Maker of electric motorcycles filed UDRP after domain purchase negotiations failed.
VirtualPoint, the same company that owns the UDRPsearch website, has sued a maker of electric motorcycles in a domain name dispute.
According to the lawsuit (pdf), VirtualPoint acquired the domain Voxan.com earlier this year. NameBio records show that it sold in a GoDaddy auction for $1,026. (It also sold at GoDaddy the prior year for $1,009.)
Shortly after that, VirtualPoint received purchase inquiries through a broker that did not identify itself as working with the company Venturi, which owns the brand Voxan.
The two parties couldn’t reach an agreement. Venturi’s final offer was $40,050, according to the lawsuit. VirtualPoint’s final offer was $144,800.
Venturi then filed a UDRP with World Intellectual Property Organization that has not yet been decided.
VirtualPoint is seeking declaratory judgment that it’s not infringing Venturi’s mark, and for Venturi’s trademark to be canceled. Brett Lewis of Lewis & Lin is representing VirtualPoint.
Paul says
Dave Lahoti – IE Virtual Point – is the kind of investor who gives the industry a bad name. He never has the intention of developing domains, asks ridiculous prices for even crappy names and is why we are a hated industry. He is also not a very nice person to boot. Part of me hopes he loses!
Bul says
Why would it be of your concern that he does not develop domains or asks for “ridiculous prices” for assets that are clearly his? Have you not heard that owning domain names for the sole purpose of selling them is legitimate and legal endeavour? None of what you said give the industry a bad name. If you can’t afford his crappy domains or you don’t want to pay the asking price, move on but don’t engage in smear. I can tell you that not so many in the industry are developing even 10% of the domains they have. The domains a simply inventory for the high valueing inquirers.
Where's the proof? says
Hey Paul,
Can you provide some evidence to any of this?
Where are you "Paul"? says
“Paul” – IE Anonymous Dude – is the kind of commenter who gives the blogging community a bad name. He never has the intention of revealing his identity, makes rediculous claims without even any crappy evidence and is why we are a hated community. He is also not a very responsive person to boot. Part of me hopes he gets banned!
Ramiro says
Acquiring and selling domain names that are identical or similar to registered trademarks on the Principal Register is not risk-free. It will be interesting to see if the Defendants in this case will file a point-by-point answer as required by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure or a 12(b)(1) motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction because the UDRP has not been decided. The Fourth Circuit’s decision in Barcelona.com provides an instructive background on the UDRP and federal appellate processes. But neither the district court in Arizona or the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals is bound by it.
Nick says
Good job VirtualPoint, glad to see investors be offensive instead of just being defensive