For brands that make, source, or sell in China
Is someone registering your brand name in China right now?
China is a first-to-file country — the first person to file owns the trademark, even if it's your brand. Squatters can block your shipments at Chinese customs — and sellers report demands of $10,000–$30,000 to give the name back.
Our $149 scan checks China's trademark registry for your name — and tells you where you stand, in plain English, within 72 hours.
Delivered in 72 hours · English report · No account needed · If your risk is low, the report will say so
The Risk · 01
The risk, in one minute
Amazon sellers have documented this pattern on Reddit since 2019 — it still happens in 2026.
「China's trademark process is 'first to file' and not 'first to use' like the USA … Once the trademark is approved in China they can pay to file with Chinese customs to stop any shipment leaving the country.」
— Amazon seller, r/FulfillmentByAmazon, 2019 thread
Your name gets filed
A squatter — often a competitor or someone inside your supply chain — files your brand name with China's registry before you do. First to file wins the name; being first to use it counts for nothing here.
Customs gets involved
Once approved, they file with Chinese customs and can stop any shipment carrying "their" trademark from leaving China. Your factory can pack the goods — they just can't ship them.
The ransom
Buying the trademark back reportedly costs $10,000–$30,000 in 2026 — or years of litigation. Many sellers pay, because restarting a brand from zero costs even more.
The Math · 02
If you do nothing — the risk
If you check first — the math
Services & Pricing · 03
Two services. One safe entry into China.
Check your existing brand name against squatting — and, when you're ready to launch, develop a Chinese name that's available and safe to own.
Brand Scan
$149
one-time · per brand name · 72-hour delivery
- Exact + near-match search, including Chinese transliterations
- Relevant trademark classes for your category
- Risk grade (Clear / Watch / Act Now) + plain-English report
- Action plan with real costs — see a full sample report
Secure checkout via Paddle · Full refund if we can't deliver
Chinese Brand Naming
from $1,999
custom quote · sized to your brand scope
- Chinese name options developed for your brand, category & tone of voice
- Name availability + trademark near-match clearance
- Negative-meaning / homophone check (the "Benz / 奔驰" trap)
- WeChat, Weibo & Xiaohongshu handle availability check
Final quote confirmed in writing, based on your brand, category & naming directions — no surprises.
After your scan — where it might lead
Name is clear → file before someone else does
We introduce you to a licensed China trademark agent. Typical cost: $400–700 per class, all-in, quoted in writing before you commit to anything.
Conflict found → know your options and deadlines
Your report lays out opposition, negotiation, or rebranding for China — with indicative costs and the real dates that decide which path is still open.
Portfolio or monitoring → ask us
Multi-brand portfolios and monitoring subscriptions — ask us for scope and pricing.
Who We Are · 04
Consultants, not a script
14 years inside China's consumer industry
Founder Echo C. ran category and product strategy at Henkel, L'Oréal and Daymon — portfolios worth ¥2B RMB a year. She knows what a blocked shipment does to a brand's quarter, because she's been on that side of the table.
Native readers, primary sources
Databases translate; they don't read. Every scan is run by a consultant in China against the CNIPA registry in the original Chinese — catching the transliterations and near-matches that offshore tools structurally miss.
Not a law firm — and we say so
We research and grade risk; filings go through licensed agents we refer, with costs stated in writing before you commit. No retainer, no meter, no surprise invoices.
Inside the Scan · 05
What the scan includes
- Exact & near-match search — your brand name plus common transliterations, across the relevant trademark classes
- Who filed, when, and in which classes — identified in plain English
- Risk grade — Clear / Watch / Act Now, with the reasoning spelled out
- What to do next — concrete options; if registration is needed, we refer you to a licensed China trademark agent
- Honest scope note — if you neither manufacture nor sell in China, we'll tell you the risk level and whether a filing is even worth it
FAQ · 06
Questions sellers actually ask
Someone already filed my trademark in China. What now?
Don't pay the sender, and don't ignore it. Knowing that someone filed is not the same as knowing what to do — that depends on who filed, in which classes, at what status, and whether an opposition deadline is running. The scan gives you those four facts in 72 hours, plus the realistic options for each.
Isn't this just a scam email? I got one saying someone wants to register my brand.
Some of those emails are scams — and some are real. The only way to know is to check the registry itself, which is exactly what we do. Unlike the email, we show you the primary-source records.
How much does a China trademark check cost?
A flat $149 per brand name — one-time, no account, report by email within 72 hours.
Guides · 07
Go deeper
That "Someone Is Registering Your Trademark in China" Email: Scam or Real?
Some of those emails are mass-mailed scams — some are real filings. Five signals to tell them apart in 30 seconds, how to check China's registry yourself, and what buybacks actually cost if it's true.
Read the guide → GuideChina Trademark Squatter? What to Do in 7 Steps
Found your name filed by someone else? The sequence experienced sellers follow: verify, check the 3-month window, profile the applicant, and weigh buyback vs. opposition vs. rebrand.
Read the 7 steps → Cost guideTrademark Your Brand in China: What It Really Costs from the US
About $500 for a basic filing through a licensed agent — with the full breakdown by class count, opposition costs, and why the seller-forum "$500 vs. $30,000" asymmetry keeps repeating.
See the real costs →Check Now · 08
Find out where you stand
72 hours from now, you'll either have peace of mind — or a head start on the problem.
Check my brand — $149