IP Takedown Procedure

1. Where to send a takedown notice

Send a written takedown notice to ip@snapell.com. This is a dedicated inbox monitored by Snapell’s trust & safety team. Do not use the general support address — IP notices are routed faster from this inbox.

2. What the notice must include

To act on a takedown notice we need the following information. Missing any of these slows the process down or stops us from acting.

• The brand or rights-holder you represent, and your role (in-house counsel, brand-protection agent, etc.).
• Your contact details (name, organisation, email, phone).
• A description of the right you hold (registered trade mark, copyright, design right) with the registration number where available.
• The Snapell listing URL or screenshot, or any other identifier that lets us find the item in our system.
• Why the listing infringes (counterfeit, unauthorised reseller, trade mark misuse, etc.).
• A statement, signed by you, that the information in the notice is accurate and that you are authorised to act on behalf of the rights-holder.

3. What Snapell does on receipt

1. Acknowledge. We acknowledge receipt of the notice via email within one business day.
2. Pull the listing. Where the notice gives us a clear identifier and the claim is on its face plausible, we pull the listing immediately. If the listing has already sold and is in transit, we hold the payout to the seller pending the outcome.
3. Investigate. Trust & safety review the listing, the seller, the AI appraisal record, and any evidence supplied by the brand owner.
4. IP-ban on first substantiated infringement. The first time we substantiate an infringement against a seller, the seller is IP-banned from the platform. We do not require a second strike for counterfeit or rights-infringing items.
5. Open the 7-day appeal window. The seller is notified of the ban and has 7 days to provide evidence of authenticity or other authorisation (purchase records, original packaging, point-of-sale receipts, licensing agreements).
6. Final decision. After the 7-day appeal window closes we confirm or reverse the ban. The decision is written and final at that point.

4. Counter-notice from the seller

A seller who believes a notice was sent in error can lodge a counter-notice during the appeal window. The counter-notice must include evidence of authenticity or authorisation, contact details, and a statement, signed by the seller, that the counter-notice is accurate. We pass the counter-notice on to the rights-holder. If the rights-holder withdraws the original notice, the seller’s account is reinstated and any held payout is released.

5. Records

Every takedown notice, counter-notice, and decision is recorded in our audit log indefinitely. This includes the time of the notice, the listing affected, the rights-holder, the outcome, and the date of any appeal. We keep these records to support pattern detection and to assist law enforcement where required.

6. Bad-faith and repeat-offender notices

Snapell does not act on bad-faith notices. If we find that a notice was sent without a reasonable basis, or that a single rights-holder is repeatedly sending notices that are not substantiated, we may decline to action further notices from that party until the pattern is resolved. We keep that record in the audit log too.

7. Other rights and other documents

This Procedure handles intellectual-property takedowns. It is not the same channel as a privacy request (see the Privacy Policy) or a general consumer complaint (use support@snapell.com). For the underlying acceptable-use rules, see the Acceptable Use & Counterfeit Policy.

8. Contact

IP takedown notices and counter-notices: ip@snapell.com.