Get in Control: Your Guide to Ecommerce Brand Mastery

Feeling the chaos of ecommerce? Good news: you can take the wheel. Brand control isn’t just another buzzword, it’s your secret weapon for growth and keeping your brand strong, everywhere you sell. Here’s what brand control really means, why it matters, and how to claim it. No jargon. Just real, actionable know-how.

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Brand Control: What It Is and Why You Should Care

Brand control simply means you set the rules. You choose who sells your products, what’s said about you, and how you show up across channels, from Amazon to niche online stores. Lock down brand control, and you:

1. Protect and polish your reputation.
2. Defend your trademarks and IP.
3. Push out grey market sellers.
4. Strengthen bonds with retail partners and platforms.

Give up on brand control and you’re not just losing sales. You’re risking trust, slashing margins, and letting others set the course.

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Three Practical Ways to Kickstart Brand Control

Let’s skip the fluff and get to work:

• Own Your Contracts: Be proactive. Take the lead on your terms and conditions. Don’t just accept what others offer. Set your own rules from day one.
• Audit Your Trademarks: When did you last review your trademark portfolio? Make sure coverage is up to date. Recognisable, registered marks do more than look good. They give you real control, especially on platforms like Amazon.
• Actively Enforce Your IP: Registration is just the beginning. If unauthorised sellers sneak in, your registered rights need to stand up and win. With most platforms demanding clear, valid IP, this is key.

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What to Think About

There’s no copy-and-paste solution here. Your plan depends on your business setup, product type, and appetite for risk. Key things to weigh:

• Distribution Structure: Got a web of distributors? Build a plan that fits.
• Product Type: Selective distribution works best if you’re premium, specialty, or niche. Open distribution can make more sense for mass-market brands.
• Marketplace Realities: You may be able to stop authorised partners from jumping onto marketplaces. Blocking unauthorised sellers, though, is tougher. Unless there’s a clear IP breach, platforms like Amazon usually stay out.
• Partner Buy-In: Start with an honest conversation. Your partners are rooting for your brand, too.

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The 101 on Selective Distribution Models

Think of a Selective Distribution System (SDS) as a circle of trusted sellers, all handpicked for how and where they sell your products.

• Who’s it for? Brands without a sprawling distribution network.
• How does it work? You set clear, objective criteria (think: online presentation, after-sales support, focus on quality brick and mortar and webshops, third-party online marketplace sales permitted for specialised marketplace sellers who meet the appropriate marketplace criteria) and build a tight group of approved sellers.
• Restrictions: Brands can tailor both qualitative and, where relevant, quantitative criteria, provided market share in each country stays below 30 percent. No hardcore restrictions are allowed, such as a flat-out ban on online sales or restricting cross-border sales within the EU.
• Success Signals: Draft strong SDS policies. Communicate and enforce criteria. Cut ties with rule-breakers. Strengthen your IP portfolio. Sign up for tools like Amazon Brand Registry for IP protection.
• Tip: Speak to a legal expert before settling on SDS criteria, policies or agreements, as enforcement and legal processes will vary from country to country.

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SDS Not for You? Other Smart Moves

You don’t need to implement SDS fully to raise the bar. Try introducing qualitative criteria for your retailer partners. For example, you might define how their online stores should look and feel, or limit third-party marketplace resellers. If you want to give one specific seller permission to run storefronts for your brand on third-party marketplaces, while restricting this for others, you can do so as long as your market share does not exceed 30 percent.

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Brand Control in Action: Real-World Results

Brands who narrow their sales channels, select specialised marketplace partners, and stick to high-quality criteria are seeing major gains:

• Open Distribution & Quality Criteria: One supplement brand grew its Amazon EU Buy Box win-rate from 34 percent to 90 percent, and upped its revenue sales from 51 percent to 98 percent in two years just by adding and enforcing quality criteria.
• Selective Distribution System: A sports apparel brand on Amazon UK boosted their Buy Box wins from 75 percent to 98 percent after adopting SDS and strengthening their reseller network. This brand doubled its UK Amazon sales in one year.

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Bottom line: Brand control isn’t just a strategy; it’s how you protect your hard work and set your business up for what’s next. When you lean into these steps, you keep your brand true to its vision, even as ecommerce keeps changing. Remember, this isn’t about making things complicated, it’s about making sure your brand stands out for all the right reasons, on every channel. Start where you are, take one step at a time, and watch the wins add up. With the right moves, your brand’s future is firmly in your hands.

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