HUGO BOSS Trademark Management GmbH & Co., KG and HUGO BOSS AG v. Ludwig Rhys
Claim Number: FA1801001768932
Complainant is HUGO BOSS Trademark Management GmbH & Co., KG and HUGO BOSS AG (“Complainant”), represented by Douglas M Isenberg of The GigaLaw Firm, Douglas M Isenberg, Attorney at Law, LLC, Georgia, USA. Respondent is Ludwig Rhys (“Respondent”), China.
REGISTRAR AND DISPUTED DOMAIN NAME
The domain name at issue is <hugobosssale.us>, registered with GoDaddy.com, LLC.
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.
Paul M. DeCicco, as Panelist.
Complainant submitted a Complaint to the Forum electronically on January 25, 2018; the Forum received payment on January 25, 2018.
On January 26, 2018, GoDaddy.com, LLC confirmed by e-mail to the Forum that the <hugobosssale.us> domain name is registered with GoDaddy.com, LLC and that Respondent is the current registrant of the name. GoDaddy.com, LLC has verified that Respondent is bound by the GoDaddy.com, LLC registration agreement and has thereby agreed to resolve domain disputes brought by third parties in accordance with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s usTLD Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Policy”).
On January 26, 2018, the Forum served the Complaint and all Annexes, including a Written Notice of the Complaint, setting a deadline of February 15, 2018 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@hugobosssale.us. Also on January 26, 2018, 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 February 16, 2018, pursuant to Complainant's request to have the dispute decided by a single-member Panel, the Forum appointed Paul M. DeCicco 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 to the usTLD Dispute Resolution Policy (“Rules”). Therefore, the Panel may issue its decision based on the documents submitted and in accordance with the usTLD Policy, usTLD 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 contends as follows:
Complainant, founded in 1924, is a market leader in the upper-premium segment of the global apparel market. Complainant has rights in the HUGO BOSS mark through its registration of the mark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) (e.g. Reg. No. 1,594,225, registered May 1, 1990).
Respondent’s <hugobosssale.us> domain name is identical or confusingly similar to Complainant’s mark as it contains the mark in its entirety plus the descriptive term “sale.”
Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in the <hugobosssale.us> 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 for any purpose. Nothing in the available evidence indicates that Respondent has rights in a mark identical to the disputed domain name, which would serve to satisfy Policy ¶ 4(c)(i). 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 pass itself off as Complainant and offer counterfeit products for sale.
Respondent registered and uses the <hugobosssale.us> domain name in bad faith. Respondent uses the domain name to create confusion as to the source, sponsorship, affiliation, or endorsement of the content thereon. Respondent’s use of the name to offer counterfeit products for sale further demonstrates its bad faith. Finally, Respondent clearly registered and used the domain name with constructive and actual knowledge of Complainant’s rights in the HUGO BOSS mark.
B. Respondent
Respondent failed to submit a Response in this proceeding.
Complainant has rights in the HUGO BOSS mark as demonstrated by its registration of such mark with the USPTO.
Complainant’s rights in the HUGO BOSS mark existed prior to Respondent’s registration of the at-issue domain name.
Respondent uses the <hugobosssale.us> domain name to sell counterfeit HUGO BOSS goods.
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 or is being used in bad faith.
Given the similarity between the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (“UDRP”) and the usTLD Policy, the Panel will draw upon UDRP precedent as applicable in rendering its decision.
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.”).
Preliminary Issue: Multiple Complainants
In the instant proceedings, there are two Complainants. Paragraph 3(a) of the Rules to the usTLD Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Rules”) provides that “[a]ny person or entity may initiate an administrative proceeding by submitting a complaint.” The Forum’s Supplemental Rule 1(e) defines “The Party Initiating a Complaint Concerning a Domain Name Registration” as a “single person or entity claiming to have rights in the domain name, or multiple persons or entities who have a sufficient nexus who can each claim to have rights to all domain names listed in the Complaint.”
The two Complainants in this matter are HUGO BOSS Trademark Management GmbH & Co., KG and HUGO BOSS AG. Complainant HUGO BOSS Trademark Management GmbH & Co., KG is the trademark management company for Complainant HUGO BOSS AG. Therefore, they are related corporate entities and the rights and roles of each are relevant to the proceeding. As also held in prior proceedings involving our two Complainants it is thus appropriate for the instant complaint to be filed on behalf of both entities. See Hugo Boss Trade Mark Management GmbH & Co. KG and Hugo Boss AG v. xian fengdao, ghjktgykityjurthrde degfrvc, D2015-1961 (WIPO Dec. 12, 2015); see also HUGO BOSS Trademark Management GmbH & Co., KG and HUGO BOSS AG v. Dan Thurston, FA 1734085 (Forum Jun. 29, 2017). The Complainants are collectively referred to as Complainant throughout this decision.
The at-issue domain name is confusingly similar to a trademark in which Complainant has rights.
Complainant’s ownership of a USPTO trademark registration for the HUGO BOSS trademark evidences its rights in such mark for the purposes of Policy ¶ 4(a)(I). See Microsoft Corp. v. Burkes, FA 652743 (Forum Apr. 17, 2006) (“Complainant has established rights in the MICROSOFT mark through registration of the mark with the USPTO”).
Additionally, the at-issue domain name contains Complainant’s entire HUGO BOSS trademark, less its space, appended by the generic term “sale: and the top-level domain name “.us”. The slight differences between the at-issue <hugobosssale.us> domain name and Complainant’s HUGO BOSS trademark are insufficient to distinguish one from the other for the purposes of the Policy. See YETI Coolers, LLC v. Randall Bearden, FA 16060016880755 (Forum Aug. 10, 2016) (finding that the words “powder coating” in the <yetipowdercoating.com> domain name are “merely explicative and directly refer to some of the services rendered by the Complainant” and, therefore, create an “irrefutable confusing similarity” to complainant’s YETI mark); see also, Hugo Boss Trade Mark Management GmbH & Co. KG and Hugo Boss AG v. Ren Shi Hua, WIPO Case No. D2015-0203 (March 31, 2015) (The additional word ‘sale’ does not serve sufficiently to distinguish or differentiate the disputed domain name from the Complainant’s trademark, as it is a common term in the Complainant’s field of business);see also, Research Now Group, Inc. v. Pan Jing, FA 1735345 (Forum July 14, 2017) (“The … elimination of spacing [is] considered irrelevant when distinguishing between a mark and a domain name.”); see also Allied Bldg. Prods. Corp. v. Henkel, FA 827652 (Forum Dec. 11, 2006) (holding that “it is well established that the top-level domain, here “.us,” is insignificant with regard to UDRP analysis” when determining confusing similarity).
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. See Hanna-Barbera Prods., Inc. v. Entm’t Commentaries, FA 741828 (Forum Aug. 18, 2006). Since Respondent failed to respond, Complainant’s prima facie showing acts conclusively.
Respondent lacks both rights and legitimate interests in respect of the at-issue domain name. Respondent is not authorized to use Complainant’s trademark in any capacity and, as discussed below, there are no Policy ¶4(c) circumstances from which the Panel might find that Respondent has rights or interests in respect of the at‑issue domain name.
WHOIS information for the at-issue domain name identifies the domain name’s registrant as “Ludwig Rhys” and the record contains no evidence that otherwise tends to prove that Respondent is commonly known by the <hugobosssale.us> domain name. The Panel therefore concludes that Respondent is not commonly known by the <hugobosssale.us> domain name for the purposes of Policy ¶ 4(c)(ii). SeeCoppertown Drive-Thru Sys., LLC v. Snowden, FA 715089 (Forum July 17, 2006) (concluding that the respondent was not commonly known by the <coppertown.com> domain name where there was no evidence in the record, including the WHOIS information, suggesting that the respondent was commonly known by the disputed domain name).
Furthermore, Respondent uses the <hugobosssale.us> domain name to direct internet users to a website that resembles Complainant’s official website but is controlled by Respondent. Respondent claims on the website that it is a “Factory Outlet” store. There Respondent, posing as Complainant, sells counterfeit HUGO BOSS goods. The website prominently displays Complainant’s HUGO BOSS trademark and Complainant has received complaints from third parties receiving counterfeit products through Respondent’s subject website. Using the domain name in this manner is neither a bona fide offering of goods or services under Policy ¶4(c)(i), nor a non-commercial or fair use under Policy ¶4(c)(iii). See Mortgage Research Center LLC v. Miranda, FA 993017 (Forum July 9, 2007) (“Because [the] respondent in this case is also attempting to pass itself off as [the] complainant, presumably for financial gain, the Panel finds the respondent is not using the <mortgageresearchcenter.org> domain name for a bona fide offering of goods or services pursuant to Policy ¶ [4(c)(ii)], or a legitimate noncommercial or fair use pursuant to Policy ¶ [4(c)(iv)].”); see also Watts Water Technologies Inc. v. wo ci fa men zhi zao (kun shan) you xian gong si, FA 1740269 (Forum Aug. 11, 2017) (“Respondent has used the domain name to resolve to a website that mimics the color scheme associated with Complainant’s WATTS brand and displays counterfeit versions of Complainant’s products for purchase in an attempt to pass itself off as Complainant… [therefore], the Panel finds that Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name.”).
Given the foregoing, Complainant satisfies its initial burden and conclusively demonstrates Respondent’s lack of rights and lack of interests in respect of the at-issue domain name pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(a)(ii).
The at-issue domain name was registered and used in bad faith. As discussed below without limitation, Policy ¶ 4(b) specific bad faith circumstances as well as other circumstances lead the Panel to conclude that Respondent acted in bad faith pursuant to paragraph 4 (a)(iii) of the Policy.
As mentioned above regarding rights and legitimate interests, Respondent uses the confusingly similar <hugobosssale.us> domain name and its associated website in furtherance of selling counterfeit versions of Complainant’s goods. Using the domain name in this manner demonstrates Respondent’s bad faith pursuant to Policy ¶¶ 4(b)(ii) and (iv). See Bittrex, Inc. v. Wuxi Yilian LLC, FA 1760517 (Forum Dec. 27, 2017) (finding bad faith per Policy ¶ 4(b)(iv) where “Respondent registered and uses the <lbittrex.com> domain name in bad faith by directing Internet users to a website that mimics Complainant’s own website in order to confuse users into believing that Respondent is Complainant, or is otherwise affiliated or associated with Complainant.”); see also H-D U.S.A., LLC v. Linchunming / linchunming, FA1411001589214 (Forum Dec. 22, 2014) (“As mentioned above, Respondent uses the domain name to promote counterfeit goods like those offered by Complainant. Doing so disrupts Complainant’s business and demonstrates Respondent’s bad faith under Policy ¶ 4(b)(iii).”); H-D Michigan, LLC v. Ross, FA 1250712 (Forum Apr. 23, 2009) (determining that the respondent’s selling of counterfeit products creates the likelihood of confusion as to the complainant’s affiliation with the disputed domain name and allows the respondent to profit from that confusion).
Additionally, Respondent registered the <hugobosssale.us> domain name knowing that Complainant had trademark rights in HUGO BOSS. Respondent’s prior knowledge is evident from Respondent’s use of the <hugobosssale.us> domain name to sell counterfeit HUGO BOSS goods, as well as from the notoriety of Complainant’s HUGO BOSS trademark. It is therefore clear that Respondent intentionally registered the at-issue domain name to improperly exploit its trademark value, rather than for some benign reason. Respondent’s prior knowledge of Complainant's trademark further indicates that Respondent registered and used the <hugobosssale.us> domain name in bad faith pursuant to Policy ¶ 4(a)(iii). See Minicards Vennootschap Onder FIrma Amsterdam v. Moscow Studios, FA 1031703 (Forum Sept. 5, 2007) (holding that respondent registered a domain name in bad faith under Policy ¶ 4(a)(iii) after concluding that respondent had "actual knowledge of Complainant's mark when registering the disputed domain name").
Having established all three elements required under the usTLD Policy, the Panel concludes that relief shall be GRANTED.
Accordingly, it is Ordered that the <hugobosssale.us> domain name be TRANSFERRED from Respondent to Complainant.
Paul M. DeCicco, Panelist
Dated: February 19, 2018
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