plain english domain name copyright

[Tom714]

My question is this:

Plain english domain names. Shoes.com Shoes.net Shoes.org, can they all exist with different owners and sell shoes, blog shoes, park shoes?

Can Shoes.com have protection with a plain english common name like Shoes? Or are they safe and need not register any other shoes.X names be cause the have a site selling shoes?

Then does that mean that Shoe.com or buyshoes.com are also protected.

I find .org and .net names that are open but there are .coms taken. They look great with lots of keyword searches?

Any help appreciated.

T

 

[Tom714]

Anyone run into this? Example. "Findadoctor.com" and "Find-A-Doctor.com"

Can one company claim ownership of the phrase as related to their comapany?

 

[VirtualT]

My question is this:

Plain english domain names. Shoes.com Shoes.net Shoes.org, can they all exist with different owners and sell shoes, blog shoes, park shoes?

Yes, I doubt if anyone would be able to claim a TM or SM on a term as generic as this

 

[marcorandazza]

There is no such thing as a "generic term." You must examine the term in the context of the relevant goods and services. "Shoe.com" would be generic for a website that sells footwear. However, it could be distinctive for a poker site, or a computer site, etc. "Virgin" as a brand doesn't have much to do with the "generic" use of that word, but it is one of the planet's strongest brands.

 

[Tom714]

So I realize that this legal advise is worth what I paid for it. But thanks for the advise. I am looking at using something like find-a-doctor.com when there is a findadoctor.com in existence.

 

[Soofi]

you would be pretty much all right with using generic keywords in your domain