According to the complaint, the online sellers have created e-commerce stores designed to trick consumers into thinking they’re buying legitimate Led Zeppelin merchandise. These stores, operating under multiple aliases, allegedly use similar design elements and even search keywords tied to the band’s name to attract buyers looking for official products.
The lawsuit says that the sellers are offering unauthorized goods such as clothing, posters, and other items that imitate the real products made and sold under Led Zeppelin’s brand. Superhype Tapes claims the merchandise not only infringes on their trademarks but also harms their reputation by confusing customers and diluting the value of the brand.
The company alleges that the sellers exploit the anonymity and broad reach of the internet, along with a lack of effective oversight on major platforms such as Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Shein, and Temu. It also cites a larger concern about online counterfeiting, pointing to studies estimating the loss of hundreds of thousands of U.S. jobs and billions in tax revenue due to fake goods sold online.
Superhype Tapes says it has invested heavily in building and protecting the Led Zeppelin brand through licensing, promotion, and quality control. The company’s trademarks are registered with the U.S. government and appear on a wide range of merchandise sold through official retailers and the band’s website.
The lawsuit seeks court orders to shut down the counterfeiters’ operations, block their online listings, and award damages, including up to $2 million per violation. It also asks for an injunction to stop further sales and prevent the sellers from transferring profits to avoid accountability.
The case has been assigned to Judge Gretchen S. Lund and Magistrate Judge Abizer Zanzi in the U.S. District Court of Northern Indiana Case No. 2:25-cv-00261.