Aquent, operators of the dictionary domain Skill.com have applied for the registration of the matching trademark, SKILL.COM, with the USPTO.
Filed with a date of first use in 1999, the mark’s application cites services related to hiring and employment:
employment contracting and temporary help services; recruitment and placement of personnel on a temporary, contract, or permanent basis; personnel recruitment services, namely, providing employers with suitable job candidates by accessing personnel recruiters in the employee’s particular field of interest
The domain has been in the possession of Aquent since its registration in 1995, most likely. In 1998 Aquent was called Mactemps before rebranding. Source: Aquent history.
Aquent obtained registration of the stylized mark SKILL.COM in 2000 but that mark lapsed and “died” in 2007 due to lack of renewal filings. There is no indication that Skill.com was resold, although it seems that the company running Skill.com is operating as a separate unit under the Aquent umbrella.
Why was the domain name Skill.com applied for as a trademark with the USPTO?
It’s an ongoing trend among owners of generic domain names, following the decision by SCOTUS on the Booking.com trademark application.
Since then, dozens of generic domain names have been applied to be registered as trademarks, inclusive of the TLD.
As of January 5th, 2021, BOOKING.COM is a registered trademark with the USPTO.
Will these applications become the new norm? Watch this video from NamesCon Online 2020.
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