Topo Athletic Inc. v. Domain Admin / Whoisprotection.cc
Claim Number: FA2105001945150
Complainant is Topo Athletic Inc. ("Complainant"), represented by Rachel M. Walsh of Goodwin Procter LLP, California, USA. Respondent is Domain Admin / Whoisprotection.cc ("Respondent"), Malaysia.
REGISTRAR AND DISPUTED DOMAIN NAME
The domain name at issue is <toposhoessale.com>, registered with ALIBABA.COM SINGAPORE E-COMMERCE PRIVATE LIMITED.
The undersigned certifies that he has acted independently and impartially and to the best of his knowledge has no known conflict in serving as Panelist in this proceeding.
David E. Sorkin as Panelist.
Complainant submitted a Complaint to the Forum electronically on May 14, 2021; the Forum received payment on May 14, 2021.
On May 18, 2021, ALIBABA.COM SINGAPORE E-COMMERCE PRIVATE LIMITED confirmed by email to the Forum that the <toposhoessale.com> domain name is registered with ALIBABA.COM SINGAPORE E-COMMERCE PRIVATE LIMITED and that Respondent is the current registrant of the name. ALIBABA.COM SINGAPORE E-COMMERCE PRIVATE LIMITED has verified that Respondent is bound by the ALIBABA.COM SINGAPORE E-COMMERCE PRIVATE LIMITED 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 May 26, 2021, the Forum served the Complaint and all Annexes, including a Written Notice of the Complaint, setting a deadline of June 15, 2021 by which Respondent could file a Response to the Complaint, via email to all entities and persons listed on Respondent's registration as technical, administrative, and billing contacts, and to postmaster@toposhoessale.com. Also on May 26, 2021, the Written Notice of the Complaint, notifying Respondent of the email 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 June 17, 2021, pursuant to Complainant's request to have the dispute decided by a single-member Panel, the Forum appointed David E. Sorkin 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.
Complainant requests that the domain name be transferred from Respondent to Complainant.
A. Complainant
Complainant sells athletic footwear and other running gear. Complainant uses the TOPO ATHLETIC and TOPO GEAR marks in connection with its products, and owns longstanding United States trademark registrations for both of these marks in standard character form. Complainant also owns a United States trademark registration for a logo composed of three crescent moons, which it uses in conjunction with the word marks to promote and identify its products.
Respondent registered the disputed domain name <toposhoessale.com> in April 2021. The domain name is being used for a website that closely mimics the appearance of Complainant's own website, containing numerous instances of Complainant's marks along with images of Complainant's products and product descriptions that appear to have been copied from Complainant's website. Complainant states that Respondent is not commonly known by the disputed domain name and has not been licensed or otherwise permitted to use Complainant's marks.
Complainant contends on the above grounds that the disputed domain name <toposhoessale.com> is confusingly similar to its TOPO ATHLETIC and TOPO GEAR marks; that Respondent lacks rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name; and that the disputed domain name was registered and is being used in bad faith.
B. Respondent
Respondent failed to submit a Response in this proceeding.
The Panel finds that the disputed domain name is confusingly similar to a mark in which Complainant has rights; that Respondent lacks rights or legitimate interests in respect of the disputed domain name; and that the disputed domain name was registered and is being used in bad faith.
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 set forth in a complaint; however, the Panel may deny relief where a complaint contains mere conclusory or unsubstantiated arguments. See WIPO Overview of WIPO Panel Views on Selected UDRP Questions, § 4.3 (3d ed. 2017), available at http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/search/overview3.0/; see also eGalaxy Multimedia Inc. v. ON HOLD By Owner Ready To Expire, FA 157287 (Forum June 26, 2003) (dismissing complaint where complainant failed to "produce clear evidence to support its subjective allegations").
The disputed domain name <toposhoessale.com> incorporates the distinctive portion of Complainant's registered TOPO ATHLETIC and TOPO GEAR trademarks, adding the generic terms "shoes" and "sale" and appending the ".com" top-level domain. These alterations do not substantially diminish the similarity between the domain name and Complainant's marks. See, e.g., Topo Athletic, LLC v. Vu Hoang / topoathleticshoes, FA 1848051 (Forum July 17, 2019) (finding <toporunningshoe.com> confusingly similar to TOPO ATHLETIC); Topo Athletic, LLC v. Rickey Gibson, FA 1732022 (Forum June 13, 2017) (finding <topoathleticshoes.com> confusingly similar to TOPO ATHLETIC); Esprit International v. Liu Xuemei, D2017-1352 (WIPO Aug. 23, 2017) (finding <espritshoessale.com> confusingly similar to ESPRIT); Mou Ltd. v. Privacy Protection Service INC d/b/a PrivacyProtect.org / Vicky Rogers / Tatiana Ovdienko, D2017-1080 (WIPO July 27, 2017) (finding <moushoessale.com> confusingly similar to MOU). The Panel considers the disputed domain name to be confusingly similar to a mark in which Complainant has rights.
Under the Policy, the Complainant must first make a prima facie case that the Respondent lacks rights and legitimate interests in the disputed domain name, and then the burden shifts to the Respondent to come forward with concrete evidence of such rights or legitimate interests. See Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. v. Entertainment Commentaries, FA 741828 (Forum Aug. 18, 2006).
The disputed domain name incorporates the distinctive portion of Complainant's registered mark without authorization. It is being used for a misleading website that passes off as Complainant for the purpose of promoting what are purported to be Complainant's products (though the Panel infers from the circumstances that they are likely either counterfeit or nonexistent). Such use does not give rise to rights or legitimate interests under the Policy. See, e.g., Brooks Sports, Inc. v. Betty Turner, FA 1930944 (Forum Mar. 9, 2021) (finding lack of rights or interests in similar circumstances); Mou Ltd. v. Privacy Protection Service INC d/b/a PrivacyProtect.org / Vicky Rogers / Tatiana Ovdienko, supra (same); Topo Athletic, LLC v. Vu Hoang / topoathleticshoes, supra (same); Topo Athletic, LLC v. Rickey Gibson, supra (same).
Complainant has made a prima facie case that Respondent lacks rights and legitimate interests in the domain name, and Respondent has failed to come forward with any evidence of such rights or interests. Accordingly, the Panel finds that Complainant has sustained its burden of proving that Respondent lacks rights or legitimate interests in respect of the disputed domain name.
Finally, Complainant must show that the disputed domain name was registered and is being used in bad faith. Under paragraph 4(b)(iii) of the Policy, bad faith may be shown by evidence that Respondent registered the disputed domain name "primarily for the purpose of disrupting the business of a competitor." Under paragraph 4(b)(iv), bad faith may be shown by evidence that "by using the domain name, [Respondent] intentionally attempted to attract, for commercial gain, Internet users to [Respondent's] web site or other on-line location, by creating a likelihood of confusion with the complainant's mark as to the source, sponsorship, affiliation, or endorsement of [Respondent's] web site or location or of a product or service on [Respondent's] web site or location."
The disputed domain name, registered in the name of what the Panel infers to be a privacy registration service, incorporates the distinctive portion of Complainant's registered mark without authorization, and it is being used for a misleading website that passes off as Complainant to promote what are likely either counterfeit or nonexistent products. Such conduct is indicative of bad faith registration and use under the Policy. See, e.g., Brooks Sports, Inc. v. Betty Turner, supra (finding bad faith in similar circumstances); Mou Ltd. v. Privacy Protection Service INC d/b/a PrivacyProtect.org / Vicky Rogers / Tatiana Ovdienko, supra (same); Topo Athletic, LLC v. Vu Hoang / topoathleticshoes, supra (same); Topo Athletic, LLC v. Rickey Gibson, supra (same). The Panel so finds.
Having considered the three elements required under the ICANN Policy, the Panel concludes that relief shall be GRANTED.
Accordingly, it is Ordered that the <toposhoessale.com> domain name be TRANSFERRED from Respondent to Complainant.
David E. Sorkin, Panelist
Dated: June 18, 2021
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