To prevent seller information leakage, multiple platforms in North America have established a seller protection alliance

The rules will require online retail marketplaces that include third-party sellers to authenticate the identities of “large numbers of third-party sellers,” the head of the U.S. Congress said .

After learning the news, many e-commerce platforms, such as eBay, Etsy, Mercari, OfferUp and Poshmark , established the " Alliance to Protect Online Sellers " or PASS Alliance yesterday to oppose the federal law that would make seller information transparent in order to reduce the sale of counterfeit and stolen goods in the online market .

The coalition cited privacy concerns about certain disclosure requirements of the bill. Poshmark spokeswoman Amber McCasland also said it would be unfair to sellers of used or second-hand items, even though a copy of the proposed legislation only targets high-volume sellers of "new or unused consumer goods . "

The bipartisan INFORM Act was introduced in the U.S. Senate last week. Major North American e-commerce platforms have expressed support, including Walmart and Amazon.

Because Walmart 's market is on the rise, while for Amazon , more than 60% of the platform's merchandise sales are conducted through third-party sellers, and the rampant counterfeit and shoddy products have long been criticized by society.

Platforms in the Seller Protection Alliance said that they all have the ability to resist counterfeit and shoddy products and there is no need to disclose sellers’ identity information.

The first to feel angry about the proliferation of counterfeit products are the brands, so they will vent their anger on the major platforms . As the first to come forward, Amazon will always be the first to be fired at this platform.

One Amazon seller said: "If Amazon could cancel the follow-selling policy , there wouldn't be so many problems. Amazon just wants to make money and puts the blame on the sellers. "

Michael Hanson, a spokesman for the coalition , said the retail coalition, which includes Walmart and Target, worked with lawmakers on the bill and has been in touch with PASS coalition members. "I am disappointed in the bill," Hanson said.

It is reported that the North American e-commerce market has been ambiguous in its response to social criticism and has not provided any alternatives to the provisions of the bill. Currently, only a few platforms have come out to oppose it, while most platforms are still waiting and watching, and the sellers are the ultimate victims.

Hansen said the Coalition to Protect Sellers had slammed the bill's one-size-fits-all approach, but that it would be more palatable if it included exceptions and alternatives , didn't make sellers' information public, or screened out sellers that were operating legally and illegally.

But currently the bill targets high-volume sellers, that is, sellers who have made 200 or more discrete sales or transactions of new or unused consumer products in any consecutive 12-month period in the past 24 months , resulting in total gross receipts of $5,000 or more .

Importantly, the bill currently intends not to impose any taxes on sellers , but Mercari complains: "Even if sellers and platforms do not bear the tax, the money will burden sellers and platforms in another form."

Currently, North American e-commerce platforms are divided into three groups: supporters, opponents, and neutrals. Each group insists on its own opinion, and the bill is still being drafted, so the details are not yet known. But for sellers in the US market, it is a torture.

North America

Seller information leakage

Protecting the Seller Alliance