Keywords and domains and trade marks question.

atvking · 12-13-2011, 01:17 PM

Ok just for example lets say I purchased the domain name : best-widgets.net

My competitor owns bestwidgets.com and has a trade mark on "best widgets"

IF i use my website: best-widgets.net just to redirect to my main website: widgetworld.com (just a random example) am i breaking any law?

To clarify I would be using best-widgets.net just to steer type in traffic away from my competition to my main website I would not be developing the domain: best-widgets.net

Thanks for any info,

DynaPass · 12-13-2011, 06:12 PM

I think since the website itself has no data you would not have any issues. Furthermore from experience I know they would have to notify you to stop before perusing legal action. So if you are not doing SEO and just trying to steal traffic from a redirect you could let it redirect until you are told to stop, that is if you are told to stop.

DeskCoder · 12-13-2011, 06:19 PM

I wouldn't mess with trademarks ... had a bad run in with one once. I would just redirect it as you are doing, but like DynaPass said, as soon as you are contacted about it, take it down.

yukon · 12-13-2011, 06:25 PM

Your just asking for trouble considering your example could be something like iphone-4s.net

Be smart about it & do something like cell-phones.com/iphone-4s/

This way If for some reason you just happen to out rank the competition, they can never come after your entire domain.

JerrickYeoh · 12-13-2011, 06:52 PM

Yeap you facing the trademark issues.
Your competitor may sue you and get the best-widgets.net for free without any compensation and you will in the trademark legal issues.
This is what lot of people facing when they try to get apple and facebook domain . In the end they not only lost their domain and they need make compensation toward the company.

I believe you can get more related information in domain news and you can find out how apple collect back all related domain in the market.

atvking · 12-14-2011, 08:43 AM

Maybe I should clarify further, the words are generic like:

Chicago window cleaning (just an example)

the site I have is just for redirect it is not developed in any way it just redirects to my own website that is 100% my own trademark/business/domain ect...

Thanks for any info!

Daniel Wilson · 12-14-2011, 09:13 AM

IF that is a trademark keyword I wouldn't register it. Domain names matter less and less for SEO purposes so don't worry if you don't get it.

waxingpoetic75 · 12-14-2011, 01:14 PM

My question is similar. For example, let's say I wanted to do a site about everything Facebook, and I bought the domain facebooking.com, trouble or no?

Since facebooking.com appears to available, I would assume the answer is yes.

atvking · 12-14-2011, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waxingpoetic75

My question is similar. For example, let's say I wanted to do a site about everything Facebook, and I bought the domain facebooking.com, trouble or no?

Since facebooking.com appears to available, I would assume the answer is yes.

Facebooking.com will definitely get you in a lot of trouble.

My website has generic words in it like : "pool cleaning" but I cant seem to get clear info whether you can trade mark generic words.

James- · 12-14-2011, 02:31 PM

There is an easy answer on this one. I have researched the topic quite a lot recently.
Basically what you are describing is stealing your competitors traffic via a user mis-typing a term looking for them. This is 'cybersquatting' and has a penalty of up to $100,000 per domain.

Don't even think about this if the term is trademarked!

waxingpoetic75 · 12-14-2011, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James-

Basically what you are describing is stealing your competitors traffic via a user mis-typing a term looking for them. This is 'cybersquatting' and has a penalty of up to $100,000 per domain.

That is sinister! Actually, I wasn't thinking of it as to steal traffic...it'd be like how to use the product...but this is good information to know...good indeed.

Barry Unruh · 12-14-2011, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atvking

Facebooking.com will definitely get you in a lot of trouble.

My website has generic words in it like : "pool cleaning" but I cant seem to get clear info whether you can trade mark generic words.

Yes and no... I could claim FACE BOOK is a pair of generic words, but I don't think I want to try out the theory. In your "pool cleaning" example though it would be highly unlikely any one could enforce a trademark since the term is a common usage phrase for a commonplace service.

If there is significant financial possibilities to what you are wanting to do you should quit asking us and spend a few dollars to consult a trademark attorney to give you the green light. He can at least evaluate your exact situation and give you an honest legal opinion instead of speculative answers.

12-13-2011, 01:17 PM	#1
atvking HyperActive Warrior War Room Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 165 Thanks: 27 Thanked 19 Times in 17 Posts	Keywords and domains and trade marks question. Ok just for example lets say I purchased the domain name : best-widgets.net My competitor owns bestwidgets.com and has a trade mark on "best widgets" IF i use my website: best-widgets.net just to redirect to my main website: widgetworld.com (just a random example) am i breaking any law? To clarify I would be using best-widgets.net just to steer type in traffic away from my competition to my main website I would not be developing the domain: best-widgets.net Thanks for any info,

12-13-2011, 06:12 PM	#2
DynaPass Active Warrior Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 62 Thanks: 2 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts	Re: Keywords and domains and trade marks question. I think since the website itself has no data you would not have any issues. Furthermore from experience I know they would have to notify you to stop before perusing legal action. So if you are not doing SEO and just trying to steal traffic from a redirect you could let it redirect until you are told to stop, that is if you are told to stop.
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12-13-2011, 06:19 PM	#3
DeskCoder HyperActive Warrior War Room Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Southern Indiana Posts: 159 Thanks: 27 Thanked 14 Times in 13 Posts	Re: Keywords and domains and trade marks question. I wouldn't mess with trademarks ... had a bad run in with one once. I would just redirect it as you are doing, but like DynaPass said, as soon as you are contacted about it, take it down.

12-13-2011, 06:25 PM	#4
yukon SEO Strategist War Room Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 6,534 Thanks: 355 Thanked 1,993 Times in 1,274 Posts	Re: Keywords and domains and trade marks question. Your just asking for trouble considering your example could be something like iphone-4s.net Be smart about it & do something like cell-phones.com/iphone-4s/ This way If for some reason you just happen to out rank the competition, they can never come after your entire domain.

12-13-2011, 06:52 PM	#5
JerrickYeoh HyperActive Warrior Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 365 Thanks: 1 Thanked 21 Times in 21 Posts	Re: Keywords and domains and trade marks question. Yeap you facing the trademark issues. Your competitor may sue you and get the best-widgets.net for free without any compensation and you will in the trademark legal issues. This is what lot of people facing when they try to get apple and facebook domain . In the end they not only lost their domain and they need make compensation toward the company. I believe you can get more related information in domain news and you can find out how apple collect back all related domain in the market.
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12-14-2011, 08:43 AM	#6
atvking HyperActive Warrior War Room Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 165 Thanks: 27 Thanked 19 Times in 17 Posts	Re: Keywords and domains and trade marks question. Maybe I should clarify further, the words are generic like: Chicago window cleaning (just an example) the site I have is just for redirect it is not developed in any way it just redirects to my own website that is 100% my own trademark/business/domain ect... Thanks for any info!

12-14-2011, 01:14 PM	#8
waxingpoetic75 Active Warrior War Room Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Winston-Salem, NC Posts: 61 Thanks: 73 Thanked 23 Times in 14 Posts Social Networking Contact Info	Re: Keywords and domains and trade marks question. My question is similar. For example, let's say I wanted to do a site about everything Facebook, and I bought the domain facebooking.com, trouble or no? Since facebooking.com appears to available, I would assume the answer is yes.
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12-14-2011, 02:31 PM	#10
James- HyperActive Warrior Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: England Posts: 201 Thanks: 12 Thanked 33 Times in 21 Posts Contact Info	Re: Keywords and domains and trade marks question. There is an easy answer on this one. I have researched the topic quite a lot recently. Basically what you are describing is stealing your competitors traffic via a user mis-typing a term looking for them. This is 'cybersquatting' and has a penalty of up to $100,000 per domain. Don't even think about this if the term is trademarked!
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