UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

 

 

 

OFFICE ACTION

 

TO AVOID ABANDONMENT, THE OFFICE MUST RECEIVE A PROPER RESPONSE TO THIS OFFICE ACTION WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF THE ISSUE/MAILING DATE.

 

ISSUE/MAILING DATE: 6/16/2009

 

This Office action is in response to applicant’s communication filed on June 12, 2009.

 

The web catalog or web page specimen is not acceptable to show trademark use as a display associated with the goods because it does not show a picture of the goods and the necessary ordering information and thus, appears to be mere advertising material.  See In re Osterberg, 83 USPQ2d 1220, 1222-24 (TTAB 2007); In re Genitope Corp., 78 USPQ2d 1819, 1822 (TTAB 2006); TMEP §904.03(h)-(i); cf. In re Dell Inc., 71 USPQ2d 1725, 1727-29 (TTAB 2004); Lands’ End, Inc. v. Manbeck, 797 F. Supp. 511, 513-14, 24 USPQ2d 1314, 1316 (E.D. Va. 1992). 

 

Material that functions merely to tell prospective purchasers about the goods, or to promote the sale of the goods, is not acceptable to show trademark use.  TMEP §904.04(b).  Invoices, business cards, announcements, price lists, listings in trade directories, order forms, bills of lading, leaflets, brochures, advertising circulars and other advertising material, while normally acceptable for showing use in connection with services, generally are not acceptable specimens for showing trademark use in connection with goods.  See In re MediaShare Corp., 43 USPQ2d 1304, 1307 (TTAB 1997); In re Schiapparelli Searle, 26 USPQ2d 1520, 1522 (TTAB 1993); TMEP §904.04(b), (c).

 

A web catalog, web page, or similar specimen is acceptable to show trademark use as a display associated with the goods only if it includes the following:  (1) a picture of the relevant goods, (2) the mark appearing sufficiently near the picture of the goods so as to associate the mark with the goods, and (3) information necessary to order the goods (e.g., sales form, price list, instructions for ordering, etc.) or a visible weblink to order the goods. See In re Osterberg, 83 USPQ2d at 1222-24; In re Genitope, 78 USPQ2d at 1822; In re Dell, 71 USPQ2d at 1727-29; Lands’ End, 797 F. Supp. at 513-14, 24 USPQ2d at 1316; TMEP §904.03(h)-(i).  Without this necessary information, the specimen is mere advertising and is not acceptable to show use in commerce for goods.  See, e.g., In re Osterberg, 83 USPQ2d at 1223-24; In re Genitope, 78 USPQ2d at 1822.

 

A statement of use must include a specimen showing the applied-for mark in use in commerce for each class of goods specified in the statement of use.  Trademark Act Sections 1 and 45, 15 U.S.C. §§1051, 1127; 37 C.F.R. §§2.56(a), 2.88(b)(2); TMEP §§904, 1109.09(b).  Trademark Act Section 45 requires use “on the goods or their containers or the displays associated therewith or on the tags or labels affixed thereto.”  15 U.S.C. §1127; see 37 C.F.R. §2.56(b)(1); TMEP §904.04(b), (c).

 

Therefore, applicant must submit the following:

 

(1)  A substitute specimen showing the mark in use in commerce for each class of goods specified in the statement of use; and

 

(2)  The following statement, verified with an affidavit or signed declaration under 37 C.F.R. §§2.20, 2.33:  “The substitute specimen was in use in commerce prior to the expiration of the deadline for filing the statement of use.”  37 C.F.R. §2.59(b)(2); TMEP §904.05.  If submitting a substitute specimen requires an amendment to the dates of use, applicant must also verify the amended dates.  37 C.F.R. §2.71(c); TMEP §904.05.

 

Examples of specimens for goods are tags, labels, instruction manuals, containers, or photographs that show the mark on the actual goods or packaging.  See TMEP §§904.03 et seq.

 

Pending receipt of a proper response, registration is refused because the specimen does not show the applied-for mark in use in commerce as a trademark.  Trademark Act Sections 1 and 45, 15 U.S.C. §§1051, 1127; 37 C.F.R. §§2.56(a), 2.88(b)(2); TMEP §§904, 904.07(a).

 

Applicant may not withdraw the statement of use.  37 C.F.R. §2.88(g); TMEP §1109.17.

 

 

 

 

/David C. Reihner/, Examining Attorney

Law Office 111, 571-272-9392

571-273-9111 fax. 

 

 

RESPOND TO THIS ACTION: Applicant should file a response to this Office action online using the form at http://www.gov.uspto.report/teas/eTEASpageD.htm, waiting 48-72 hours if applicant received notification of the Office action via e-mail.  For technical assistance with the form, please e-mail TEAS@uspto.gov.  For questions about the Office action itself, please contact the assigned examining attorney.  Do not respond to this Office action by e-mail; the USPTO does not accept e-mailed responses.

 

If responding by paper mail, please include the following information: the application serial number, the mark, the filing date and the name, title/position, telephone number and e-mail address of the person signing the response.  Please use the following address: Commissioner for Trademarks, P.O. Box 1451, Alexandria, VA 22313-1451.

 

STATUS CHECK: Check the status of the application at least once every six months from the initial filing date using the USPTO Trademark Applications and Registrations Retrieval (TARR) online system at http://tarr.uspto.gov.  When conducting an online status check, print and maintain a copy of the complete TARR screen.  If the status of your application has not changed for more than six months, please contact the assigned examining attorney.

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                

IMPORTANT NOTICE

USPTO OFFICE ACTION HAS ISSUED ON 6/16/2009 FOR

APPLICATION SERIAL NO. 78536045

 

Please follow the instructions below to continue the prosecution of your application:

  

VIEW OFFICE ACTION: Click on this link http://tmportal.gov.uspto.report/external/portal/tow?DDA=Y&serial_number=78536045&doc_type=OOA&mail_date=20090616 (or copy and paste this URL into the address field of your browser), or visit http://tmportal.gov.uspto.report/external/portal/tow and enter the application serial number to access the Office action.

 

PLEASE NOTE: The Office action may not be immediately available but will be viewable within 24 hours of this notification.

 

RESPONSE MAY BE REQUIRED: You should carefully review the Office action to determine (1) if a response is required; (2) how to respond; and (3) the applicable response time period. Your response deadline will be calculated from 6/16/2009.

 

Do NOT hit “Reply” to this e-mail notification, or otherwise attempt to e-mail your response, as the USPTO does NOT accept e-mailed responses.  Instead, the USPTO recommends that you respond online using the Trademark Electronic Application System response form at http://www.gov.uspto.report/teas/eTEASpageD.htm.

 

HELP: For technical assistance in accessing the Office action, please e-mail

TDR@uspto.gov.  Please contact the assigned examining attorney with questions about the Office action. 

 

        WARNING

1. The USPTO will NOT send a separate e-mail with the Office action attached.

 

2. Failure to file any required response by the applicable deadline will result in the ABANDONMENT of your application.