Source: https://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/decisions/html/2006/d2006-0196.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-19 16:38:09+00:00

Document:
The Complainant is Burberry Limited, Hong Kong, SAR of China, represented by Cho & Partners, Republic of Korea.
The Respondent is Domaincar, Panama, Panama.
The disputed domain name <nburberry.com> is registered with DSTR Acquisition VII, LLC d/b/a Dotregistrar.com.
The Complaint was filed with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center (the “Center”) on February 14, 2006. On February 15, 2006, the Center transmitted by email to DSTR Acquisition VII, LLC d/b/a Dotregistrar.com a request for registrar verification in connection with the domain name at issue. On February 17, 2006, DSTR Acquisition VII, LLC d/b/a Dotregistrar.com transmitted by email to the Center its verification response confirming that the Respondent is listed as the registrant and providing the contact details for the administrative, billing, and technical contact.
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 March 3, 2006. In accordance with the Rules, paragraph 5(a), the due date for Response was March�23,�2006. The Respondent was informed that if its response was not received by that date, it would be considered in default. The Center would still appoint a Panel to review the facts of the dispute and to decide the case. The Respondent did not submit any response. Accordingly, the Center notified the Respondent’s default on March�27,�2006.
The Center appointed Dr. Vinod K. Agarwal as the sole panelist in this matter on April�11, 2006. 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.
In this case, the Complainant is Burberry Limited of Hong Kong, SAR of China. The Complainant submits that it was established in 1856. Burberry is one of the most recognized and respected names in the fashion world. Its quality products are multi-generational and of dual-gender utility. Its trademark BURBERRY is registered in almost 90 countries. Products sold under the trademark include all types of apparel, bags, scarves, cosmetics, perfumes, glasses, watches and other accessories. Burberry sells products in Europe, North America, Japan, Asia and the Middle East with over 230 stores worldwide. The Complainant has stated that its annual revenue for the year ending March 31, 2005, was 715 million pounds (approx. US $ 1.32 billion). In support of its activities the Complainant has sent copies of extracts of Burberry’s websites containing details of its history and corporate overview.
The Complainant contends that each of the three elements specified in Paragraph�4(a) of the Policy are applicable to this dispute.
In relation to element (i), the Complainant contends that amongst the consumers worldwide it is known as BURBERRY. The trademark of the Complainant BURBERRY is registered in many countries, such as, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Benelux, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Denmark, European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States of America, etc. The said registration is for different items under different classes of goods, such as, non-medicated toilet preparations, perfumes, cosmetics preparations, soaps, anti-perspirants, shaving preparations, articles of luggage, bags, walking sticks, articles of outer clothing, raincoats, etc. It has acquired enormous and valuable goodwill.
The Complainant also operates a web site “www.burberry.com” which is frequently accessed by consumers and general public as well. The Complainant has relied on the decision of ACCOR Soci�t� Anonyme a Deirectoire et conseil de surveillance v. Tigertail Partners,WIPO Case No. D2002-0625, in which it has been held that, “as a rule, when a domain name wholly incorporates a complainant’s mark and only adds a generic word, that is sufficient to establish confusing similarity for the purposes of the Policy. Confusion is only heightened when the generic word added by Respondent is descriptive of complainant’s goods or services marketed in relation to the trademark”. Thus, the domain name <nburberry.com> is very much identical or confusingly similar to the trademark of the Complainant, that is, BURBERRY.
In relation to element (ii), the Complainant contends that the Respondent (as an individual, business, or other organization) has not been commonly known by the domain name <nburberry.com>. Further, the Respondent is not making a legitimate or fair use of the said domain name for offering goods and services. The Respondent is not using the domain name in a manner that can be considered legitimate non-commercial or fair use. The Respondent is intentionally using the subject domain name for commercial gain to misleadingly divert consumers of the complainant and to tarnish the BURBERRY trademark. Further, the website <nburberry.com> serves to provide links to other website, such, as travel, financial planning, real estate, etc. which cannot be said to be fair use. The Respondent is using the BURBERRY mark as a “bait” to attract the general public, who might be seeking Burberry goods, to the Respondent’s site for the purpose of directing the general public to the links within the Respondent’s site.
With regard to element (iii), the Complainant contends that the main object of registering the domain name <nburberry.com> by the Respondent is to earn profit and to mislead the general public and the customers of the Complainant. The Complainant has stated that the use of a domain name that appropriates a well known trademark to promote competing products or to refer to other websites cannot be considered a “bona fide offering of goods and services”. The Complainant has relied on the decision of Parfums Christian Dior S.A. v. Javier Garcia Quintas, Chriatindoir.net, WIPO Case No. D2000-0226.
Paragraph 15(a) of the Rules instructs this Panel as to the principles the Panel is to use in rendering its decision. It says that, “A panelist shall decide a complaint on the basis of the statements and documents submitted in accordance with the Policy, these Rules and any rules and principles of law that it deems applicable”.
(d) Burberry Limited v. Byung-Choon Kim, WIPO Case No. D2005-0704, relating to domain name <itsburberry.com>.
In Estee Lauder Inc. v. estelauder.com, estelauder.net / Jeff Hanna,WIPO Case No. D2000-0869, the panel compared the respondent’s domain name <estelauder.com> with the complainant’s trademark Estee Lauder and came to the conclusion that the absence of “e” was the only difference and concluded that the respondent’s domain name is “confusingly similar to the Complainant’s mark”. Similar conclusions have been made by the administrative panels in the cases of Pharmacia & Upjohn AB v. Dario H. Romero, WIPO Case No. D2000-1273 (“pharmacia” and “pharmaciae”) and Briefing.com Inc. v. Cost Net Domain Name Manager, WIPO Case No. D2001-0970.
Thus, the Panel finds that the domain name is confusingly similar to the registered trademark of the Complainant.
However, even though given the opportunity, the Respondent has not filed any response in this case.
BURBERRY is the name and mark of the Complainant. The Complainant has not licensed or otherwise permitted the Respondent to use its name or trademark or to apply for or use the domain name incorporating said trademark.
There is no evidence to suggest that the Respondent has become known by the disputed domain name anywhere in the world.
The Panel notes that the disputed domain name which is confusingly similar to the Complainant’s trademark, is used to display sponsored links unrelated to the Complainant’s goods and services.
Based on the record and in the absence of a rebuttal by the Respondent, the Panel infers that the Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name. See also Pavillion Agency Inc. Cliff Greenhouse/ Keith Greenhouse v. Greenhouse Agency Ltd. / Glenn Greenhouse, WIPO Case No. D2000-1221.
The Complainant contends that in the present case, Paragraph 4(b)(iv) of the Policy is applicable. The Complainant has furnished evidence of the fact that the disputed domain name <nburberry.com> serves to provide links to other websites offering services unrelated to the Complainant’s goods or services, in the following business areas: travel, financial planning, real estate, etc See The Chip Merchant Inc. v. Blue Star Electronics Inc., d/b/a Memory World, WIPO Case No. D2000-0474 and Yamaha Corporation v. Zhoulei, WIPO Case No. D2004-0126.
In view of the renown and goodwill of the Complainant’s trademark and having regard to the fact that the disputed domain name is being used for baiting Internet users to the Respondent’s website for its financial gain, the Panel concludes that the domain name in dispute was registered and used by the Respondent in bad faith.
In light of the forgoing, in accordance with Paragraphs�4(i) of the Policy and Rule 15 of the Rules, the Panel orders that the domain name <nburberry.com> be transferred to the Complainant.

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