Internet Marketing Tycoon

**babybeans** · 06-03-2005, 11:53 PM

Hi,

I wonder if anyone can help me with a bit of advice. We have a website selling various baby related products. Some are imported from the USA. We have the possibility of obtaining the domain name for one of the products we import with a .co.uk ending so:

www.{productname}.co.uk

Our supplier from USA uses

www.{productname}.com

Does anyone know if we can legally use the .co.uk name to either redirect to our site or to create another site specifically selling this product?

We don't want to infringe on any laws or code of ethics but are not really sure on this one. Clearly if we were using some companies name to divert traffic to our own, but in this case we sell the product with the authorisation of the supplier.

Any advice would be really appreciated.

Thanks

**babybeans** · 08:36 AM

Note: Please do not post duplicate threads. I merged these for you as both had different replies.

**shashank_hi** · 06-04-2005, 12:13 AM

I don't think redirects are a crime. This very openness of the internet is the main reason for it's popularity. You see, many corporate websites also use redirects to direct users based on the country they are accessing the site from. Even google does that. I live in India, and even if I type google.com, i'm redirected to google.co.in, maybe to keeps their servers light, but still they use redirects. So, I guess, its perfectly legal and ethical to use redirects.

**ORiN** · 06-04-2005, 12:20 AM

I personally don't think there's a problem as long as the name is not their trademark or whatever.

**Anacrusis** · 06-04-2005, 12:35 AM

The answer quite simplay is "no". Although a lawyer who knows internet laws might be a better person to ask.
What will most likly happen is you'll get a cease & desist letter from the company's lawyers.

**babybeans** · 06-04-2005, 07:43 AM

Hi,

Thanks for the advice. I suppose I was worried about the fact that the domain name has the name of someone elses product in it:

www.{productname}.co.uk

I would think it was dodgy if we used this name to get traffic for a site which was in competition to this product, BUT we are authorised sellers of the product and sell it in the UK. Is it 'OK' to have this domain name .co.uk and either redirect to our site or create another site selling this product directly.

ANy further advice would be appreciated.

Thanks.
BabyBeans

**shashank_hi** · 06-04-2005, 08:47 AM

Well there's a saying that goes, 'If you've got lots of money, you'll be facing lawsuits'. What's in your control is to how you get "lots of" defined. It's always advisable to keep your act as clean as possible. Now if you started selling from FarexBabyBeans.com, obviously you could end up meeting a copyrights lawyer pretty soon. If I were in your place, I'd rather spend my money in developing my own brand rather than paying the lawyer's fee.

But ultimately, it's your product, your site and most importantly, your decision.

**Andreas** · 07-09-2005, 11:45 AM

Greetings babybeans,

Anything is possible in business, as in life, where all the parties to a matter come to an agreement.

Why don't you ask your supplier if they have any objection to your using their name in the way you've described, and if the don't have any objections ask them their terms and conditions. They may grant you a license to use their name, or something similar.

In the bricks and mortar world, say car retailing, how many new car dealers have the manufacturer's name as part of their business name? In Australia it's very common. I'm sure that the use of the manufacturer's name is part of the deal to sell their products, don't you think?

I hope this helps.

Kindest regards,

Andreas Krokene.