SCOTUS
Trademark applications at the USPTO for terms matching generic domains are surging, all thanks to the decision by SCOTUS on the Booking.com case.
Owners of generic domains are applying for the registration of marks that include the extension, and it’s all .COM so far.
Here are the latest applications to register trademarks matching generic domain names – with the TLD as part of the mark:
Shop.com trademark application : IC 035. US 100 101 102. G & S: Promoting the goods and services of others by operating an online shopping mall featuring a centralized search, ordering, and billing system to handle orders for multiple sellers at one time; advertising and marketing for others of online websites. FIRST USE: 20090226. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20090226
The domain Shop.com was registered in 1994.
Rugs.com trademark application: IC 035. US 100 101 102. G & S: On-line retail store services featuring floor coverings, namely rugs. FIRST USE: 20160602. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20160602
The domain Rugs.com was registered in 1995.
Gambling.com trademark application: IC 035. US 100 101 102. G & S: Advertising and directory services, namely, promoting the services of others by providing a web page featuring links to the websites of others. FIRST USE: 20180000. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20180000
The domain Gambling.com was registered in 1997.
All these trademark applications claim a date in the past as the “date of first use.” That’s not the case with the application for Calibrations.com that was filed with an “intent to use” clause:
IC 042. US 100 101. G & S: Providing temporary use of a non-downloadable web application for asset management software for the calibration industry
And now something even more interesting: The domain name Calibrations.com was registered in 2000, and was most likely sold on Afternic on January 17, 2020 for an unrecorded amount. It was part of the NameFind portfolio of domains, which is managed by GoDaddy. The current registrant is IndySoft, a commercial calibrations innovator. Calibrations.com forwards to Indysoft.com.
Here are some recent trademark applications involving generic domain names that we recorded:
You missed CamGirl.com from what I can see when doing a search.
Tim – CamGirl, and others, don’t fall in the same category of generics; it’s a two word .com.