Offc Action Outgoing

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE (USPTO)

OFFICE ACTION (OFFICIAL LETTER) ABOUT OWNER’S TRADEMARK REGISTRATION

CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO RESPOND TO THIS LETTER AND SELECT FORM NUMBER 11:

 http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/teas/reg_maintain.jsp

POST REGISTRATION OFFICE ACTION

ISSUE/MAILING DATE: 5/18/2019

U.S. Registration Number 4490528

The Sections 8 & 15 Combined Affidavit was received on April 26, 2019.  The Section 15 portion of the Combined Affidavit can be acknowledged.  However, the Section 8 portion is not accepted for the reason(s) set forth below.

Specimen Unacceptable:  Shows use with Different Goods (Class 3)

The specimen submitted with the Section 8 Affidavit is unacceptable because it shows the mark used on or in connection with goods and/or services that are different from those identified in the registration.  See In re Capp Enterprises, Inc., 32 USPQ2d 1855 (Comm’r Pats. 1993).  Specifically, the specimen shows use for body cream.  The goods and services in the registration comprise the following:  “All-purpose cleaning preparations; scouring preparations, namely, scouring liquids and scouring powders; skin abrasive preparations; cosmetics, namely, soaps, perfumes, essential oils for personal use; skin, body and hair lotions; body and facial masks; perfume oils, body and facial scrubs, skin and eye gel, shampoos, conditioners, hair spray, dentifrices, toothpaste.”  The specimen must be used on or in connection with the goods and/or services listed in the registration.  TMEP §1604.12(a).

Therefore, the owner must submit the following:

(1) A substitute specimen showing current use of the registered mark in commerce for each class of goods and/or services specified in the registration; and

(2) The following statement, verified with an affidavit or signed declaration under 37 C.F.R. §2.20:  “The substitute specimen was in use in commerce during the relevant period for filing the 6-year Section 8/10-year Section 8.”  37 C.F.R. §2.161(g); TMEP §1604.12(c).  (Sample declaration included further below.)

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

Registration Selected for Audit

The USPTO is performing random audits of US trademark registrations to assess and promote the accuracy and integrity of the trademark register.  See 37 C.F.R. §§2.161(h), 7.37(h).  This registration has been randomly selected for audit to determine whether the mark is in use with all of the goods and/or services identified in the registration.

Detailed information regarding the audit program is provided on the following webpage – http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks-maintaining-trademark-registration/post-registration-audit-program.

To comply with the audit, you must submit proof of use of the registered mark for two additional goods and/or services per class.  Id.  If proof of use for the goods and/or services identified is not available, the identified goods and/or services and any other goods and/or services not currently in use should be deleted from the registration.

Therefore, the owner or holder/owner must submit the following:

(1)  Proof of current use of the registered mark in commerce for the following goods and/or services:

·       Body lotion

·       Hair spray, both in International Class 3;

·       Herbal teas for medicinal purposes

·       Pollen for use as a dietary supplement, both in International Class 5;

·       Online retail store services featuring cosmetic products and dietary supplements and vitamins and minerals, in International Class 35; and,

(2)  The following statement, verified with an affidavit or signed declaration under 37 C.F.R. §2.20:  “The owner or holder/owner was using the mark in commerce on or in connection with the goods and/or services identified in the registration for which use of the mark in commerce is claimed, as evidenced by the submitted proof of use, during the relevant period for filing the affidavit of use.”  37 C.F.R. §§2.161(h), 7.37(h).

Additionally, you must identify the corresponding goods and/or services that each individual piece of evidence of current proof of use supports.  See id.

Acceptable proof of use for goods includes photographs that show the mark on the actual goods or packaging, or photographs of displays associated with the actual goods at their point of sale.  A tag or label that is not shown affixed to the goods is not acceptable proof of use.  Similarly, a package that does not show or identify the goods therein is not acceptable proof of use.  Acceptable proof of use for services includes signs, photographs, brochures, website printouts or advertisements that show the mark used in the actual sale or advertising of the services.

Form Declaration

Please note that the below statement verifying proof of use is slightly different than the standard substitute specimen statement.

The following statement and declaration under 37 C.F.R. §2.20 can be used to verify the use of the mark as evidenced by the item(s) submitted as proof of use, if properly signed and dated:

The owner or holder/owner was using the mark in commerce on or in connection with the goods and/or services identified in the registration for which use of the mark in commerce is claimed, as evidenced by the submitted proof of use and specimen(s), during the relevant period for filing the affidavit of use.

The signatory being warned that willful false statements and the like are punishable by fine or imprisonment, or both, under 18 U.S.C. §1001, and that such willful false statements and the like may jeopardize the validity of this submission, declares that the facts set forth above are true; all statements made of his/her own knowledge are true; and that all statements made on information and belief are believed to be true.

__________________________

Signature of Authorized Person

__________________________

Type or Print Name

__________________________

Date

WARNING:  If your response to this Office action does not meet the requirements of the audit, or includes a request to delete the goods and/or services identified for the audit, and goods and/or services remain in the registration without acceptable proof of use, a second Office action will issue requiring proof of use for all remaining goods and/or services for which proof of use is not of record.  See 37 C.F.R. §§2.161(h), 7.37(h).  Therefore, the owner or holder/owner should delete all goods and/or services for which proof of use cannot be provided.

RESPONSE TIME DEADLINE:  A complete response must be received within 6 months from the issuance date of this Office action or prior to expiration of the 6^th year anniversary date on March 4, 2020, whichever is later.  The owner must respond to all inquiries set forth in this Office action to avoid cancellation of the registration.  If a response is not received, and there is no time remaining in the grace period to file a new affidavit, the registration will be cancelled in its entirety.  37 C.F.R. §2.163(b)-(c); TMEP §§1604.16, 1604.17(a).

DEFICIENCY SURCHARGE INFORMATION:  If the response to this Office action is received by the Office after March 4, 2020, a $100 deficiency surcharge must be submitted if the response is submitted online using the Trademark Electronic Application System (“TEAS”) and a $200 deficiency surcharge must be submitted if the response is submitted on paper.  37 C.F.R. §§2.6, 2.164(a)(1); TMEP §1604.17(a).  (Note:  This only applies when the response time deadline above falls after the 6^th year anniversary date.)

ADVISORY:  If a response to this Office action is not filed within the response deadline above, and time remains in the grace period, the owner may avoid cancellation of its registration by filing a new affidavit of use within the grace period.  37 C.F.R. §2.163(c).  Additional fees are required to file a new affidavit during the grace period.  37 C.F.R. §2.161(d)(1)-(2).  For more information about this, please contact the undersigned.

/Sharon Granata/

Program Analyst

Office of Trademark Quality Review & Training

Phone:  571-272-9167

sharon.granata@uspto.gov

Advisory

In spring 2019, the USPTO is likely to issue proposed changes to the federal trademark regulations to require trademark applicants, registrants, and parties to Trademark Trial and Appeal Board proceedings who are foreign-domiciled (have a permanent legal residence or a principal place of business outside of the United States), including Canadian filers, to have an attorney who is licensed to practice law in the United States represent them at the USPTO. In addition, U.S.-licensed attorneys representing a trademark applicant, registrant, or party will generally be required to provide their bar membership information, a statement attesting to their good standing in that bar, and their postal/email addresses in trademark-related submissions.  All U.S.-licensed attorneys who practice before the USPTO are subject to the rules in 37 C.F.R. Part 11 governing representation of others, including the USPTO’s Rules of Professional Conduct. 

These changes are being made to increase customer compliance with federal trademark law, improve the accuracy of trademark submissions to the USPTO, and safeguard the integrity of the U.S. trademark register.  See the U.S. Counsel Rule change webpage for more information.

TO RESPOND TO THIS LETTER:  Use the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) Response to Post-Registration Office action form number 11 at http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/teas/reg_maintain.jsp.  Please wait 48-72 hours from the issue/mailing date before using TEAS, to allow for necessary system updates of the registration.  For technical assistance with online forms, e-mail TEAS@uspto.gov. For questions about the Office action itself, please contact the assigned specialist.  E-mail communications will not be accepted as responses to Office actions; therefore, do not respond to this Office action by e-mail.

All informal e-mail communications relevant to this registration will be placed in the official registration record.

WHO MUST SIGN THE RESPONSE:  It must be personally signed by an individual owner or someone with legal authority to bind an owner (i.e., a corporate officer, a general partner, all joint owners). If an owner is represented by an attorney, the attorney must sign the response.

CHECK THE STATUS OF THE REGISTRATION:  To check the status of your registration at any time, visit the Office’s Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR) system at http://tsdr.gov.uspto.report/. Please keep a copy of the TSDR status screen.  For more information on checking status, see http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/process/status/.

TO UPDATE CORRESPONDENCE/E-MAIL ADDRESS:  Use the TEAS form at http://www.gov.uspto.report/trademarks/teas/correspondence.jsp.