3D printing marks a new wave of printing technology that has wide-reaching implications on both sides of the law. The impact of this technology on intellectual rights is significant. 3D printing is becoming more affordable for businesses, consumers and counterfeiters. This presents a new challenge, for brand owners, in the fight against counterfeiting. 3D printing can...
“Counterfeit goods can be alluring when the prices are significantly lower than consumers would normally pay for the genuine articles... but in exchange for lower prices or the promise of delivery, consumers can end up with lower quality or non-functioning goods, often with no recourse for repair, replacement or refund.”—Jeannette Kopko, spokesperson for BBB...
“Global sales of counterfeit goods via the Internet from illegitimate retailers will reach $135 billion.”—MarkMonitor, Seven Best Practices for Fighting Counterfeit Sales Online There is an increase in websites selling knock-off products online as counterfeiters move away from selling their goods locally at markets and swap parties to tapping into the global demand for counterfeits...
We’ve explored how brands protect themselves on eBay, Craigslist and Alibaba in previous blog posts, and now we will explore counterfeiting on Kijiji, an online marketplace for posting local advertisements. Kijiji is a subsidiary of eBay, and is available in countries around the world such as Canada, Italy, China and Japan. Counterfeits on Kijiji have been a significant problem from selling fake...
“Craigslist, as an internet service provider, is immune from liability unless it knows or has reason to know that goods are counterfeit.”—Maurice Ross, New York Intellectual Property Law Attorney Past posts addressed what brands can do to fight counterfeiting on eBay and protect their brand on Alibaba. Similar to the challenges that these online marketplaces face...
By guest blogger Lucas S. Michels, Attorney at Ironmark Law Group, PLLC in Seattle, Washington, and blogger on cross-border and trade-related intellectual property issues at The IP Exporter.Being an IP and business attorney who services both U.S. and Canadian clients, I often find myself caught between the dichotomy of U.S. and Canadian online copyright...
"I am afraid that something we notice but don't prevent today will eventually grow into a cancer for a company's future development... that's why I think I will surely regret it if we don't do well in fighting counterfeits," Ma Yun, Alibaba's chairman, said at his last news conference before he officially stepped down...
Counterfeiting is a global problem. Those involved in counterfeiting erode public confidence in consumer goods. Even worse, revenue from the sale of counterfeit goods often fund organized crime and terrorist groups. In addition to promoting consumer awareness, those in the fight against counterfeits use the courts as a tool to crackdown on counterfeit goods, deter...
Counterfeited items, mostly coming from China, are a global problem. Knock-offs range from tobacco and air bags to baby formula and drugs. The consumer often ends up with an inferior product or even worse, gets a serious illness. The owner of the intellectual property suffers financially from a weakened brand image. What’s the solution to the...
“If you’re not there… you’re not serious about trademarks!” – Attendee The International Trademark Association (INTA) is having their 135th Annual meeting in Dallas, Texas from May 4 to 8, 2013. This much-anticipated event includes five days of trademark education and networking. Let’s get down to the brass tax. What’s INTA? Should you attend this event? INTA is...
