DECISION
Nautica Apparel, Inc. v. Client Care / Web Commerce Communications Limited
Claim Number: FA2312002075850
PARTIES
Complainant is Nautica Apparel, Inc. ("Complainant"), New York, USA. Respondent is Client Care / Web Commerce Communications Limited ("Respondent"), Malaysia.
REGISTRAR AND DISPUTED DOMAIN NAME
The domain name at issue is <nauticacanadaoutlet.com>, registered with ALIBABA.COM SINGAPORE E-COMMERCE PRIVATE LIMITED.
PANEL
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.
Alan L. Limbury, as Panelist.
PROCEDURAL HISTORY
Complainant submitted a Complaint to Forum electronically on December 19, 2023. Forum received payment on December 19, 2023.
On December 19, 2023, ALIBABA.COM SINGAPORE E-COMMERCE PRIVATE LIMITED confirmed by e-mail to Forum that the <nauticacanadaoutlet.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 December 26, 2023, Forum served the Complaint and all Annexes, including a Written Notice of the Complaint, setting a deadline of January 16, 2024 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@nauticacanadaoutlet.com. Also on December 26, 2023, 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, Forum transmitted to the parties a Notification of Respondent Default.
On January 17, 2024, pursuant to Complainant's request to have the dispute decided by a single-member Panel, Forum appointed Alan L. Limbury as Panelist.
Having reviewed the communications records, the Administrative Panel (the "Panel") finds that 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, 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
Complainant, Nautica Apparel, Inc., provides a wide variety of goods and services under the NAUTICA mark, including clothing, accessories and home goods, which are sold in over 200 NAUTICA stores and select department stores in over 65 countries, as well as on the website "www.nautica.com".
Complainant has rights in the NAUTICA mark through numerous trademark registrations, including in Canada. Respondent's <nauticacanadaoutlet.com> domain name is identical or confusingly similar to Complainant's NAUTICA mark.
Respondent lacks rights or legitimate interests in the <nauticacanadaoutlet.com> domain name since Respondent is not licensed or authorized to use Complainant's NAUTICA mark and there is no evidence to suggest that Respondent is commonly known by that name. Additionally, Respondent does not use the domain name for any bona fide offering of goods or services or legitimate noncommercial or fair use. Rather, Respondent uses the domain name to promote its website for illegitimate commercial gains, more specifically, by operating a fake NAUTICA website offering counterfeit NAUTICA goods.
Respondent registered the <nauticacanadaoutlet.com> domain name in bad faith with actual knowledge of Complainant's rights in the NAUTICA mark and uses it in bad faith by selling counterfeit NAUTICA goods on its website.
B. Respondent
Respondent failed to submit a Response in this proceeding.
FINDINGS
Complainant has established all the elements entitling it to relief.
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."
(i) the domain name registered by Respondent is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark or service mark in which Complainant has rights; and
(ii) Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the domain name; and
(iii) 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 as 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 Jurisprudential Overview 3.0 at ¶ 4.3; see also eGalaxy Multimedia Inc. v. ON HOLD By Owner Ready To Expire, FA 157287 (Forum June 26, 2003) ('Because Complainant did not produce clear evidence to support its subjective allegations [. . .] the Panel finds it appropriate to dismiss the Complaint').
Identical and/or Confusingly Similar
Complainant has shown that it has rights in the NAUTICA mark through numerous registrations, including in Canada (e.g., Reg. No. TMA693,272, registered on August 2, 2007). The Panel finds Respondent's <nauticacanadaoutlet.com> domain name to be confusingly similar to Complainant's mark, only differing by the addition of the words "Canada" and "outlet", which do nothing to distinguish the domain name from the mark, and the inconsequential ".com" generic top-level domain ("gTLD"), which may be ignored. See, for example, Rollerblade, Inc. v. Chris McCrady, WIPO Case No. D2000-0429.
Complainant has established this element.
Rights or Legitimate Interests
(i) before any notice to Respondent of the dispute, the use by Respondent of, or demonstrable preparations to use, the domain name or a name corresponding to the domain name in connection with a bona fide offering of goods or services; or
(ii) Respondent (as an individual, business or other organization) has been commonly known by the domain name, even if Respondent has acquired no trademark or service mark rights; or
(iii) Respondent is making a legitimate noncommercial or fair use of the domain name, without intent for commercial gain to misleadingly divert customers or to tarnish the trademark or service mark at issue.
The <nauticacanadaoutlet.com> domain name was registered on May 29, 2023, many years after Complainant has shown that its NAUTICA mark had become well-known around the world. It resolves to a website with each page headed "Nautica Canada Outlet – Nautica Shoes, Clothing Canada Sale" and displaying what appear to be discounted clothing, some bearing the NAUTICA mark.
These circumstances, together with Complainant's assertions, are sufficient to constitute a prima facie showing of absence of rights or legitimate interests in respect of the domain name on the part of Respondent. The evidentiary burden therefore shifts to Respondent to show that it does have rights or legitimate interests in the <nauticacanadaoutlet.com> domain name. See JUUL Labs, Inc. v. Dryx Emerson / KMF Events LTD, FA1906001849706 (Forum July 17, 2019). Respondent has made no attempt to do so.
The Panel finds that Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the domain name.
Complainant has established this element.
Registration and Use in Bad Faith
Paragraph 4(b) of the Policy sets out four illustrative circumstances, which, though not exclusive, shall be evidence of the registration and use of the domain name in bad faith for purposes of paragraph 4(a)(iii) of the Policy, including:
(iv) by using the domain name, Respondent has intentionally attempted to attract, for commercial gain, Internet users to its website or other on-line location, by creating a likelihood of confusion with Complainant's mark as to the source, sponsorship, affiliation, or endorsement of Respondent's website or location or of a product or service on its website or location.
The circumstances set out above in relation to the second element satisfy the Panel that Respondent was fully aware of Complainant's well-known NAUTICA mark when Respondent registered the <nauticacanadaoutlet.com> domain name and that Respondent has intentionally attempted to attract, for commercial gain, Internet users to Respondent's website, by creating a likelihood of confusion with Complainant's mark as to the source of Respondent's website and of the goods promoted on that website. This demonstrates registration and use in bad faith to attract users for commercial gain under Policy ¶ 4(b)(iv).
Complainant has established this element.
DECISION
Complainant having established all three elements required under the ICANN Policy, the Panel concludes that relief shall be GRANTED.
Accordingly, it is Ordered that the <nauticacanadaoutlet.com> domain name be TRANSFERRED from Respondent to Complainant.
Alan L. Limbury, Panelist
Dated: January 18, 2024
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