Opinion ID: 150366
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Relationship of the Goods in the Minds of Consumers ( Lapp Factor Nine)

Text: When ruling on this factor, a court should look at how similar, or closely related, the products are. Kos., 369 F.3d at 723. If the products fall under the same general product category but operate in distinct niches, they will probably not be closely related. Checkpoint Sys., 269 F.3d at 288 (holding that the District Court did not clearly err in finding that parties' products were unrelated even though both fell under the broader category of corporate security where the plaintiff focused on physical security and the defendant focused on information and computer security). The question is whether the consumer might ... reasonably conclude that one company would offer both of these related products. Fisons Horticulture, 30 F.3d at 481. The District Court made no findings as to this factor, but it is undisputed that the products are physically identical. Creative Compounds argues, as it did with respect to mark similarity, that Forsthin is a weight loss product while ForsLean is a lean body mass product. This argument is misplaced because the products are physically identical and both are marketed as weight management products. Creative Compounds further argues that buyers purchase the products directly from their sources and that they are necessarily aware that ForsLean and Forsthin are sold by separate companies. Customer sophistication, however, is Lapp factor three. Lapp factor nine focuses not on consumer sophistication but on the products themselves, since the determination is whether consumers may see them as related. See Kos, 369 F.3d at 723. Using that standard, this factor clearly weighs in favor of Sabinsa. See Fisons, 30 F.3d at 481 (citing cases where the relationship of goods was close enough to find likelihood of confusion, including: women's scarves and apparel with women's cosmetics and fragrances; liquor with restaurant selling liquor; batteries and lamps with light bulbs and lamps; and pipe tobacco and bar accessories with scotch whisky).