DECISION

 

Sonnax Transmission Company v. David Wilson / VALVE BODY KINGS

Claim Number: FA1902001830107

 

PARTIES

Complainant is Sonnax Transmission Company (“Complainant”), represented by Richard S. Stockton of Banner & Witcoff, Ltd., Illinois, USA.  Respondent is David Wilson / VALVE BODY KINGS (“Respondent”), Florida, USA.

 

REGISTRAR AND DISPUTED DOMAIN NAME

The domain name at issue is <sonnaxvalvebody.com>, registered with Tucows Domains Inc.

 

PANEL

The undersigned certifies that he or she has acted independently and impartially and to the best of his or her knowledge has no known conflict in serving as Panelist in this proceeding.

 

John J. Upchurch as Panelist.

 

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Complainant submitted a Complaint to the Forum electronically on February 15, 2019; the Forum received payment on February 15, 2019.

 

On February 19, 2019, Tucows Domains Inc. confirmed by e-mail to the Forum that the <sonnaxvalvebody.com> domain name is registered with Tucows Domains Inc. and that Respondent is the current registrant of the name.  Tucows Domains Inc. has verified that Respondent is bound by the Tucows Domains Inc. registration agreement and has thereby agreed to resolve domain disputes brought by third parties in accordance with ICANN’s Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Policy”).

 

On February 21, 2019, the Forum served the Complaint and all Annexes, including a Written Notice of the Complaint, setting a deadline of March 13, 2019 by which Respondent could file a Response to the Complaint, via e-mail to all entities and persons listed on Respondent’s registration as technical, administrative, and billing contacts, and to postmaster@sonnaxvalvebody.com.  Also on February 21, 2019, the Written Notice of the Complaint, notifying Respondent of the e-mail addresses served and the deadline for a Response, was transmitted to Respondent via post and fax, to all entities and persons listed on Respondent’s registration as technical, administrative and billing contacts.

 

Having received no response from Respondent, the Forum transmitted to the parties a Notification of Respondent Default.

 

On March 14, 2019, pursuant to Complainant's request to have the dispute decided by a single-member Panel, the Forum appointed John J. Upchurch as Panelist.

 

Having reviewed the communications records, the Administrative Panel (the "Panel") finds that the Forum has discharged its responsibility under Paragraph 2(a) of the Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the "Rules") "to employ reasonably available means calculated to achieve actual notice to Respondent" through submission of Electronic and Written Notices, as defined in Rule 1 and Rule 2. Therefore, the Panel may issue its decision based on the documents submitted and in accordance with the ICANN Policy, ICANN Rules, the Forum's Supplemental Rules and any rules and principles of law that the Panel deems applicable, without the benefit of any response from Respondent.

 

RELIEF SOUGHT

Complainant requests that the domain name be transferred from Respondent to Complainant.

 

PARTIES' CONTENTIONS

A.   Complainant:

1.    Complainant designs, develops, and manufactures high-quality aftermarket automotive products. Complainant has rights in the SONNAX mark through its registration of the mark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) (e.g. Reg. No. 3,806,056, registered June 22, 2010). See Compl. Ex. 4. Respondent’s <sonnaxvalvebody.com> domain name is identical or confusingly similar to Complainant’s mark as it merely adds the descriptive term “valvebody” to Complainant’s fully incorporated mark.

2.    Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in the <sonnaxvalvebody.com> domain name. Respondent is not commonly known by the disputed domain name, nor has Complainant authorized, licensed, or otherwise permitted Respondent to use the mark. Respondent also does not use the disputed domain name in connection with a bona fide offering of goods or services or legitimate noncommercial or fair use. Rather, Respondent uses the domain name to either sell Complainant’s products or products that compete with Complainant. See Compl. Ex. 8.

3.    Respondent registered and uses the <sonnaxvalvebody.com> domain name in bad faith. Respondent offered to sell the domain name to Complainant for $25,000, an amount in excess of out-of-pocket expenses attributed to maintaining the domain name. See Compl. Ex. 11. Further, Respondent uses the domain name to attract users to its competing website by creating a likelihood of confusion with Complainant’s mark for Respondent’s commercial gain. See Compl. Ex. 8.

 

B.   Respondent:

1.    Respondent failed to submit a response in this proceeding.

 

FINDINGS

1.    Respondent’s <sonnaxvalvebody.com> domain name is confusingly similar to Complainant’s SONNAX mark.

2.    Respondent does not have any rights or legitimate interests in the  <sonnaxvalvebody.com> domain name.

3.    Respondent registered or used the <sonnaxvalvebody.com> domain name in bad faith.

 

DISCUSSION

Paragraph 15(a) of the Rules instructs this Panel to "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."

 

Paragraph 4(a) of the Policy requires that Complainant must prove each of the following three elements to obtain an order that a domain name should be cancelled or transferred:

 

(1)  the domain name registered by Respondent is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark or service mark in which Complainant has rights; and

(2)  Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the domain name; and

(3)  the domain name has been registered and is being used in bad faith.

 

In view of Respondent's failure to submit a response, the Panel shall decide this administrative proceeding on the basis of Complainant's undisputed representations pursuant to paragraphs 5(f), 14(a) and 15(a) of the Rules and draw such inferences it considers appropriate pursuant to paragraph 14(b) of the Rules.  The Panel is entitled to accept all reasonable allegations and inferences set forth in the Complaint as true unless the evidence is clearly contradictory.  See Vertical Solutions Mgmt., Inc. v. webnet-marketing, inc., FA 95095 (Forum July 31, 2000) (holding that the respondent’s failure to respond allows all reasonable inferences of fact in the allegations of the complaint to be deemed true); see also Talk City, Inc. v. Robertson, D2000-0009 (WIPO Feb. 29, 2000)

(“In the absence of a response, it is appropriate to accept as true all allegations of the Complaint.”).

 

Identical and/or Confusingly Similar

Complainant claims rights in the SONNAX mark through its registration of the mark with the USPTO (e.g. Reg. No. 3,806,056, registered June 22, 2010). See Compl. Ex. 4. Registration of a mark with the USPTO sufficiently confers a complainant’s rights in a mark for the purposes of Policy ¶ 4(a)(i). See Humor Rainbow, Inc. v. James Lee, FA 1626154 (Forum Aug. 11, 2015) (stating, “There exists an overwhelming consensus amongst UDRP panels that USPTO registrations are sufficient in demonstrating a complainant’s rights under Policy ¶ 4(a)(i) and its vested interests in a mark. . . . Due to Complainant’s attached USPTO registration on the principal register at Exhibit 1, the Panel agrees that it has sufficiently demonstrated its rights per Policy ¶ 4(a)(i).”). Accordingly, the Panel finds that Complainant has established rights in the SONNAX mark for the purposes of Policy ¶ 4(a)(i).

 

Complainant next argues that Respondent’s <sonnaxvalvebody.com> domain name is identical or confusingly similar to Complainant’s mark as it merely adds the descriptive term “valvebody” to Complainant’s fully incorporated mark. The Panel also sees that the domain name adds the “.com” generic top-level domain and find that the addition of descriptive terms and gTLDs are generally insufficient to distinguish a domain name for the purposes of Policy ¶ 4(a)(i). See The Toronto-Dominion Bank v. George Whitehead, FA 1784412 (Forum June 11, 2018) (“[S]light differences between domain names and registered marks, such as the addition of words that describe the goods or services in connection with the mark and gTLDs, do not distinguish the domain name from the mark incorporated therein per Policy ¶ 4(a)(i).”). The Panel therefore finds that the <sonnaxvalvebody.com> domain name is confusingly similar to the SONNAX mark under Policy ¶ 4(a)(i).

 

Rights or Legitimate Interests

Complainant must first make a prima facie case that Respondent lacks rights and legitimate interests in the disputed domain name under Policy ¶ 4(a)(ii), then the burden shifts to Respondent to show it does have rights or legitimate interests. See Advanced International Marketing Corporation v. AA-1 Corp, FA 780200 (Forum Nov. 2, 2011) (finding that a complainant must offer some evidence to make its prima facie case and satisfy Policy ¶ 4(a)(ii)); see also Neal & Massey Holdings Limited v. Gregory Ricks, FA 1549327 (Forum Apr. 12, 2014) (“Under Policy ¶ 4(a)(ii), Complainant must first make out a prima facie case showing that Respondent lacks rights and legitimate interests in respect of an at-issue domain name and then the burden, in effect, shifts to Respondent to come forward with evidence of its rights or legitimate interests”).

 

Complainant contends that Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in the <sonnaxvalvebody.com> domain name.  Where a response is lacking, relevant information includes the WHOIS and any other assertions by a complainant regarding the nature of its relationship with a respondent. See Braun Corp. v. Loney, FA 699652 (Forum July 7, 2006) (concluding that the respondent was not commonly known by the disputed domain names where the WHOIS information, as well as all other information in the record, gave no indication that the respondent was commonly known by the domain names, and the complainant had not authorized the respondent to register a domain name containing its registered mark). The WHOIS identifies “David Wilson / VALVE BODY KINGS” as the registrant. Complainant further alleges that Respondent has never been legitimately affiliated with Complainant, has never been known by the domain name prior to its registration, and Complainant has not given Respondent permission to use the mark in any manner. Accordingly, the Panel agrees that Respondent is not commonly known by the <sonnaxvalvebody.com> domain name under Policy ¶ 4(c)(ii).

 

Next, Complainant argues that Respondent uses the domain name to either sell Complainant’s products or products that compete with Complainant. Using a confusingly similar domain name to sell a complainant’s products or competing products generally fails to indicate a bona fide offering of goods or services or a legitimate noncommercial or fair use under the Policy. See Fadal Engineering, LLC v. DANIEL STRIZICH,INDEPENDENT TECHNOLOGY SERVICE INC, FA 1581942 (Forum Nov. 13, 2014) (finding that Respondent’s use of the disputed domain to sell products related to Complainant without authorization “does not amount to a bona fide offering of goods or services under policy ¶ 4(c)(i), or a legitimate noncommercial or fair use under Policy ¶ 4(c)(iii).”); see also Upwork Global Inc. v. Shoaib Malik, FA 1654759 (Forum February 3, 2016) (finding that Complainant provides freelance talent services, and that Respondent competes with Complainant by promoting freelance talent services through the disputed domain’s resolving webpage, which is neither a bona fide offering of goods or services, nor is it a legitimate noncommercial or fair use). Complainant provides a screenshot of the resolving webpage, which displays the message “All Valve Bodies Available! Order Now” and displays products allegedly for sale. See Compl. Ex. 8.  As such, the Panel holds that Respondent’s competing use of the domain name provides evidence of Respondent’s lack of rights and legitimate interests under Policy ¶¶ 4(c)(i) and/or (iii).

 

Registration and Use in Bad Faith

Complainant argues that Respondent offered to sell the <sonnaxvalvebody.com> domain name to Complainant for $25,000, an amount in excess of the out-of-pocket expenses attributed to maintaining the domain name. Offering a confusingly similar domain name for sale can evince bad faith under the Policy. See George Weston Bakeries Inc. v. McBroom, FA 933276 (Forum Apr. 25, 2007) (concluding that the respondent registered and was using the <gwbakeries.mobi> domain name in bad faith according to Policy ¶ 4(b)(i) where it offered it for sale for far more than its estimated out-of-pocket costs it incurred in initially registering the disputed domain name). Complainant provides copies of communication between itself and Respondent, where Complainant wrote a letter to Respondent and reflected an alleged prior offer by Respondent to sell the domain name to Complainant for $25,000. See Compl. Ex. 11. As such, the Panel agrees with Complainant’s provided evidence, and the Panel uses Respondent’s offering of the domain name for sale directly to the Complainant as evidence of bad faith Policy ¶ 4(b)(i).

 

Further, Complainant claims that Respondent uses the domain name to attract users to its website where it offers Complainant’s products or competing products by creating a likelihood of confusion with Complainant’s mark for Respondent’s commercial gain. Using a disputed domain name to sell a complainant’s products or competing products for commercial gain can evince bad faith under Policy ¶ 4(b)(iv). See Fanuc Ltd v. Mach. Control Servs., FA 93667 (Forum Mar. 13, 2000) (finding that the respondent violated Policy ¶ 4(b)(iv) by creating a likelihood of confusion with the complainant's mark by using a domain name identical to the complainant’s mark to sell the complainant’s products); see also Xylem Inc. and Xylem IP Holdings LLC v. YinSi BaoHu YiKaiQi, FA1504001612750 (Forum May 13, 2015) (“The Panel agrees that Respondent’s use of the website to display products similar to Complainant’s, imputes intent to attract Internet users for commercial gain, and finds bad faith per Policy ¶ 4(b)(iv).”). As noted above, Complainant provides a screenshot of the resolving webpage, which displays the message “All Valve Bodies Available! Order Now” and displays products allegedly for sale. See Compl. Ex. 8. Accordingly, the Panel agrees that Respondent attempted to commercially benefit off Complainant’s mark in bad faith under Policy ¶ 4(b)(iv).

 

DECISION

Having established all three elements required under the ICANN Policy, the Panel concludes that relief shall be GRANTED.

 

Accordingly, it is Ordered that the <sonnaxvalvebody.com> domain name be TRANSFERRED from Respondent to Complainant.

 

 

                                                           

                                                            John J. Upchurch, Panelist

                                                            Dated:  April 29, 2019