> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.onlinebrandgrowth.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# MAP Enforcement on Amazon: How Brands Protect Pricing

> What MAP (minimum advertised price) enforcement means on Amazon, why violations happen, and how brands stop them.

**MAP (minimum advertised price) enforcement on Amazon means identifying sellers advertising your products below your MAP policy and taking escalating action - notices, supply-chain investigation, and removal - to stop them.** On Amazon, MAP violations are almost always caused by unauthorized resellers, because authorized partners agree to your policy.

## Why MAP Violations Hurt

* **Retail partner conflict** - brick-and-mortar and authorized e-commerce partners see your product advertised cheaper on Amazon and lose confidence in the brand
* **Margin erosion** - a race to the bottom in the Buy Box compresses everyone's pricing power
* **Brand equity damage** - persistent discounting repositions a premium product as a commodity

## How Enforcement Works

1. **Continuous price monitoring** across your ASINs to catch violations quickly
2. **Violator identification and documentation** - who is selling, at what price, with dated evidence
3. **Enforcement notices** - cease and desist communications citing your policy and rights
4. **Supply-chain investigation** - persistent violators usually trace back to a leak in your distribution; test buys help identify the source
5. **Removal and prevention** - escalating through the steps in the [unauthorized seller removal guide](/guides/unauthorized-seller-removal), up to Amazon Transparency enrollment

## A Note on MAP and Amazon Itself

Amazon does not enforce your MAP policy for you - MAP agreements are between you and your resellers. The practical lever on Amazon is controlling **who** sells your products, which is why MAP enforcement and unauthorized-seller removal are the same fight.

OBG's [360 Brand Protection™](/services/360-brand-protection) handles this automatically for brand partners, at no cost as part of a broader engagement. [Book a free OBG360 Audit](https://www.onlinebrandgrowth.com/#book-call) to discuss your situation.