Seeking Guidance: Transitioning to Exclusive Brand Representation on Amazon

Hi everyone,

I hope all is well. As an experienced and current Amazon seller, I have always dealt with wholesale distributors and suppliers. However, an interesting opportunity has presented itself: a brand wants us to be their exclusive seller and 3PL on Amazon and Walmart. Despite our extensive experience in product research, SKU and product configurations, inventory management, repricing, warehouse optimization, and large-scale FBA preparation, we find ourselves novices in the realm of exclusive brand representation.

While we are proficient in selling established brand name products, we have never really edited Amazon listings or navigated the nuances of Amazon’s “brand registry” and “brand approval” processes. Our operations have primarily revolved around selling on pre-existing listings, for which we have always been auto-approved due to our substantial scale and account credibility.

This brand presents a promising opportunity, but I harbor concerns about potentially underdelivering, particularly when it comes to refining their product listings, dealing with other sellers, and managing the brand registry process. The brand currently wants to remove all other sellers from their listings due to ongoing MAP violations, albeit without making changes to their distribution channels. We are well-versed in SEO, PPC, and enhancing product listing visibility and quality, but need further insights regarding the Brand Registry and its limitations, especially in relation to removing other sellers.

The brand currently has active listings on Amazon with multiple sellers. Once we formalize our agreement and contracts are signed, what comes next?

Can we simply file IP violations through the brand registry to remove these sellers, or is the process more complex? What becomes of the sellers’ inventory in FBA? How do we handle potential alternate listings created by these sellers? What is the process for making SEO updates to these existing listings, as I know it can often be challenging for changes to actually occur when the listing was created by another seller or 1P. Do we register under the brand registry via our seller account, or should the brand do this with their email?

In essence, we’re seeking advice about acting as the “Enforcer” – an exclusive seller for a brand on Amazon that already has numerous sellers on their listings. Any tips about the Brand Registry would also be greatly appreciated. As of now, we do not have a clear idea about the inventory distributed among other sellers, but the brand wishes us to be their sole Amazon representative given our track record (over 10+ years of combined selling experience, 3000+ product storefront, etc.).

Thank you all for your time and assistance. I eagerly await your insights, and if anyone needs advice about being a wholesale seller, I’d be more than happy to offer my insights in return.