Cease-and-desist letter template for a seller copying your product photos

A firm, plain-English letter asking a copying seller to remove your photos — useful for independent websites and social shops without a takedown form.

Updated 2026-10-27 · Markdown

Use this when you can contact the copying seller directly — for example a standalone website or a social media shop. For marketplaces, a platform report is usually faster; see report a copy.

Template

Subject: Unauthorized use of my product photographs — please remove within 7 days

Hello,

I'm [YOUR NAME], the maker behind [SHOP NAME]. Your page [INFRINGING URL] uses my product photographs of "[PRODUCT NAME]" without my permission. I first published these photographs on [DATE] at [YOUR LISTING URL].

I own the copyright in these photographs. Please remove them, and any copies, from your website, marketplace listings and social media within 7 days of this message, and confirm by reply when you have done so.

If they're not removed, I'll file takedown notices with your hosting provider and the platforms you sell on.

Regards,
[YOUR NAME]
[SHOP NAME] · [EMAIL]

If there's no reply

Send a DMCA notice to their web host. Copies of the same photo often appear on several sites at once — find who's using your photos first so you can deal with them together.

Questions

Do I need a lawyer to send this?

No. Anyone can send a letter asserting their own copyright. A lawyer's letter can carry more weight in serious or commercial cases.