Dive into the labyrinth of trademark law with attorney Tiffany Donaldson as she reveals critical insights beyond Trademark 101. What exactly qualifies as a trademark? Far more than just your business name—it's any source identifier that consumers associate with your company, including slogans, logos, symbols, and product line names.

"I'm loving it." "Finger lickin' good." "We have the meats." These recognizable slogans aren't just catchy marketing—they're valuable trademark assets protected by federal law. When your customers see or hear these distinctive elements, they should immediately know who's behind the product. But securing this protection isn't as straightforward as many business owners assume.

The conversation takes a fascinating turn when Donaldson explains the Amazon Brand Registry process. Surprisingly, you need only a serial number—not a completed registration—to access these valuable seller benefits. This serial number is obtained immediately upon filing, even though the full trademark process now takes about a year due to backlog. She demystifies the verification process, debunking myths about exclusive partnerships and expedited services that simply don't exist.

Perhaps most eye-opening is Donaldson's explanation of what can and cannot be trademarked. Descriptive terms—including location-based names like "Brooklyn Roasting Company"—generally cannot secure federal protection. This puts SEO strategy and trademark protection at odds, as the perfect search-friendly name might describe exactly what you do—making it unprotectable. This explains why pharmaceutical companies create entirely fictional words incorporating uncommon letters like X, Y, and Z—a strategy small businesses would be wise to consider.

The standard for infringement—"same or confusingly similar"—leaves considerable gray area that needs professional navigation. Whether you're launching a new brand or protecting an established one, working with a trademark attorney early can prevent the heartbreak of forced rebranding later. Remember: trademark rights must be maintained with follow-up filings and actively defended against infringers to retain their strength. Don't wait until you've built significant brand equity to discover someone else already owns the rights to your name—by then, the cost of rebranding is exponentially higher.

Ready to secure your brand's future? Visit TrademarkProspector.com to learn how proper trademark protection can safeguard everything you're building.

Learn more about Velocity Sellers!

Check us out on YouTube!

Book a FREE Amazon Audit!

GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is transforming e-commerce by focusing on getting brands mentioned by AI models like Rufus, ChatGPT, and Google Gemini. Max Sinclair, CEO of eComtent and former Amazon employee, shares insider perspectives on how AI is reshaping product discovery and what sellers must do to maintain visibility.

• Amazon's Rufus handles approximately 275 million queries daily (14% of all Amazon searches)
• Traditional keyword optimization becoming obsolete as AI uses token-based understanding
• Product listings must address five key dimensions: subjective properties, events, activities, purpose, and audience
• Multimodal optimization required - both text content and images must provide contextual information
• AI shopping assistants already influencing 60% of product research journeys
• Seasonal optimization opportunities exist by regularly refreshing content for different events
• Future AI developments will lower barriers to entrepreneurship while potentially disrupting traditional employment

The AI revolution in e-commerce isn't coming - it's already here. Optimize your listings for AI visibility or risk becoming invisible to shoppers using these increasingly dominant tools.

Learn more about Velocity Sellers!

Check us out on YouTube!

Book a FREE Amazon Audit!

Amazon has thrown sellers another curveball with significant changes to their promotional fee structure, and the timing couldn't be more strategic—just before Prime Day. Velocity Pete and Abe Shomali break down these critical updates that will reshape how brands approach deals and discounts on the platform.

Starting June 2nd, Amazon's promotional tools will shift from simple fixed fees to a hybrid model combining base costs with performance-based percentages. Lightning Deals are moving from a flat $150 to $70 per day plus 1% of sales (capped at $2,000). Best Deals follow a similar structure without a specified cap. Coupons transform from 60¢ per redemption to $5 per coupon plus 2.5% of sales. And Prime Exclusive Discounts? They're simply doubling in price from $50 to $100 daily.

The implications extend beyond just higher costs. These changes will force greater selectivity in what products receive promotional treatment, potentially creating a marketplace with fewer but more meaningful deals. As Abe insightfully notes, "When the top third of the page turns into one or two running a deal at any point in time, those products stick out." This increased visibility could actually benefit the strategic sellers who continue with promotions despite higher costs.

What's particularly fascinating is how these changes may widen the gap between sophisticated and unsophisticated sellers. According to the discussion, only about 10-15% of Amazon sellers take a truly analytical approach to promotional decisions. The rest rely on gut feeling or general principles rather than data-driven analysis. As promotional costs increase, this distinction in approach will likely create greater disparities in results.

Don't miss this timely discussion that goes beyond surface-level analysis to provide actionable insights for navigating Amazon's evolving fee landscape. Whether you're preparing for Prime Day or planning your long-term Amazon strategy, this episode delivers the calculations and considerations you need to stay profitable amid these changes.

Learn more about Velocity Sellers!

Check us out on YouTube!

Book a FREE Amazon Audit!