European reseller changes compatible cartridge packaging after Epson trademark complaint, but its Amazon account violation remains unresolved.

By The Recycler News Team

A European compatible cartridge reseller has been left with an intellectual property violation against its Amazon account despite changing its packaging and product listing following a trademark complaint from Epson.

Documents seen by The Recycler show that Epson complained about the use of its “604” trademark in an Amazon listing for compatible ink cartridges. Epson said the trademark was displayed on the product or packaging and/or used in the title and description in a way that could give consumers the impression the product was genuine or affiliated with Epson. Amazon subsequently removed the ASIN.

The reseller, which has asked not to be identified, told The Recycler this was its first intellectual property complaint on Amazon. It appealed the decision but said Amazon requested invoices and evidence of authorisation from the rights holder. The appeal was unsuccessful.

The reseller subsequently redesigned its product packaging and cartridge labels. It also revised its Amazon images, title and description and added wording stating that the product was not manufactured by or affiliated with Epson. It then approached Epson and asked the OEM to review the changes and, if satisfied, retract its complaint.

Epson offered to review a screenshot of the amended listing but said it could not withdraw its original complaint.

“We reported the original ASIN to Amazon due to trademark infringement in the product images, title and/or description,” Epson’s IP team told the reseller.

“As the complaint was submitted against the ASIN itself, retracting the complaint would result in the reinstatement of the listing that was originally reported. We are therefore unable to retract the complaint.”

The reseller told Epson that it had removed all stock from the ASIN and that no other seller was listing against it. It proposed amending the original listing and only adding stock once Epson was satisfied with the changes. It says the resulting Account Health violation nevertheless remains.

Amazon has directed the reseller towards its appeals process and the rights holder, while Epson has advised the reseller to address any account issues directly with Amazon.

Epson explains its position
The Recycler approached Epson as part of a wider enquiry into how OEM trademark enforcement affects manufacturers and resellers of compatible printer consumables.

Epson said its approach to protecting intellectual property online had not changed.

“Epson takes the protection of its intellectual property seriously as part of its commitment to maintaining customer trust and ensuring consumers can make informed purchasing decisions,” the Epson Europe IP Enforcement Team told The Recycler.

The company said it regularly monitors online marketplaces globally and works with platform operators to address potential infringements. However, Epson confirmed that aftermarket suppliers can advertise compatibility with its printers.

“Manufacturers and resellers can advertise compatibility with Epson printers, provided their use of the IP does not infringe on Epson’s rights,” it said.

Epson added that intellectual property cases are assessed individually according to their circumstances. The company pointed traders towards its platform-specific guidance, including its Verified Rights Owner guidance for eBay, and its global Brand Protection Activities information.

Epson also said its European IP team “welcomes open conversations with manufacturers and resellers who would like further guidance on trademark requirements or marketplace policies”.

Amazon points to appeals process
The Recycler also asked Amazon how intellectual property complaints are assessed, whether humans or automated systems make listing and appeal decisions, and what traders should do when selling compatible products.

Amazon said it invests significant resources in making its processes “fair, accurate, and transparent for all parties”.

“We provide robust mechanisms for sellers to appeal decisions they believe to be incorrect, and we encourage any seller with concerns about their listings to contact us through Seller Central,” an Amazon spokesperson told The Recycler.

Amazon also confirmed that automated technology and people are involved in its wider intellectual property enforcement operation.

“We couple this with automated technology that continuously scans products in our store, leveraging advanced machine learning and expert human investigators to proactively identify risks,” the company said.

Amazon did not specifically explain whether a human reviews an individual rights-holder complaint before an ASIN is removed, or whether a human reviews every subsequent seller appeal. It also did not directly address what mechanism is available to clear an Account Health violation where a seller has changed the disputed product presentation but the rights holder says it cannot retract the original ASIN complaint.

Amazon highlighted its wider anti-counterfeiting work and said its proactive controls blocked more than 99.9 per cent of suspected infringing listings in 2025 before a brand needed to report them.

The case examined by The Recycler does not concern an allegation that the cartridges were counterfeit Epson products. The complaint concerns the presentation and use of Epson’s trademark in connection with compatible cartridges.

A dilemma for aftermarket sellers
The case illustrates the difficult position in which an aftermarket reseller can find itself following an intellectual property complaint. The original ASIN has been removed and the reseller has changed its packaging, cartridge labels and listing. Epson is prepared to review the amended material but says it cannot retract its original complaint because doing so would reinstate the ASIN it reported.

The reseller says Amazon, meanwhile, requires the complaint to be successfully appealed or addressed with the rights holder before the Account Health violation can be cleared. The result is an apparent procedural gap: the disputed presentation has been changed, but the mechanism required to remove the resulting account violation remains unresolved.

For compatible cartridge suppliers selling through online marketplaces, the distinction between identifying compatibility and using an OEM trademark in a way the rights holder considers infringing can therefore have immediate commercial consequences.

Epson’s published guidance is worth reviewing before products, packaging and marketplace listings are created. Suppliers uncertain about Epson trademark requirements can also contact the company’s European IP team for guidance.

The Recycler also invited Canon and Brother to explain their policies concerning the use of OEM cartridge references by compatible manufacturers and resellers. Both acknowledged the enquiries but had not provided substantive responses at the time of publication.

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