Trademarks Made Easy For Private Label & Ecommerce Sellers

Gary Huang has found himself at the center of the hottest topic in private label selling, and the business world in general: The US-China Trade War. In this second part of his debut interview for Trademarks Made Easy, Gary gives us a glimpse into the ways the Trade War is affecting private label sellers and what the smartest folks in the industry are doing about it. From regional sourcing alternatives for manufacturing, to ways to take advantage of markets and products not yet touched by tariffs, Gary and Suzi bring you so much info in this interview that it became TWO episodes. Make sure you have heard part one in episode 16! Find Gary’s company at https://www.8020sourcing.com/ Don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get a new episode of Trademarks Made Easy every Friday, and visit https://www.theprivatelabellawyer.com for show notes and more info.

Gary Huang has found himself at the center of the hottest topic in private label selling, and the business world in general: The US-China Trade War. In this first interview for Trademarks Made Easy, Gary gives us a bird's eye view of the factors that led us to our current climate, as well as the responses that giant companies and smart small business are already making to save themselves time and money no matter the exact outcomes of the current trade war. From regional sourcing alternatives for manufacturing, to ways to take advantage of markets and products not yet touched by tariffs, Gary and Suzi bring you so much info in this interview that it became TWO episodes. Stay tuned next Friday for part two! One great takeaway from this episode? Search Customs and Border Patrol records to help identify options for sourcing: https://www.junglescout.com https://panjiva.com https://www.importgenius.com Don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get a new episode of Trademarks Made Easy every Friday, and visit https:/

When you are coming up with the perfect trademark, it's also a good idea to ensure your products (both present and future) will align well with that brand name. Suzi Hixon talks about the importance of product selection and how it goes hand-in-hand with establishing a strong private label business. In particular, Suzi helps you position yourself for early expansion that won't cost you more money in trademark protection, but can put more money back into your business, sooner rather than later! To ensure you're building a brand with room under the umbrella for a few other products, use the Nice classification found here: https://www.wipo.int/classifications/nice/nclpub/en/fr/ Also, don't miss out on The Private Label Lawyer's special FREE Trademark Quickstart: www.TrademarkQuickstart.com Don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get a new episode of Trademarks Made Easy every Friday, and visit https://www.theprivatelabellawyer.com for show notes and more info.

One of the questions Suzi gets asked all the time is, "Should I even bother protecting my trademark in China?" While the conception is that standard protections won't hold in this market, there are many reasons to consider filing, primarily the sheer size of the market itself. Suzi Hixon, the Private Label Lawyer, lays out the 5 primary reasons you have to at least give some consideration to trademark protection in China. Among them? China's "1st to File" policy which means that trademark owners should file for protection in China BEFORE they begin selling under that label. It's not ALL bad news though, as Suzi includes some ongoing changes to the Chinese Trademark office that should make international sellers smile wherever they are starting in late 2019. Suzi also discusses the pros and cons of filing directly or through the Madrid Protocol as well as what you'll need TO file in China. Access the Nice Classification: https://www.wipo.int/classifications/nice/nclpub/en/fr/ Don’t forget to subscribe to the sh

Uniqueness. Catchiness. Simplicity. Relatability. These are the four quadrants you should use when choosing a brand name. But even with the best of names, how do you ensure that your brand grows in awareness and value over time? You prepare for what's possible and work with what's reality today. Today, Amazon is the leading retail platform, and will inherently form the center of your business, but in this episode Suzi Hixon lays out steps to ensure that you can put your brand's best foot forward today on Amazon and be ready for whatever the future of the marketplace might look like. Full of actionable, easy to follow advice, this is one episode no private label seller will want to miss! Don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get a new episode of Trademarks Made Easy every Friday, and visit https://www.theprivatelabellawyer.com for show notes and more info.

Creating an original trademark that is both valuable as a marketing tool for the sale and promotion of your product AND legally valid as a unique and defensible trademark isn't magic, but it is absolutely both an art and a science. Suzi Hixon helps us ensure that our education is well-rounded covering both areas as we achieve that balance and find your new trademark. With a little bit of knowledge, creative thinking and guidance you can select the perfect trademark to fit your newest private label product line WITHOUT being an attorney or a marketing mastermind. Don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get a new episode of Trademarks Made Easy every Friday, and visit https://www.theprivatelabellawyer.com for show notes and more info.

When do you know it's time to change? Your brand name is one of the cornerstones of your entire business. So how do you know when you've chosen the wrong one? Suzi Hixon covers the pros and cons of a brand name change. Will current customers be able to find you? What potential gains could you make with a change? How extensively would the name change affect your business? Answers to all these questions and more in this episode of Trademarks Made Easy! Don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get a new episode of Trademarks Made Easy every Friday, and visit https://www.theprivatelabellawyer.com for show notes and more info.

With billions of potential customers and clients, the Amazon Marketplace is THE opportunity for private label sellers. But how do you stand out amongst the pack and protect yourself and your brand from counterfeiters and copycats? Today Suzi Hixon, The Private Label Lawyer, brings you three simple action points to properly position yourself and your brand in the Amazon Marketplace. 1. What's YOUR selling point? - Understand your target audience and ensure that your audience understands your brand, your vision and your business. 2. Tell your story - Connect with your customers. No two stories are the same, and that brand story is nearly impossible to copy. 3. Be Proactive - Register Your Brand name with the USPTO (and perhaps internationally with the Madrid Protocol as discussed in episode 9). Don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get a new episode of Trademarks Made Easy every Friday, and visit https://www.theprivatelabellawyer.com for show notes and more info.

Save time AND money on your International Trademark filings with these tips from Suzi Hixon. While Amazon's Brand Registry 2.0 program makes this a more pressing or priority item, International Trademark registry is a good move for your brand if you plan to sell your products globally, even if Amazon ceases to exist tomorrow. The Protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks, or The Madrid Protocol for short, is an international treaty that allows trademark owners to obtain registration in up to 116 countries by filing one application and paying one set of fees. And Canada is joining the treaty in 2019, so 117 soon enough! Why use the Madrid Protocol Filing? File one application, in YOUR language, pay in YOUR currency. No translators, no foreign lawyers' fees. Don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get a new episode of Trademarks Made Easy every Friday, and visit https://www.theprivatelabellawyer.com for show notes and more info.

Suzi Hixon breaks down the differences between the Principal and Trademark Register of the USPTO, and how NOT understanding these can harm your brand and business! Wherever you find yourself in this process, keep these highlights in mind: 1. Choose a strong trademark at the outset, one that ISN'T descriptive 2. Beware of am-mending a trademark application to the supplemental register Don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get a new episode of Trademarks Made Easy every Friday, and visit https://www.theprivatelabellawyer.com for show notes and more info.

Don't get left behind! Your competitors are already using this info to create their online brand protection strategy, make sure you are too! With millions of active customers on Amazon, there is room for a thriving market of successful sellers without copyright infringement or counterfeiting. BUT, it all starts with.... 1. Research! - Do your homework about who your customer is, how and when they purchase and what they love about your products. But also, research your competitors, see where market trends have perhaps overstayed their welcome, and find opportunities for differentiation. 2. Create a Brand Strategy - The voice, style, colors, logo, tagline, fonts as well as the trademark itself and customer interaction like shipping and return policies. The end result of this work is a thorough and consistent Brand Bible or Creative Brief. 3. Create AND IMPLEMENT a Proactive Brand Protection Plan - Don't wait for your intellectual property to be infringed upon, protect it from the beginning, as proactivity is MU

'I'M TALKING TO YOU, MOON UNIT!' While some parents definitely give their children unique (and complicated) names, like the above example, the process for an adult to change his legal name is actually fairly simple and reasonably priced. A trademark, meanwhile, can last not just for one generation, but for many. A brand name can appreciate in value over time to become even more than a family heirloom, but an asset and a legacy. Suzi lays out the three main reasons why your brand name is more important than naming your kids. 1. It's more difficult to change a trademark than it is to change your name! 2. Your trademark should outlast any physical products & be passed down for generations. 3. Trademarks tell consumers 'What's up?!' Remember, though, if you find that you do have a bad brand name, DON'T WAIT to make the switch. You've got more customers in your future than your past, and you want to ensure that your brand and trademark can last well into that future. Don’t forget to subscribe to the show to ge

With over 2 million sellers on Amazon and more added every day, it's hard enough for a brand to stand out from the rest of the pack. And, with a growing counterfeit and gray market, it's becoming imperative for us to protect and defend our trademarks directly. Suzi brings you actionable advice on what to watch out for, how best to report it and to whom, as well as what to do when reporting isn't enough! Amazon may be the world's largest digital flea market, but we want to ensure that we're there as merchants, not just to pick up fleas! Don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get a new episode of Trademarks Made Easy every Friday, and visit https://www.theprivatelabellawyer.com for show notes and more info.

In 2013 $461 Billion worth of counterfeit goods were trafficked worldwide. roughly 20% of that number is American-made products. The U.S. Customs and Border Protections, Recordation can protect your trademark, brand and business, but the system is one that a lot of private label sellers don't fully understand. Suzi explains the benefits as well as the process to apply and maintain your own trademark with CBP. For most businesses, it's a question of when, not if they'll face counterfeiting, so get ahead of the curve with the Private Label Lawyer. Find more info from the CBP here: https://iprr.cbp.gov Don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get a new episode of Trademarks Made Easy every Friday, and visit theprivatelabellawyer.com for show notes and more info.

While this podcast isn't focused on the Amazon marketplace specifically, and Suzi is a big believer that we should all build businesses that can survive and thrive whether Amazon does or not, it would be foolish to overlook the 800-pound gorilla of eCommerce. And, thankfully, Amazon does offer new tools from time to time for private label sellers. Today Suzi focuses on one of those tools, the Amazon Brand Registry 2.0, which comes with a whole host of benefits for sellers and brands. While it's not Amazon's job to protect your brand or trademark, and no system is perfect, Suzi helps you ensure that you're taking the best advantage of these powerful tools to keep counterfeits at bay, your customers happy and the profits flowing. Don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get a new episode of Trademarks Made Easy every Friday, and visit https://www.theprivatelabellawyer.com for show notes and more info.

In the age of Amazon, it is IMPERATIVE that eCommerce sellers develop branding strategies that sell AND select trademarks that best represent and convey those strategies! Suzi outlines both the keys to building a good trademark, but also the ways to recognize whether you're holding a bad trademark. She also uses real-world examples to help you take your idea from good trademark to GREAT and build the kind of brand that will grow in value over time, outlasting any of your products or even your own ownership! Don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get a new episode of Trademarks Made Easy every Friday, and visit https://www.theprivatelabellawyer.com for show notes and more info.

Suzi Hixon, The Private Label Lawyer, is your guide to the world of trademarks and what they mean for the legacy of your business and brand. In this debut episode, Suzi highlights the difference in brands that “give you the feels”, and lays out the course for those brands that want to separate themselves from the pack. Tangible products will rust away, but a trademark can last forever, so do what you can to protect it! Don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get a new episode of Trademarks Made Easy every Friday, and visit theprivatelabellawyer.com for show notes and more info.

How do I select a strong trademark for my private label products? How do I differentiate myself from the eCommerce competition? How do I kick counterfeiters to the curb on Amazon? These are just some of the big questions that leading trademark attorney, Suzi Hixon, also known as The Private Label Lawyer, digs into on the Trademarks Made Easy for Private Label & eCommerce Sellers Podcast. In addition to trademark selection step-by-step guides, episodes discuss case studies of what to do and ~ sometimes even more importantly ~ what NOT to do, when selecting a brand name for a private label product. Suzi's niche is getting into the trademark selection trenches with you. While selecting a solid product is important when selling on Amazon and other eCommerce platforms, Suzi wants online sellers to not gloss over the critical brand name selection element. Thinking about getting into private label selling? Want to select a trademark that is distinctive, viable, and legally enforceable? Want to mitigate the risks