match.com trade mark

[Vincent]

Where can I go to find out if match.com is trademark? If I want to create a site called goodcreditmatch.com, would this violate the trademark?

[tekz999]

I am thinking if your site is providing the same/similar service as what match.com is offering, then you are on a uphill battle with match.com

[Melly]

I don't think you would have any problems if you aren't doing a dating site. Totally different areas so you wouldn't be competing with them.

[urlurl]

i agree (im not a lawyer...but) match is a generic dictionary word which could be used for almost anything. The use of the word plays the biggest part here. They are right too stay very clear away from anything dating, relatioship, etc related

[Vincent]

I'm thinking of goodcreditmatch.com, where people with good credits can date each other. If match is generic, wouldn't I be able to use the name for dating, but for a specific group of people.

Thanks for all the inputs.

[urlurl]

i thought (based on the name you had) you were setting up a site for credit products

know...Thats a grey area - if you are very serious about the site i would first consult with a professional (lawyer) to see if there are going to be issues before you put a lot of time/money into it.

My guess is there may be some potential issues there. But thats just my opinion

[enterpryzman]

you're screwed, forget it if it involves dating in any way-shape-form. <<<<< not a lawyer but, this one's a complete no brainer-trust me.
Enterpryzman

[TheLegendaryJP]

Ya youd fail on two level, you would infringe on their mark based on your use and secondly the idea is ridiculous.

[Infoproliferati]

The company was registered as Match(.)com which you can verify by checking the copyright at the bottom of the homepage. I think your idea has a growing market. A lot of people these days want to date other people with good credit. At least that's what I heard on the radio about dating trends. I, however, wouldn't recommend the domain you want to use. It isn't worth the trouble match(.)com could bring.

[shags38]

as per others I am not a lawyer however if it was me I would register the domain - if Match.com are on the ball they will send you a letter within a week or so of cease and desist in which case you do exactly that and all it has cost you is the registration fee. The word Match is not trademarked and you cannot trademark a web domain, i.e. you cannot trademark match.com, so hence you would have no issues in respect to trademark infringement. In this case all they could get you on is registering the domain in "bad faith" which is very difficult to prove and very expensive to try to do so. My guess is that they would try to bluff you and then if the bluff doesn't work they will give you an offer for the domain. I do not see any issues whatsoever with copyright - a domain cannot be copyrighted, only content on the website is subject to copyright.

Good luck - I think the name has value whether for a credit rating check or a new concept dating site.

cheers, Mike

[Infoproliferati]

The word Match is not trademarked and you cannot trademark a web domain, i.e. you cannot trademark match.com, so hence you would have no issues in respect to trademark infringement. In this case all they could get you on is registering the domain in "bad faith" which is very difficult to prove and very expensive to try to do so. My guess is that they would try to bluff you and then if the bluff doesn't work they will give you an offer for the domain. I do not see any issues whatsoever with copyright - a domain cannot be copyrighted, only content on the website is subject to copyright.

Any registrant of a domain has every right to register it as a trademark. Think chemistry.com or world.com. These domains represent brands and are marketed that way. Certainly, the words chemistry and world cannot be registered as trademarks.

It's true that copyright only represents content. And since the web is a medium and not a product it doesn't make sense to have TM next to your company name. But that doesn't mean you don't own the trademark to your domain name. The only reason I mentioned copyright is so anyone can locate the name of the registered COMPANY. In this case it is match.com.

Nowadays companies go after each other and individuals because of 3 character trademark infringement. If you market a dating service as goodcreditmatch.com, match.com has a right to make a claim for your domain based on the match.com part alone. It is kind of silly but that's how the business world operates.

[gingeman]

Ya youd fail on two level, you would infringe on their mark based on your use and secondly the idea is ridiculous.

Agree 100%

[Acro]

you're screwed, forget it if it involves dating in any way-shape-form. <<<<< not a lawyer but, this one's a complete no brainer-trust me.
Enterpryzman

Explain Matchmaker.com then.

[Cartoonz]

They do not have a TM on the word "MATCH", only on the exact domain, MATCH.COM

The OP has stated he's not interested in a dating site, so there really is nothing to worry about.

Even using the word "MATCH" in dating site domains is obviously acceptable, so all this hullabaloo over match.com being able to run roughshod over everyone because they own a mark on a complete DOMAIN NAME is absurd.

[TheLegendaryJP]

They do not have a TM on the word "MATCH", only on the exact domain, MATCH.COM

The OP has stated he's not interested in a dating site, so there really is nothing to worry about.

Even using the word "MATCH" in dating site domains is obviously acceptable, so all this hullabaloo over match.com being able to run roughshod over everyone because they own a mark on a complete DOMAIN NAME is absurd.

OP

I'm thinking of goodcreditmatch.com, where people with good credits can date each other.

Sometimes its good to read the whole thread.

As for matchmaker.com, that is a term, generic and defendable, without looking at tm dates, registration dates and so on it is far from his name.

---------- Post added at 03:56 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:52 PM ----------

Also match.com is no stranger to C&D's, wipo/udrp. They have attempted to take plenty of names that include match in them. Not always winning but not the point, who wants to defend it, especially considering the value of the name. You defend matchmaker.com, not goodpeoplewithgreatcreditmatch.com.

[shags38]

the USPTO shows 995 registered trademarks which include the word "match" - on the first page of 50 records are planetlovematch.com and mymatchquest.com along with other names without the TLD extension that are registered in classes 38 and 45 with specific reference to "dating clubs". So I would imagine match.com would not have a leg to stand on in any challenge.

[Vincent]

Thanks to all for your contribution. Anone in here a domain lawyer?