Any Amazon sellers recently clobbered (wrongly) for Trademark Infringement?

[anniecov]

I got a couple of mugs blocked on Amazon for Trademark Infringement in the last couple of days.

Someone decided to "trademark" a commonly used word and is now reporting anyone with that word in their design for trademark infringement. Out products were on sale for at least a year before this person registered the trademark. There are 30,000 products with this word on it on Amazon UK but he's only targeting other mug sellers.

I now know of 4 other Amazon sellers who have had policy violations because of this guy and we are working together to get this dubious trademark revoked. If anyone here has had similar issues, please PM me.

[Justin]

We heard there was someone doing this, they look what's really selling, i.e. "Not Bald, this is a Solar Panel" then they trademark this so no-one else can use it, start printing themselves and take all the market place!

[anniecov]

This guy has picked one popular word. Design or style doesn't matter.

Technically he can stop people using the word as a trademark but it doesn't give him sole rights to a word in common usage. However, that is what he is doing.

[webtrekker]

Jeez! I hope he doesn't get round to trademarking the words '100% genuine!' on ebay!!!

[anniecov]

LOL no... it's a much simpler word than that. Imagine it was "greatest" and you'd be close. Ummm... I wonder if GREATEST is trademarked?

Hopefully you get the idea.

[Quinsfan]

I may trademark Mother, Mother’s and Mum just to get the Mother’s Day trade.


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[GoonerGary]

How on earth do these qualify as trademarks? Since the trademark is published, can you not tell us so we can take a look?

I also got hit with a well known phrase. They trademarked it in the USA over Christmas, sneaky so and so's. I got turned down for a trademark for a phrase which I had invented. Dismissed due to several copycat sellers also using the phrase on a mug!

[Drew]

Since the trademark is published, can you not tell us so we can take a look?

+1 You won't get in trouble for using the word here.

I got hit on eBay with one last week. Have searched IPO and can't find it, or anything even close. Have contacted the email of the 'rights holder' eBay gave me in their 'we have removed' email, but they haven't bothered to respond with information on where I can see the trademark. Does make me wonder how much these companies actually check before removing items.

[UK Printed Mugs]

We got turned down for a trade mark on a three word phrase (registered Ltd company name) that no one else has ever used and they turned it down due to the word "express" being one of the words. When I gave them a list of trade marks they had accepted with the word "express" in e.g. Pizza Express they said I can't use previous approvals as a justification for a new trade mark. I think they just spin a wheel to determine who gets approval!

[froggy]

There's a lot of this stuff going on at the moment. Chancers trying to play the system, using any underhand tactic they can think of.. If you want market share out trade us, dont resort to this nonsense.