Definitely don’t just lock it in a safe or save it in a digital folder. Make your trademark certificate work for you!
Here’s how: Take that important document—the one with the government’s golden seal—and register your trademark with China Customs. This simple step can dramatically reduce the chances of counterfeit products crossing borders and cutting into your revenue or diluting your brand in global markets.
Why is this a game changer? Registering your trademark with customs is one of the most powerful ways to combat counterfeits because it stops them at the source. Here’s how it works:
- Once registered, customs officials monitor shipments for your trademark.
- If they detect products bearing your mark, they’ll notify you.
- You decide whether to authorize the shipment. If it’s unauthorized or from an unapproved vendor/exporter, the shipment is seized.
- Once confirmed counterfeit, the products are destroyed.
And here’s the kicker: You’ll receive sender information, which can open doors to factory raids, civil claims, or even criminal enforcement. Protecting your brand at the border can be the first step in taking down counterfeiters globally.
Why is this so effective? Because 98% of seizures by Chinese customs are triggered by suspected trademark infringements.
Below is a graph illustrating products seized by Chinese customs from 1998 to 2022 (data for 2023 is unavailable). While the quantity of seized goods is significant, what’s particularly noteworthy is that MOST (>98%) of these seizures are triggered by suspected trademark infringements. What’s the secret here? Well, it’s common sense — it’s a lot easier and straightforward for customs officials to spot trademark infringement as opposed to products that may have violated someone’s patent or software codes.
