Your domain name is an important part of your brand, whether or not you consider yourself an eCommerce company. Your domain name will always be a way that many potential buyers will discover your company.
Many people who seek to infringe on a brand’s intellectual property will do so through the use of similar domain names. They will buy names that may be commonly misspelled or confused with actual domains, and they’ll then use similar branding elements — colors, logos, sounds, slogans, etc — to make it appear that their domain is authentic to buyers.
One way to prevent this type of infringement at the outset is to think about defensive domain name registration. To do so, you register not only your actual domain, but all similar names that you think may be targeted for fraud. You don’t have to populate these sites with any content, but holding the similar domains makes it impossible for someone else to use it against you. Defensive domain name registration can block some forms of fraud or at least make it less effective.
There is a daunting number of things to consider regarding intellectual property theft and fraud. Due to the potentially devastating impact on your business, you need to consider your defensive options carefully. Wang IP Law has the experience and knowledge to help you sort through all of your options. We would love to hear from youto discuss how to get started.