Businesses advised to focus on brand protection in online export

As more and more Vietnamese businesses are using international e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, eBay and Alibaba to expand market, experts have advised domestic firms to pay greater attention to the protection of trademark in the cyberspace, especially during online exporting activities.

A representative from the E-Commerce and Digital Economy under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) said that due to inadequate attention to intellectual property protection, many famous Vietnamese brands have been abused by foreign businesses, or registered by competitors in foreign markets, with Vinataba cigarette, Trung Nguyen coffee and Nang Huong rice just a few examples.

According to Amazon Global Selling Vietnam, Vietnamese sellers’ awareness of the importance of building and protecting brands and protecting intellectual property rights has been gradually improving. In the past three years, the number of Vietnamese firms registered their brands on Amazon’s Brand Registry has increased seven times and the time it takes for Vietnamese sales partners to move from the stage of registering a sales account to registering a brand has been shortened by an average of 85%.

Some Vietnamese sellers on Amazon have paid attention to registering their trademarks in the US, including Longevity Sea Grapes, a Vietnamese sea grape brand, and Nam Huy dried fruits.

Experts held that in order to protect their brands on international e-commerce platforms, it is important for Vietnamese firms to clearly understand the regulations and procedures for registering for brand protection in each country and on each platform.

The Department of E-Commerce and Digital Economy’s representative held that Vietnamese businesses that want to export online via the Amazon platform should make plans early to register for trademark protection. He added that the department has implemented the Go Export programme which assists domestic firms in trademark registration and protection as well as dispute settlement in the international market.

The representative advised businesses that intend to operate professionally on Amazon to register for the Amazon Brand Registry, which provides businesses with tools to protect their brands from fake commodities and copyright infringement as well as support in reporting and settling violations.

Trade experts underlined that the protection of trademark during online exporting activities through e-commerce platforms is not only a strategic step to protect the rights and image of Vietnamese firms but also an effective way to expand markets and increase revenue. They advised Vietnamese businesses to grasp the chance to protect their product and enhance their competitiveness as well as their reputation in major markets./.