To: | Gao Ke (shan.zhulaw@gmail.com) |
Subject: | U.S. Trademark Application Serial No. 88450208 - FINEW - SHA1904 |
Sent: | March 24, 2020 01:03:02 PM |
Sent As: | ecom106@uspto.gov |
Attachments: |
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
Office Action (Official Letter) About Applicant’s Trademark Application
U.S. Application Serial No. 88450208
Mark: FINEW
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Correspondence Address: |
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Applicant: Gao Ke
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Reference/Docket No. SHA1904
Correspondence Email Address: |
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NONFINAL OFFICE ACTION
The USPTO must receive applicant’s response to this letter within six months of the issue date below or the application will be abandoned. Respond using the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS). A link to the appropriate TEAS response form appears at the end of this Office action.
Issue date: March 24, 2020
This Office action is supplemental to and supersedes the previous Office action issued on August 27, 2019 in connection with this application. Based on information and/or documentation in applicant’s response, the trademark examining attorney now issues the following new refusal: Sections 1 and 45 Refusal – Premature Use. See TMEP §§706, 711.02.
In a previous Office action dated August 27, 2019, the trademark examining attorney refused registration of the applied-for mark based on the following: failure to show the applied-for mark in use in commerce with any of the specified goods. In addition, applicant was required to satisfy the following requirement: must be represented by U.S. counsel.
On March 11, 2020, the application abandoned. On March 13, 2020, the applicant filed a petition to revive the application.
Based on applicant’s petition to revive, the trademark examining attorney notes that the following requirement has been satisfied: applicant is now represented by U.S. counsel. See TMEP §713.02.
The following refusal is continued and maintained: specimen refusal.
The following is a SUMMARY OF ISSUES that applicant must address:
Applicant must respond to all issues raised in this Office action and the previous August 27, 2019 Office action, within six (6) months of the date of issuance of this Office action. 37 C.F.R. §2.62(a); see TMEP §711.02. If applicant does not respond within this time limit, the application will be abandoned. 37 C.F.R. §2.65(a).
SECTIONS 1 AND 45 REFUSAL – PREMATURE USE.
In this case, the Amazon® webpage states that the goods were first listed on June 12, 2019. In addition, the dated accessed on the specimen is March 13, 2020. Thus, the applicant has not used the applied-for mark in commerce in connection with the identified goods as of the application filing date.
The use or display of a mark in the sale or advertising of goods before the goods are actually created or provided or the services rendered does not show use in commerce. See Couture v. Playdom, Inc., 778 F.3d 1379, 1380-82, 113 USPQ2d 2042, 2043-44 (Fed. Cir. 2015); In re Cedar Point, Inc., 220 USPQ 533 (TTAB 1983); TMEP §§904, 1301.03(a).
If applicant’s goods were being sold or transported or the services were being rendered in commerce as of the application filing date, applicant must submit the following:
(1) A substitute specimen showing the applied-for mark in use in commerce for the goods and/or services specified in the application.
(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 at least as early as the application filing date.” 37 C.F.R. §2.59(a); TMEP §904.05; see 37 C.F.R. §2.193(e)(1). 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.
If applicant did not use the applied-for mark in commerce on or before the filing date, applicant may substitute a different basis for filing if applicant can meet the requirements for the new basis. In this case, applicant may wish to amend the application to assert a Section 1(b) basis. See TMEP §806.03(c). However, if applicant amends the basis to Section 1(b), registration will not be granted until applicant later amends the application back to use in commerce by filing an acceptable allegation of use with a proper specimen. See 15 U.S.C. §1051(c), (d); 37 C.F.R. §§2.76, 2.88; TMEP §1103. If the same specimen is submitted with an allegation of use, the same refusal will issue.
To amend to Section 1(b), applicant must submit the following statement, verified with an affidavit or signed declaration under 37 C.F.R. §2.20: “Applicant has a bona fide intention to use the mark in commerce and had a bona fide intention to use the mark in commerce as of the application filing date.” 37 C.F.R. §2.34(a)(2); TMEP §806.01(b); see 15 U.S.C. §1051(b); 37 C.F.R. §§2.35(b)(1), 2.193(e)(1).
RESPONSE GUIDELINES
For this application to proceed, applicant must explicitly address each refusal and/or requirement in this Office action. For a refusal, applicant may provide written arguments and evidence against the refusal, and may have other response options if specified above. For a requirement, applicant should set forth the changes or statements. Please see “Responding to Office Actions” and the informational video “Response to Office Action” for more information and tips on responding.
How to respond. Click to file a response to this nonfinal Office action.
/Marcya N. Betts/
Marcya N. Betts
Examining Attorney
Law Office 106
(571) 272-4913
Marcya.Betts@uspto.gov
RESPONSE GUIDANCE