Amazon and Ferragamo launch joint suits against Chinese sellers
Amazon and Italian luxury fashion brand Salvatore Ferragamo have filed joint lawsuits against four individuals and three Chinese entities accusing them of counterfeiting Ferragamo products.
The companies outlined in the lawsuits that the defendants had conspired to use Ferragamo’s registered trademarks without authorisation to deceive customers.
The first case, Case 2:21-cv-00170, claims that two individuals Li Yong and Wu Pianpian, as well as two Chinese entities, sold belts featuring registered Ferragamo trademarks throughout 2019-2020.
The second suit, Case 2:21-cv-00171, accuses Zhao Hao Jun and Zhang Lianfa and a Chinese entity of also selling belts featuring the infringing Ferragamo logo.
Both the suits were filed with the United States District Court of Washington on February 11, 2021.
“We do not allow counterfeit products in our store, and we have made it crystal clear that we take aggressive action to hold accountable bad actors who attempt to evade our proactive protections,” said Dharmesh Mehta, vice president, customer trust and partner support, Amazon.
“Through our Counterfeit Crimes Unit, we are working closely with luxury and cosmetics brands, small businesses, and brands with global name recognition. We will continue to fight to protect intellectual property from small family-owned businesses through Fortune 500 companies.”
When Amazon was made aware of the counterfeit products, it made several test purchases to compare with genuine Ferragamo wares.
After determining that the products featured Ferragamo branding, Amazon terminated both seller accounts and is now seeking damages for the infringement and sale. But given that plaintiffs claim that the defendants have used “fake names and contact information, and unregistered businesses to conduct their activities,” the true identity of the defendants is unknown.
“The joint action with Amazon underlines how the protection of IP is a priority for Ferragamo and how the company is pursuing the fight against counterfeiting with full awareness and resolution,” added Micaela le Divelec Lemmi, CEO of Salvatore Ferragamo.
Last year, Amazon launched its counterfeit crimes unit and has since filed several other joint lawsuits alongside luxury brands, including Valentino, cosmetics brand KF Beauty, family travel accessory brand JL Childress.
Amazon’s marketplace has been accused of posing a significant threat to IP owners, according to the latest Notorious Markets report. The annual report said that e-commerce platforms, including Amazon, had to do more to protect brand owners and consumers.
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