Every brand protection provider promises to find counterfeits and get them removed. The differences show up later: in what they miss, in what they take down by mistake, and in how long it takes to get an answer. These are the questions we'd ask if we were choosing a provider, and what a good answer sounds like.
1. Which platforms do you actually monitor?
Ask for the list, not a number. Counterfeits move between global marketplaces, print-on-demand sites, social platforms and standalone stores. A provider that covers Amazon and eBay well but skips Temu, TikTok Shop or the print-on-demand sites is leaving the door open. Here's our list.
2. Can you see what's inside the apps?
Some catalogs, TikTok Shop's in particular, largely live inside a mobile app. Tools that only crawl websites never see them. Ask how the provider covers in-app shopping, not just whether it's on the list.
3. Do you search by image, or only by keyword?
Counterfeit sellers know keyword filters well. They leave your brand out of the title and let the photo do the selling. If a provider only searches titles, it misses those listings. Image search finds your products and designs even when the title never mentions them.
4. Who checks a listing before it's reported?
This is the question that separates providers. Automated matching on its own produces false reports: your licensees, genuine resale, fan art and lookalike products that aren't yours. Each false report costs you goodwill and credibility with the platform. Ask whether every listing is reviewed by people, or whether approvals are bulk or sampled. We check every link, and if we're not sure, we hold it.
5. How do you protect my authorized sellers?
A good answer involves an exclusion list set up before the first scan: your official stores, licensees, retail partners and approved creators. Ask what happens if a licensee is reported by mistake, and how often it happens.
6. What do you do about fan art?
For entertainment brands, characters and artists, fan art is everywhere and much of it isn't a copy of your work. A provider should have a clear policy and apply it consistently. Ours: fan art that doesn't match your designs is never reported. How we decide.
7. How do you confirm something was actually removed?
Sending a notice isn't the same as getting something removed. Ask whether the provider follows up on listings that stay up, and whether its reports count notices sent or removals confirmed.
8. What will the reports show?
Useful reports answer the questions your team asks: which properties are hit hardest, on which platforms, in which product categories, and who the top offending sellers are. Ask to see a sample.
9. What happens when something urgent comes up?
A leaked image, a fake product going viral, a stream running right now. Ask how fast the provider acts and who you'll be talking to. Our answer: when something lands in our client's inbox, they forward it to us and we handle it, usually in under two hours.
10. Can I talk to a current client?
Most providers can't publish client names, and neither can we. But a good provider can put you in touch with a client who'll talk to you directly. If a provider can't, ask why.
The short version
Coverage, detection and accuracy all matter, but accuracy is the one that's hardest to see from the outside, and the one that costs most when it goes wrong. Ask every provider how they make sure they're reporting the right thing.
If you'd like our answers in detail, see how our merchandise protection works or talk to our team.
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