Written by Managing Brand Protection Counsel, European Trademark & Design Attorney Patrick Lykke.
The Dutch company Mercis B.V., which owns the rights to Miffy, has brought legal action against a group of online sellers accused of systematically marketing and selling products that infringe the company’s copyright.
A US court has provisionally granted several of Mercis’ requests, which are intended, among other things, to help identify the sellers, trace sales proceeds and uncover other accounts that may be linked to them.
When infringements move to new accounts
The case illustrates a familiar challenge that we often encounter at Patrade: Behind a single infringing listing, there may be several seller accounts, payment solutions and sales platforms. When one account is closed, the activity may simply move to another.
Effective enforcement is therefore not just about responding to individual listings. Companies need to continuously monitor where and how their brand is being used, identify connections between infringements and take action across the relevant platforms.
This is precisely what our Online Brand Protection team works with in close collaboration with our attorneys. We combine technical searches with legal assessment and enforcement, helping companies identify and remove infringing listings and counterfeit products from online marketplaces and social media.
One example is our collaboration with Glerups. During the collaboration, Glerups has seen a noticeable reduction in the number of customer service enquiries. Previously, it was a significant problem that many customers were deceived, including through fraudulent online stores.
In our experience, the earlier infringements are detected, the better the chances of limiting both sales and the risk of customers being misled.
Contact us to learn how a targeted approach can protect your brand and customers against online infringements.
Source: Miffy owner steps up US copyright enforcement against online marketplace sellers
