Selling third-party products on Trade Me

When you buy third-party products, make sure you research them carefully and ensure they’re the right fit. This is especially important if you’re using the part with a vehicle, machinery, or a chainsaw. Always make sure you install parts correctly and that they’re working properly.

When you’re selling third-party products, it’s important to tell buyers if they are compatible with a product, work with a product, or fit a product.

For example:

• Black ink compatible with Epson printer
• Blue USB cable works with Apple iPhone
• Rainbow smartphone case to fit Samsung Galaxy

You should always use these types of phrases in the title and description of your listing to make it clear that the product is not an official product.

It’s easy for people to get confused and think that a third-party product is an official product made by a company. If you’re not careful, you could break trademark law and the Fair Trading Act.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Don’t use keywords or brand names in your listings that aren’t compatible with your products.
• Don’t use brand names in your description that aren’t relevant to the product.
• If you use brand names in your listings, you might affect how people find your products when they search. This can violate our listing policy.

Unclear wording may confuse bidders into thinking they are bidding on items made under licence for that brand and in some cases could be a breach of trademark law and the Fair Trading Act.

Avoid using keywords in your listings, don’t mention a product in a listing that isn’t compatible or use irrelevant brand names in the description as it skews search results and is against our listing policy.

Aftermarket products are simple copies of original products that may be listed on Trade Me. These products can’t break the manufacturer’s intellectual property rights. If you’re unsure if a product is legal to sell, check out our guide on Intellectual property rights.