Running rings around counterfeiters with Transparency
“Transparency has eliminated a lot of stress for us, now that we’ve got Amazon watching our back and our brand.”
Ticia Pinto
Director of Marketplace Growth
From outdoorsman to entrepreneur
While Groove Life’s products are sold across the world, the brand’s heart lies firmly in the great outdoors. Born in untamed Alaska, Groove Life sprung from the founder’s need for a wedding ring that would better suit hours spent guiding tours in cold, wet and often harsh conditions.
Whether in the wilderness or the warehouse, traditional metal rings can catch or break, putting the wearer at risk of serious injuries. Working from a freezing garage in Port Alsworth, AK, Peter Goodwin solved these issues by designing and perfecting the original Groove ring. Groove Life’s rings are designed with safety in mind. Made from lightweight, durable, medical-grade silicone with special grooves on the inner surface that let in air, Groove Life’s rings block out moisture and keep up with a demanding lifestyle.
“We got in touch with a bunch of factories whose workers weren’t previously allowed to wear rings because it was a hazard,” says Ticia Pinto, Groove Life’s Director of Marketplace Growth. “Metal rings can easily get caught in machinery, and, because they don’t break, you can quickly lose a finger. But with our silicone rings that have a lower failure force, those workers can now wear their wedding rings while they work.”
Whether in the wilderness or the warehouse, traditional metal rings can catch or break, putting the wearer at risk of serious injuries. Working from a freezing garage in Port Alsworth, AK, Peter Goodwin solved these issues by designing and perfecting the original Groove ring. Groove Life’s rings are designed with safety in mind. Made from lightweight, durable, medical-grade silicone with special grooves on the inner surface that let in air, Groove Life’s rings block out moisture and keep up with a demanding lifestyle.
“We got in touch with a bunch of factories whose workers weren’t previously allowed to wear rings because it was a hazard,” says Ticia Pinto, Groove Life’s Director of Marketplace Growth. “Metal rings can easily get caught in machinery, and, because they don’t break, you can quickly lose a finger. But with our silicone rings that have a lower failure force, those workers can now wear their wedding rings while they work.”
Partnering up for success
Since its launch, Groove Life has seen strong growth year after year, forging ahead with an ever-expanding array of adventure-inspired product lines, including belts, watch bands and a staggering selection of rings.
Within just a few years of selling via Amazon, the brand’s popularity took off.
“We’ve seen crazy amounts of growth. Just in two years, over 300–400%. It has just exploded.”
But with such success comes no shortage of imitators, keen to cash in on a lucrative new market.
“In the beginning, there were just three companies doing what we do. But people catch on to areas of growth, selling lower-quality counterfeits of our products that are a quarter of what we charge. But we stand by our brand, the quality of our products, and all the research and development behind them,” says Pinto.
Within just a few years of selling via Amazon, the brand’s popularity took off.
“We’ve seen crazy amounts of growth. Just in two years, over 300–400%. It has just exploded.”
But with such success comes no shortage of imitators, keen to cash in on a lucrative new market.
“In the beginning, there were just three companies doing what we do. But people catch on to areas of growth, selling lower-quality counterfeits of our products that are a quarter of what we charge. But we stand by our brand, the quality of our products, and all the research and development behind them,” says Pinto.
Dead ringers
For the most part, the brand was aware and accepting of this challenge, understanding that competition of this sort was an unavoidable part of doing business. However, this imitation crossed the line into counterfeiting where bad actors were manufacturing and selling lower-quality products as Groove Life’s products. This proved to be damaging to Groove Life’s sales and reputation.
Customers who purchased these products were often confused by the poor quality of what they’d received, and expressed their frustrations by leaving bad reviews. When Groove Life’s customer experience team reached out to these customers, they discovered that the products were counterfeit.
“People would say to us, ‘Your rings are horrible, they break after two days,’ but they weren’t our products,” explains Pinto. “So, we did the best we could and sent them one of ours so they could try it.”
As well as providing the means to turbocharge Groove Life’s growth, Amazon also offered the means to protect it via programmes such as Transparency.
Customers who purchased these products were often confused by the poor quality of what they’d received, and expressed their frustrations by leaving bad reviews. When Groove Life’s customer experience team reached out to these customers, they discovered that the products were counterfeit.
“People would say to us, ‘Your rings are horrible, they break after two days,’ but they weren’t our products,” explains Pinto. “So, we did the best we could and sent them one of ours so they could try it.”
As well as providing the means to turbocharge Groove Life’s growth, Amazon also offered the means to protect it via programmes such as Transparency.
LOCATION
Spring Hill, Tennessee
INDUSTRY
Silicone Rings and Accessories
AMAZON LAUNCH
2016
BRAND PROTECTION TOOLS
Brand Registry
Transparency
Transparency
Innovative protection for an innovative brand
With Transparency, Groove Life has found all the tools they need to protect their brand, their products and their customers. They’re able to attach secure, unique Transparency codes to each of their product’s packaging, so customers can verify that they’ve received genuine products. Even better, Transparency proactively helps flag and prevent the sale, shipment and even listing of fake products by bad actors on Amazon.
Because they’re able to print Transparency code labels themselves on site, they work just as quickly and flexibly as before, launching new products without the need for transition periods and changes to delivery label design.
Because they’re able to print Transparency code labels themselves on site, they work just as quickly and flexibly as before, launching new products without the need for transition periods and changes to delivery label design.
Transparency just keeps getting better. Now that we can print Transparency labels in house, everything changed for us. Our team is so much quicker, and we are going to enrol more and more products.Ticia PintoDirector of Marketplace Growth
Extending the benefits of Transparency
Eliminating counterfeits has also helped Groove Life ensure that they’re protecting the intellectual property of the brands they work with. This commitment has led them to strengthen their relationships with large licensors, some of which include Marvel and DC Comics.
“It’s definitely a sense of protection. Just knowing that there’s a Transparency label on the box helps us feel more secure that we’re not only protecting our brand, but the brands we work with as well.”
Enrol today in Transparency
Explore more case studies
© 2024, Amazon Services LLC.
On this site, we use cookies and similar tools (collectively, ‘cookies’) to provide and improve services to you and to show ads. To find out more about how Amazon uses cookies, please read the Amazon Cookies Notice.