Turn on any T.V. in the United States and you’ll likely see a commercial for the latest and greatest pharmaceutical drug phenomenon.
It’s a familiar, often hilarious scene. Joyful couples frolicking through daisy-filled meadows, happy families gathered outside, all in great spirits after using the advertised miracle drug.
You then hear a familiar phrase, “Ask your doctor about….Trulicity, Skyrizi, Humira, Tremfya.
Wait, Skyrizi? Are these names of drugs or trending TikTok artists? Sounds more like pasta dishes than life-saving innovations.
The truth is, these brand names must sound professional and trustworthy to ease the blow from the rapid-fire list of possible side effects the companies are lawfully required to mention during the ad.
“Side effects may include; nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, shin splints, sleepwalking, bed-wetting, night terrors, stank breath, virgin birth, transforming into a werewolf, and in rare cases spontaneous human combustion, or all of the above.”
Case in point, brand names matter, and impact your bottom line. So when it comes to choosing one for your Amazon FBA business, it’s worth putting thought into.
| Did You Know? Your LLC and Amazon FBA brand name do not have to match. Your LLC name can be something completely unrelated to anything you sell on Amazon. |
Generic or Specific Brand Names?
Thinking of the perfect brand name can be time-consuming and stressful. And a common hang-up is choosing between a generic name that one could sell a variety of products under, or niche down to something more specific. There are pros and cons to both options.
Generic Names
First, a generic name is ideal for selling across multiple niches. Take the brand name below, “Stanley.” Using this brand name, the company can sell literally anything (The Stanley brand specializes in gifts for dads).
Generic names are advantageous to beginner sellers who haven’t quite figured out their niche yet, and want a bit of flexibility in deciding what to sell.
However, choosing a super-generic name might hurt you in the long run if you find yourself niched down and competing with other sellers with brand names related to their products.
Specific Names
The below brand, TINY HEAD KINGDOM, is a great example of a specific brand name within a very unique niche.
Indeed, TINY HEAD KINGDOM, is quite specific to stuffed animals with abnormally small heads. However, one could easily be more specific, i.e. “TINY HEAD ZOO” or “TINY HEAD SAFARI,” for example.
Relatable Amazon brand names like this can help sellers stand out in a crowded market place.
However, the big con with specific names is that it can box you in as a seller.
Let’s imagine a scenario where stuffed animals with nano-noggins go out of trend. Instead, stuffed creatures with tiny bodies and massive heads are in demand.
In this case, it’d be difficult (but not impossible) to pivot to the trending product with a name like TINY HEAD KINGDOM.
Of course there’s no way to predict trends, but it’s food for thought when deciding on a brand name for your Amazon product.
Generate A Random Name
If the creative juices aren’t flowing, let AI do the trick.
There’s countless websites that automatically generate lists of possible brand names for your business.
You can copy and paste them, or use them for inspiration. One of my favorites is Namelix.com, but a simple Google search will churn out countless others.
I recommend going with shorter names when possible; it’s just less to remember and guarantees you won’t hit character limit issues across platforms.
Your brand name should be memorable but not too far “out-there,” meaning it should be impactful without sounding over-the-top cheesy, insulting, or laced with profanities.
Trademarks
Trademarks are required for Amazon brand registry, and I highly recommend getting your brand registered.
The catch is, choosing a brand name does not automatically guarantee they’ll be a trademark available. In fact, they involve two completely separate processes.
So how do you check if you can trademark your brand name?
Head to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to check on the trademark status of the name in question. (Trademarks > Search Trademarks)
| IMPORTANT TO KNOW United States trademarks are industry-specific. Meaning that if there’s a registered trademark “GRIZZLE” in the oil and gas industry, it could be perfectly legal to get the same trademark registered in the pet industry. However, there is a grey area, and I recommend proceeding with caution. Ideally, you’ll just choose a trademark with No USPTO TESS records. Fiverr and Upwork are great sites to find trademark lawyers to help you with more advanced brand name and trademark inquiries. |
Website Domain Names
You’ll need a website to make your brand name professional and searchable .
The first step in creating a website is registering a domain name, or the www address one types in a web browser to reach your website. Camronjames.com, for example. The domain name should match your brand name as closely as possible.
There’s a host of websites where you can buy a domain name. Domains are renewable every year, or you can purchase them for up to five years in most cases.
Brand, Logos, and Packaging
To brand your product, create logos, and custom packaging, I recommend freelance marketplaces such as Fiverr and Upwork again for these purposes.
You can hire help for as low as $5 per hour, or upwards of $100+. Be warned, however, you typically get what you pay for, so proceed with caution and make sure to read reviews and testimonials.
Since they’re marketplaces, you can browse freelancers’ portfolios to see their style and samples of their work. I advise interviewing prior to hiring to make sure both your creative visions align.
| TIP: Make sure to save links to brands, logos, and packaging that you enjoy and would like to draw inspiration from. Provide the links to freelancers or marketing agencies to give them an idea of what you’re looking for. In my experience, this is much easier than trying to explain it. |
| ERROR CODE #5665 New sellers selling private label products will sometimes encounter error code #5655 after listing a product. To solve this, you’ll need to send photos of your product or packaging with your branding permanently affixed, so having a professional brand name, logo, and packaging ready to go is helpful to solve this problem, as well as with the brand approval process. |
Amazon FBA Storefront
After you’ve selected the perfect brand name, it’s well worth the time and effort to become brand registered. Registered brands have access to more advanced branding tools, like storefronts.
Storefronts allow you to add product images, videos, A + content, and create customizable layouts that resemble a website, like the Stanley storefront below.
Check out my video for the brand registry process here to learn more.
Ready to start your Amazon FBA Business?
My Amazon Wealth Accelerator (AWA) mentorship guides you through the entire Amazon FBA process and provides a community of support with others on the exact same journey.
AWA gives you a much-needed safeguard from costly mistakes, dead ends, and failed product investments.
So whether it’s solving issues with your Seller Central account, creative approaches to product research, scaling to new markets and niches, validating product ideas, customer service issues, and more, we’ve got you covered.
Learn more about it here.
