In today’s online marketplace, businesses face a growing problem: counterfeit and infringing products being sold on websites and platforms such as Amazon, eBay, Temu, Alibaba, and Facebook Marketplace. For many companies, monitoring the internet and taking down infringing listings has become just as important as registering trademarks in the first place.
In simple terms, if a business does not actively watch for fake products online, the damage can spread very quickly. Counterfeit sellers can copy logos, product images, packaging, and branding within hours. These fake listings can confuse customers, damage a company’s reputation, and reduce sales.
One of the biggest problems is that customers often do not realise they are buying fake goods. If the product is poor quality or unsafe, the consumer usually blames the real brand owner rather than the counterfeit seller. This can seriously harm trust in a business.
Recent litigation and enforcement actions show how seriously brands are now taking online infringement.
One major example involved luxury shoe designer Christian Louboutin and Amazon. The dispute focused on counterfeit red-soled shoes being sold by third-party sellers on Amazon’s marketplace. The European Court of Justice confirmed that online platforms can, in some situations, be held responsible for counterfeit listings appearing on their sites. The case highlighted the growing expectation that marketplace platforms must play a more active role in tackling fake goods (CJEU, Christian Louboutin v Amazon Europe Core Sàrl and Others, 22 December 2022, Joined Cases C-148/21 and C-184/21, ECLI:EU:C:2022:1016).
Another recent dispute involved sportswear company Puma and the online platform IndiaMart. Puma argued that counterfeit “Puma shoes” were being promoted through the website’s seller listings. The Delhi High Court ruled that online listing services may have legal responsibilities when their systems help facilitate trademark infringement (IndiaMART Intermesh Ltd v. Puma SE, Delhi High Court, Division Bench, 2 June 2025, Neutral Citation No. 2025:DHC:4819-DB). This decision showed that businesses are no longer targeting only counterfeit sellers themselves, but also the platforms that enable the listings.
Music artists have also started taking legal action. In 2025, the band Twenty One Pilots sued Temu over allegations that counterfeit merchandise using the band’s logos and branding was being sold on the platform. The lawsuit claimed the fake products were “virtually identical” to official merchandise and could mislead fans into believing they were genuine (Twenty One Pilots, LLC v. Whaleco Inc. (Temu), Complaint filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, 9 September 2025).
The reason monitoring matters so much is because counterfeit listings can appear and spread extremely quickly. A seller removed from one platform may reopen under a different name the next day. That is why many businesses are now using brand protection services to track suspicious listings, fake websites, and misuse of trademarks across multiple platforms.
In simple terms, trademark registration alone is no longer enough. Businesses must actively police online marketplaces, monitor their brands, and quickly remove infringing listings before they cause serious harm. In the digital age, online monitoring and takedowns are essential tools for protecting reputation, maintaining customer trust, and preserving the long-term value of a brand.
Contact IP Twins for more information on our monitoring and enforcement services.