closed MasterCards.biz

[Duke]

Originally posted by .biz


If they want it, you'll deal with WIPO, not with MasterCard. But I'd probably think that they don't care about the plural version, otherwise they would already have mastercards.com.

That brings up a point you could clarify for me .biz. I have fortunately never had any experience with WIPO as I normally stay away from TM names unless I think they could be used in a way that would be allowed by the mark holder. It is my understanding that simply filing a WIPO action costs $1500. So I would think a WIPO would always be preceded by a C&D letter requesting that the name be turned over. Why waste the $1500 if there is no need to? Am I wrong in that assumption?

 

[.biz]

Yes, the assumption is wrong. Big corporations don't care if it's $1500 or even $5000. First, C&D letter more often be discarded by domain squatters. Second, history records at WIPO will help with repeating or similar cases in the future. Third, they get free PR when press write a story about it.

I got hit once by a big corp.

imo, C&D letter are just a warning for non-critical domains e.g. buyebay.com, microsoftjunction.com, etc. Because there are too many trademark violation domains to WIPO them all. But mastercards is a plural version, so most likely you will get WIPO without prior notice.

 

[Duke]

Thanks .biz - excellent info.

 

[.biz]

This is not related to domain business, but to support what I said. A few years back, I worked for a software company and we got a software development project for a big client. We had quoted them $100K for the project, but they counter offered to $300K!! Yes, what they want was just for us to develop a better software than what we normally did.

 

[Duke]

Originally posted by .biz
This is not related to domain business, but to support what I said. A few years back, I worked for a software company and we got a software development project for a big client. We had quoted them $100K for the project, but they counter offered to $300K!! Yes, what they want was just for us to develop a better software than what we normally did.

Wonder if they would like to buy some domain names. I have plenty I would be willing to triple the price on for them! :-D

 

[Source]

Having been involved in two C&D "situations" with very large corporations (a large retailer and a foreign bank), I must disagree with some of the statements in this thread. You can indeed work things out amicably. In both cases we decided to settle "out of court" (read: wipo) with a mid $xxx settlement. Not a bad "profit" on what could have been a VERY expensive loss.