The Reason Amazon Sellers Have Such Strange Brand Names
Amazon Prime Day is here and with it are deals on all manner of apparel, electronic devices, sporting goods equipment, cookware, and really whatever else you can think of. Nestled between recognizable brands like Nike, Apple, ASUS, and Amazon's own brands, are brands you've likely never heard of, like NVEESHOX, Fosman, or QINLIANF. These brand names aren't typos or something wrong with your web browser, those names are the actual registered brand names of the seller. To make matters more confusing, most listings have hundreds, if not thousands of positive reviews.
The products aren't outright scams either. You get what you order the vast majority of the time, oftentimes with Amazon's famously quick delivery and relatively pain-free return process. A writer for the New York Times reported that they ordered a pair of gloves from a brand named "FRETREE" and it arrived on time, exactly as ordered. Similarly, the Monsdle brand backpack you order on Prime Day will likely arrive with little fuss.
But why do so many sellers have wacky and outlandish names? It has to do with copyright law and online marketplace competition in China.
Do your homework
As Techquickie reports, it's currently very hard to sell some goods in China as the marketplace is completely flooded with other companies trying to sell exactly the same thing. As a result, many primarily Chinese sellers have moved to Amazon, simple enough. In order to make use of Amazon's huge, global infrastructure for shipping, reviews, returns, and advertising, you need to be part of the site's Brand Registry. To be part of this registry, your company needs to have a registered trademark. And what's easier to trademark than a string of consonants and vowels that form something that doesn't closely resemble a word in any language, much less Chinese or English?
The New York Times notes that the sellers, once hosted on Amazon, don't have to worry about advertising their product next to well-known brands, because Amazon just does it for them. At least according to Amazon, a brand like VOVOLY that sells spatulas is as legitimate as a more well-known brand like Rubbermaid. Should this be worrying to you, as an Amazon shopper? It's worth noting that the products, more often than not, are real and (probably) won't malfunction in a way that puts you or others in danger. But it's ultimately up to you whether or not you trust a dehumidifier ordered off of Amazon from a brand like VEAGASO as opposed to a brand you have actually heard of like General Electric or Honeywell. Read the reviews, and if something seems fishy, it likely is.