Fighting fakes was a big reason behind Amazon’s big vendor purge

FILE PHOTO: Packages are transported on a conveyor belt at the Amazon fulfillment center in the village of Dobroviz, near Prague, Czech Republic, December 20, 2018. REUTERS/David W Cerny/File Photo

Amazon.com Inc on March 9 hinted that fighting counterfeits was a reason for its sudden and unexplained purge of thousands of vendors that sowed panic among long-time suppliers. 

The company selectively reinstated some accounts, apologising for “any inconvenience” caused by the “temporary pause” in orders, according to communications reviewed by Bloomberg. It encouraged those reinstated to enrol in “brand registry”, a tool to help brands knock counterfeit products off the platform.