How Brands Are Battling Knockoffs on Amazon

With a proliferation of third-party sellers, fighting copycats can feel like a never-ending game

If you’re a skincare brand, you’ve probably put a lot of thought into how your products smell and feel. So reading reviews on Amazon.com that say one of your creams reminded the consumer of “month-old milk” or that “it literally feels (and smells!) like rubbing your face with ham grease” is bound to be distressing.

That’s the position that Debora Pokallus, CEO of natural skincare brand Bel Essence, found herself in a few years ago when she realized that a third-party seller on Amazon had been using expired product to fill orders for Bel Essence’s Intensive Anti-Aging Treatment.

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This story first appeared in the Feb. 10, 2020, issue of Adweek magazine. Click here to subscribe.