If you have a growing brand, or product … and EVEN if you’re not intending to sell on Amazon or TikTok in the near future, you absolutely need to register your intellectual property with both platforms to protect your business.
Why should I take the time to register?
It’s free, it’s easy and the important thing to know is that you don’t need to be actively selling on TikTok, or Amazon, for your brand to appear there.
Copycats, resellers, and counterfeiters often get there first. That’s why registering your intellectual property early, before you launch, is one of the smartest moves you can make. If your brand ever shows up without your permission, you’ll be ready to act and have them removed.
For many businesses, TikTok Shop still feels very unfamiliar – so let’s walk through step by step how to register your brand on TikTok.
On one hand, TikTok is one of the fastest-growing places on the internet to sell products. On the other, it’s where brand misuse, fake products, and content theft can spread quickly. So, while visibility is key for growth, protecting what you’ve built is crucial to ensure that the growth is yours.
That’s where TikTok’s Intellectual Property Protection Centre (IPPC) comes in.
TikTok created the IPPC to give rights holders a simple, centralised way to protect their trademarks, copyrighted content, patented products, and other intellectual property on TikTok Shop. Instead of chasing individual sellers or sending numerous emails, you go to one dashboard where you can register your rights, search for potential infringements, and take action when something isn’t genuine.
What the IPPC actually does
Think of the IPPC as your control panel for brand protection on TikTok. You can upload proof that you own your brand name, logo, designs, videos, or products.
Once TikTok verifies these assets, you can search TikTok Shop listings, videos, and livestreams for anything that looks like it’s copying or misusing your brand.
If you find a problem, you can file a takedown request and track it all the way through to resolution.
Since the IPPC is built directly into TikTok Shop, your reports go straight into TikTok’s enforcement system, which helps speed things up.
Why registering will definitely pay off
Having your IP registered in advance will make a huge difference. TikTok already knows who you are and what you own, so when (yes when, rather than if) you submit a complaint, it doesn’t have to start from scratch, and you don’t go into the three-day process of proving ownership of your assets.
You also get visibility into what’s happening with each report, whether it’s being reviewed, approved, or closed. Plus, as everything is submitted through structured online forms, there’s less risk of making mistakes that could slow you down later on.
How TikTok handles infringement
TikTok does not allow counterfeit goods, copied content, or unauthorised use of brand names, logos, or creative work. These rules apply to product listings, videos, livestreams, and promotional materials. Sellers who break these rules can have their listings removed, their accounts restricted or, sometimes more serious consequences if such behaviour continues.
1,2,3 Action Checklist:
- Upload your trademark, copyright or patent documents so TikTok can verify your rights.
- Search TikTok Shop for listings, videos, or sellers that shouldn’t be using your brand or content.
- When you spot a violation or IP infringement, submit a complaint to Tik Tok with links and a short explanation.
Many sellers may well push the boundaries, and in these instances TikTok will ask for more proof of what IP you own before taking them down. This is where having a brand protection partner acting on your behalf helps. Working with SnapDragon means you can be confident that we are always fighting in your corner, leaving no stone unturned, until the counterfeit products are removed.
Rachel Jones
Founder and Non-Executive Director | Follow on LinkedIn
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