How the fight against counterfeits on Wildberries works in 2026

Why the problem of counterfeiting remains relevant

Counterfeiting has long ceased to be limited to fakes of luxury brands. Today, violations are found in almost all product categories.

The most common types of violations include:

• use of someone else's trademark without permission;

• selling counterfeit products under a well-known brand;

• copying photos and descriptions of the original product;

• use of confusingly similar designations;

• selling goods that mislead customers regarding their manufacturer.

For the right holder, this means not only a loss of revenue but also reputational risks - customers rarely distinguish who exactly sold the low-quality product, so the negative experience is often associated directly with the brand.

What changed in 2026

2026 became an important milestone for the regulation of marketplace operations.

First, the largest platforms began implementing the provisions of the Memorandum on Fair Practices of Digital Platforms. As part of the Wildberries roadmap, the development of mechanisms for confirming rightsholder status and the improvement of procedures for reviewing intellectual property infringement claims were announced.

Second, marketplaces gained access to additional tools for verifying rights to intellectual property objects through integration with state registries. This allows for faster identification of trademark owners and response to disputed situations.

Third, in June 2026, the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation formulated an important legal position: a marketplace cannot limit itself to simply forwarding a rightsholder's complaint to the seller. In the presence of a justified claim, the platform is obliged to take measures, including the temporary blocking of disputed product listings. This decision significantly strengthened the positions of rightsholders.

What tools does Wildberries use

1. Rightsholder Complaint System

The primary mechanism for combating counterfeit goods remains the submission of an appeal by the trademark owner or their representative through the marketplace service called Digital Arbitration.

Typically, the rightsholder provides a trademark certificate, a license agreement (if necessary), evidence of the infringement, and links to product listings.

After reviewing the appeal, the marketplace may block the listing, restrict sales, request documents from the seller, and remove content that violates rights.

2. Labeling Verification

For a number of product categories, control through the "Chestny Znak" system is already in effect.

Wildberries verifies the mandatory registration of sellers and is gradually expanding its labeling validation tools. This does not solve the counterfeit problem completely, but it significantly complicates the work of unscrupulous sellers.

3. Rightsholder Verification

One of the platform's development directions is the idea of a one-time verification of rightsholder status.

After passing the verification, a company will be able to report violations without re-uploading the full package of documents for each complaint. This approach reduces response times and simplifies the mass fight against violators.

What tools can a right holder use

As noted above, the right holder can appeal a violation through Digital Arbitration. However, in the case of brand rights infringement, especially systematic ones, removing the disputed listing is only the first stage.

To protect brand rights, the right holder can go to court, demand the disclosure of information about the seller's activities (including counterfeit sales volumes, etc.), and recover compensation or damages incurred due to the illegal use of their trademark.

It should be noted separately that last year, the legislator increased the maximum amount of compensation for infringement of exclusive rights to certain intellectual property objects to 10 million rubles.

However, for timely protection, including the prevention of repeated violations, constant monitoring of the marketplace is required. Instead of one-time checks, companies are increasingly using automated violation searches, which allow for tracking new listings, the appearance of disputed designations, suspiciously low prices, the use of branded images, or the activities of networks of interconnected sellers.

What an effective brand protection strategy looks like

In 2026, the most effective model is considered to be a multi-level one, which includes:

1. Trademark registration.

2. Continuous monitoring of marketplaces.

3. Rapid identification of violations.

4. Automated preparation of claims.

5. Monitoring the enforcement of marketplace decisions.

6. Legal prosecution of systemic violators.

This approach allows not only for the removal of individual listings but also for reducing the total volume of counterfeit products surrounding the brand.

What happens next

Recent trends show that the responsibility of marketplaces for combating counterfeit goods is steadily increasing. Integration with government registries, new requirements for digital platforms, and the development of internal anti-counterfeiting mechanisms are making the market more transparent. However, it is impossible to solve the problem entirely through the efforts of marketplaces alone.

Therefore, in the coming years, automated monitoring technologies and proactive efforts by rights holders will play a key role. The faster a brand detects a violation, the less damage is done to sales and reputation, including consumer trust. For companies that actively sell products through marketplaces, combating counterfeiting is no longer a one-off legal task but a continuous business process.

FAQ

1. How to report counterfeit goods on Wildberries?

The right holder or their representative can submit an appeal through the interaction channels provided by the marketplace for intellectual property issues. Usually, it is required to provide documents regarding brand rights (for example, a trademark certificate) and evidence of infringement - links to the disputed product listings. After verification, the marketplace may request additional documents, restrict sales, or delete the product listing.

2. Can Wildberries independently detect counterfeits?

Yes, the marketplace uses various control mechanisms, including verifying seller documents, analyzing complaints from right holders, and working with government information systems. However, due to the vast number of products and sellers, most violations are still identified only after reports from brand owners or through specialized monitoring systems.

3. What to do if the counterfeit reappears after the listing is deleted?

Re-listing products is one of the most common problems on marketplaces. In such a situation, it is important not to limit yourself to a one-time complaint, but to organize constant monitoring of the platform. This allows for the prompt identification of new violations, tracking of interconnected sellers, and the formation of an evidentiary base for further claims or legal actions.