Source: https://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/decisions/html/2008/d2008-1522.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 14:09:45+00:00

Document:
The Complainant is Alfwear Inc., of Murray, Utah, United States of America, represented by The GigaLaw Firm, Douglas M. Isenberg, Attorney at Law, LLC, of United States of America.
The Respondent is Registrant : Privacy Admin / Registrant : Gregory, Ricks, Motherboards.com, of College Station, Texas, United States of America.
The disputed domain name <kuhl.com> is registered with Moniker Online Services, LLC.
The Complaint was filed with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center (the “Center”) on October 6, 2008. On October 7, 2008, the Center transmitted by email to Moniker Online Services, LLC a request for registrar verification in connection with the domain name at issue. On October 7, 2008, Moniker Online Services, LLC transmitted by email to the Center its verification response disclosing registrant and contact information for the disputed domain name which differed from the named Respondent and contact information in the Complaint. The Center sent an email communication to the Complainant on October 15, 2008, providing the registrant and contact information disclosed by the Registrar, and inviting the Complainant to submit an amendment to the Complaint. The Complainant filed an amendment to the Complaint on October 17, 2008.
In accordance with the Rules, paragraphs 2(a) and 4(a), the Center formally notified the Respondent of the Complaint, and the proceedings commenced on October 23, 2008. In accordance with the Rules, paragraph 5(a), the due date for Response was November 12, 2008. The Respondent did not submit any response. Accordingly, the Center notified the Respondent's default on November 13, 2008.
The Center appointed Frederick M. Abbott as the sole panelist in this matter on November 18, 2008. The Panel finds that it was properly constituted. The Panel has submitted the Statement of Acceptance and Declaration of Impartiality and Independence, as required by the Center to ensure compliance with the Rules, paragraph 7.
Complainant has since 1994 used the KÜHL trademark in connection with the promotion and sale of outdoor clothing (notarized Declaration of Kevin Boyle, co-founder and president of Complainant) (Complaint, Annex 4). Complainant has sales of approximately $10 million per year. Complainant operates commercial Internet websites at “www.kuhl-usa.com” and “www.kuhlclothing.com” where, inter alia, it offers clothing for online sale and purchase. Complainant also distributes its clothing to various third-party retail outlets.
When the Complaint was initially filed October 6, 2008, the registration information regarding the disputed domain name (from a Moniker.com WHOIS database printout submitted by Complainant) referred to a privacy service and registrant number. The registrar's verification report of October 7, 2008, indicated that the database had been updated on October 7, 2008, reflecting a new registrant number and the name of an individual registrant, Gregory, Ricks. Because of the timing of this change in the registrant data, and in the absence of an explanation from Respondent, the Panel does not consider the real party in interest Respondent to have changed as a consequence of the update. For the sake of completeness and to assure that any order to transfer covers the intended Respondent, the Panel identifies the initial registrant information, “Registrant : Privacy Admin”, and the updated registrant information, “Registrant : Gregory, Ricks”, as the Respondent in this proceeding. Complainant submitted an amendment to its Complaint to reflect the aforesaid change to the registration information. Further references herein to Respondent include “Registrant : Privacy Admin” and “Registrant : Gregory, Ricks”. According to the registrar's verification report, the initial record of registration for the disputed domain name was created on March 21, 1996.
The Registration Agreement in effect between Respondent and Moniker Online Services, LLC, subjects Respondent to dispute settlement under the Policy. The Policy requires that domain name registrants submit to a mandatory Administrative Proceeding conducted by an approved dispute resolution service provider, of which the Center is one, regarding allegations of abusive domain name registration and use (Policy, paragraph 4(a)).
Complainant asserts rights in the trademark KÜHL based on use in commerce since 1994 in the United States (and in foreign countries), and as evidenced by various trademark registrations.
Complainant contends that the disputed domain name is identical or confusingly similar to its trademark.
Complainant argues that Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name. Complainant indicates that it has not authorized Respondent to use its trademark in a domain name, that Respondent was not commonly known by the disputed domain name, and that Respondent's use of the disputed domain name to redirect Internet users to competing goods (and suppliers) does not constitute legitimate noncommercial or fair use of the disputed domain name.
Complainant argues that Respondent registered and used the disputed domain name in bad faith by using it for commercial gain to confuse Internet users regarding Complainant's role as source, sponsor, endorser or affiliate of Respondent's website. Complainant further contends that Respondent has engaged in a pattern of registering the marks of third parties as domain names so as to prevent the trademark owners from registering those domain names.
The Center transmitted the Notification of Complaint and Commencement of Administrative Proceeding to Respondent by email and express courier to the address provided in its record of registration. The express courier tracking record indicates that the documents transmitted by the Center were successfully delivered.
The Center has taken those steps designated by the Rules for discharging its responsibility to provide notice of the proceedings to Respondent. The Panel is satisfied that Respondent was given adequate notice of these proceedings within the context of the Policy and Rules, and that each party has been given adequate opportunity to present its position.
Complainant is the owner of trademark registrations in the United States of America and other countries for the term KÜHL, and has used that term in connection with advertising and selling outdoor clothing products in commerce (see Factual Background, supra). The Panel determines that Complainant has rights in the trademark KÜHL.
In its application for trademark registration at the USPTO, Complainant claimed that it commenced use of the KÜHL mark on February 1, 1994. In U.S. law, the mere assertion of date of first use in a trademark application does not create an evidentiary presumption of first use.2 However, Complainant has submitted substantial unrebutted evidence in this proceeding to substantiate its claim of first use in 1994. That unrebutted evidence is sufficient to establish common law rights in the trademark dating back to 1994.
The disputed domain name, <kuhl.com>, directly incorporates Complainant's KÜHL trademark, eliminating the umlaut over the letter “u”, and adding the generic top level domain (gTLD) identifier “.com”. Based primarily on the nearly identical visual impressions, the Panel determines that the disputed domain name is confusingly similar to Complainant's trademark. Because the disputed domain name is confusingly similar to the trademark, the Panel need not further decide whether it is identical to the trademark for purposes of the Policy.
The Panel finds that the disputed domain name is confusingly similar to a trademark in which Complainant has rights.
Respondent has not been authorized by Complainant to use its KÜHL trademark. There is no evidence to show that Respondent has been commonly known by the disputed domain name.
Respondent is using the disputed domain name and Complainant's trademark to direct Internet users to links to products (and suppliers) directly competitive with those of Complainant. Respondent is acting solely as a conduit to third party offers of products, and is presumably receiving some form of compensation for click-throughs to such third party offers. Respondent is taking advantage of the goodwill associated with Complainant' s mark to offer products of third parties, including direct competitors of Complainant. This does not constitute a bona fide offering of services within the meaning of Paragraph 4(c)(i) of the Policy. See, e.g., MasterCard International Incorporated v. Paul Barbell, WIPO Case No. D2007-1139, and Fifth Third Bancorp v. Texas International Property Associates, WIPO Case No. D2007-0537.
Respondent is not making fair use of Complainant's trademark. Respondent is using the domain name in a way that misleads Internet users for commercial gain.
Complainant has established that Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name.
The Policy indicates that certain circumstances may, “in particular but without limitation”, be evidence of the registration and use of a domain name in bad faith. These include circumstances indicating that “[respondent has] registered the domain name in order to prevent the owner of the trademark or service mark from reflecting the mark in a corresponding domain name, provided that [the respondent has] engaged in a pattern of such conduct”; or “by using the domain name, [respondent has] intentionally attempted to attract, for commercial gain, Internet users to [its] website or other on-line location, by creating a likelihood of confusion with the complainant's mark as to the source, sponsorship, affiliation, or endorsement of [respondent's] website or location or of a product or service on your website or location” (id., paragraph 4(b)(ii) and (iv)).
The initial record of registration of the disputed domain name was created on March 21, 1996. There is insufficient evidence in this proceeding for a determination whether Respondent was the initial registrant in 1996 of the disputed domain name. Ordinarily, should rights in a trademark arise after the registration of a disputed domain name, a finding of bad faith registration is effectively precluded because the registrant could not be taking unfair advantage of trademark rights that the complainant does not possess. Although the USPTO registered Complainant's trademark after the record of registration was initially created, the Panel has determined that Complainant acquired common law trademark rights in 1994. Therefore, the 1996 initial registration of the disputed domain name does not preclude a finding of bad faith because Complainant's trademark rights arose earlier than 1996.
Respondent has used the disputed domain name, which is confusingly similar to Complainant's trademark, for the purpose of intentionally attracting for commercial gain Internet users to Respondent's website, by creating confusion as to source, sponsorship, affiliation or endorsement by Complainant of Respondent's website. While Respondent's website is being addressed by a domain name confusingly similar to Complainant's trademark, the content on Respondent's website links to offers of goods directly competitive with those of Complainant. Respondent is presumably receiving some form of compensation for click-throughs to such third party competition. Such use of the disputed domain name constitutes bad faith within the meaning of paragraph 4(b)(iv) of the Policy.
Respondent also appears to have engaged in a pattern of registering domain names incorporating the trademarks of third parties to prevent their registration of those marks in domain names. Respondent has also acted in bad faith within the meaning of paragraph 4(b)(ii) of the Policy.
For all the foregoing reasons, in accordance with paragraphs 4(i) of the Policy and 15 of the Rules, the Panel orders that the domain name, <kuhl.com>, be transferred to the Complainant.
1 As referred to by Complainant: BMEzine.com, LLC. v. Gregory Ricks / Gee Whiz Domains Privacy Service, WIPO Case No. D2008-0882 (transfer of domain name <bme.com>); Cedar Trade Associates, Inc. v. Gregg Ricks, NAF Case No. 93633 (transfer of domain name <buypc.com>); Abt Electronics, Inc. v. Gregory Ricks, NAF Case No. 904239 (transfer of domain name <abt.com>); and Lexington Rubber Group, Inc. v. Gregory Ricks, NAF Case No. 1047280 (transfer of domain name <lexingtonmedical.com>).

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