Commercial Connect applies for .shop trademarks
Thursday, March 29th, 2012
Company vying for .shop files dead-on-arrival applications with USPTO.
Commercial Connect, LLC, one of the companies planning to apply for the .shop top level domain, has filed two trademark applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
The two applications are for “.shop” and “DotShop”, and were filed on March 23.
Both applications were filed on an intent-to-use basis, although the “Good and Services” description claims some prior use:
C 045. US 100 101. G & S: IN USE BASIS — Pre-launch top level domain registry services, namely, pre-registration domain name registry services (since 1996); Pre-launch top level domain registry services, namely, providing web information services, training, and blogs in the field of eCommerce, and facilitating on-line marketing and advertising (since 2000); INTENT TO USE BASIS — Top level domain registry services, namely, arranging for registrar services, domain name directory services, provision of a service which provides notice to potential domain name registrants of existing trademark rights, and computerized database management, namely, developing, maintaining and administering computerized databases; providing the right to use domain name licenses.
Commercial Connect’s trademark applications will be rejected, so I’m not sure why they bothered to file them.
2 words
‘Merely Descriptive’
Thst’s pretty funny.
What is really cute is how they think they are clever by reciting “pre launch” services.
You see, that way, they’ll then claim use in commerce sooner than any of the other idiots who filed applications on an intent to use basis for actual registry services.
Another believer is trademark voodoo.
So, the next phase of the tld trademark saga I predict will be after the registry is awarded.
The attempts then will turn to ‘dotTLD’ word mark applications where registries will bundle a basket of services around their tld and then claim, ‘Oh no, OUR dotTLD means so much more than merely just a top level domain!’
I don’t think it will fly. With the proliferation in the market of new ‘dotwhatevers’ the average person will recognize dotANYTHING as a Top Level Domain.
Therefore merely descriptive.
They will have to settle for design trademarks.