Amazon asks ICANN to ignore bad string confusion objection decision.
Amazon.com has appealed to ICANN’s board to overrule a decision in a string confusion objection that placed its new TLD application for .通販 in a contention set with .shop.
Panelist Robert Nau ruled that .通販, which loosely translates to “online shopping”, would cause confusion amongst internet users when compared to .shop.
It was truly an awful decision, and I can understand Amazon’s response.
Amazon argues its reconsideration request (pdf) on two fronts.
First, it argues that it had not received the formal objection filed by Commercial Connect. In his decision, panelist Nau said that, although it may not have been served in accordance with the rules, it was clear that Amazon had copies of what it needed in the case.
Second, it argues that Nau used the wrong standards in coming to his decision. It also points out that a different panelist found that .购物, a Chinese version of “.shop”, was not found similar to .shop. Therefore, it’s clear that two different standards were used.
Commercial Connect has also filed its own reconsideration request on the Chinese version of .shop.
Should ICANN accept the panel’s decision, .通販 would be placed in a contention set for .shop. Amazon also applied for .shop, meaning it would only be able to pursue one of the two applications.
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