpacks AI, data, and the evolution from retail to commerce media.
- Commerce Summit November: Web Summit Lisbon 2025 dives into ecommerce’s next wave, from social shopping to next-gen payments.
