About Howell & Associates
Protecting Your Brand. Restoring Your Control.
Your brand deserves more than a one-size-fits-all solution. We have the investigative expertise, proven processes, and a consultative approach to protect your channel, enforce compliance, and restore long-term value. We want to guide you - and work alongside you and your brand as if it were our own, so you can grow with confidence instead of fear of erosion or loss.
Who We Are
Howell & Associates was built by a team of seasoned enforcement experts In fact, some of us helped write the original brand protection playbook. Led by David Howell, whose background spans SaaS, law enforcement and military service, our team of experts has been solving these problems longer than most brands have had names for them.
We stay lean on purpose. Unlike bloated legal firms or faceless tech platforms, we move quickly, act decisively, and believe every relationship is a partnership. We’re in this with you. That’s the reason Fortune 100s trust us. Because we deliver results without the red tape. Founders trust us because we protect their brands like they are our own. We provide solutions for most major industries.
Most clients come to us frustrated by endless MAP violations and unauthorized sellers undermining their hard work. They stay with us because we provide:
Clarity in even the most complex enforcement landscapes
Control over pricing, partners, and brand presentation
Confidence to grow without fear of erosion or loss
When the stakes are high, brands don’t just need a “vendor.” They need a guide who’s been there before, solved it, and is ready to work alongside them and do it again. We want to be your guide. We’ll help you and your brand take back control.
How We Work: The Howell & Associates Enforcement Framework
Taking back control of your channel requires more than software alerts or one-off legal letters. It requires a partnership that delivers repeatable results. That’s where our Enforcement Framework came from. It’s evolved from working with hundreds of cases and partnerships with people just like you, moving brands from chaos to control and giving them the tools to stay there.
Our process doesn’t just manage issues. We help you transform how you see and control your channel.
Monitor
We integrate your monitoring tools with our investigative expertise to deliver full visibility, giving you a clear picture of where the problems truly are so we can work together on your data.
Investigate
We uncover who they are, where they sell, and how they got there behind unauthorized sales, rogue sellers, distribution leaks, and sourcing networks. So every investigation leads directly to a strategy for removal.
Enforce
We act decisively to remove violators, restore MAP compliance, and reinforce partner relationships, stabilizing pricing, rebuilding confidence, and taking the daily firefighting off your team’s shoulders.
Maintain
We don’t walk away after cleanup. We stand guard with you to keep your channel healthy, stable, and built for growth, so you can move from crisis mode to confident expansion.
Protecting your brand is never simple. Unauthorized sellers, MAP violations, counterfeit goods, & channel leaks all put pressure on margins & relationships. We’ve seen it all. We helped build the brand protection playbook more than a decade ago, & we still lead with investigative expertise, not theory.
Q&A: Straight Answers to Your Toughest Channel Questions
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A: We shut down unauthorized sellers, enforce MAP policies, and close the distribution leaks that fuel gray market goods. Our team investigates sellers, uncovers their sourcing, and removes them so your margins and channel partners stay protected.
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A: Most brands feel immediate relief in the first weeks as enforcement takes pressure off internal teams. The bulk of cleanup happens within 60 to 90 days, with steady compliance and stability by six months.
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A: No. Serialization can help, but it is not required. We use investigative research and proven legal arguments to remove unauthorized sellers, even if your products are not serialized.
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A: We enforce across Amazon, Walmart, eBay, Google Shopping, TikTok Shop, direct-to-consumer sites, and more. Enforcement is global. If a seller is undermining your brand, we can take action.
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A: We begin with a kickoff phase to stabilize your channel and set strategy. From there, communication is consistent and tailored to your needs. Weekly, biweekly, or on-demand. Every engagement is customized to fit how your brand operates.
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A: Foundational documents like MAP policies and reseller agreements help, but they are not required. If you don’t have them, we start there. The only requirement is that you are ready to engage. Everything else we can build together.
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A: We focus on removing rogue sellers and unfair competition, not targeting your trusted accounts. That keeps key partners confident while stabilizing your pricing.
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A: We were part of the team that created this industry. Our background is in federal law enforcement and brand protection. We helped write the playbook most firms follow today, and we still lead with investigative expertise and proven results.
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A: Yes, and you are right. Channel Managers, and other people in this industry have a language all our own. That’s why we created a Free Glossary you can use to learn and expand your vocabulary. Enjoy!
Didn’t find what you were looking for? Visit our FAQ PAGE for even more answers.
What to Expect
At Howell & Associates we are here to guide you.
We’ll begin with a kickoff phase to learn more about you, your challenges, stabilize your channel and collaborate to set a strategy focused on outcomes. From there, communication is tailored to your needs: weekly, biweekly, or on-demand. Every engagement is customized to fit how your brand operates, so you feel supported without being burdened. You’ll get:
Immediate relief: Most brands feel the pressure lift within the first few weeks as enforcement takes hold
Rapid cleanup: The bulk of violations are resolved within 60 to 90 days
Long-term stability: Within six months, compliance and channel health become the new normal
Pricing Integrity That Holds: MAP programs that protect margins and prevent race-to-the-bottom erosion
Stronger Retail Relationships: Confidence from partners who see you taking control of your channel
Reduced Channel Chaos: Fewer gray market distractions and clearer seller ecosystems
Confidence to Scale: The ability to grow with new partners and markets without losing control
You don’t need a large internal team to make this work. Many of our clients rely on us to do all the heavy lifting, while others ask us to strengthen the programs they already have in place. Either way, you get a partner who adapts to your capacity and delivers results without creating new overhead.
Ready to Take Back Control?
Protecting your brand today means safeguarding its future. We work with you to deliver actionable solutions that restore confidence and control in your channels.