Can you sell online without a trademark?
You can sell products or offer services in the United States without having a registered trademark. There are several reasons why registering your trademark is a good idea.
Where can I get a trademark for my business?
Only you have rights to the registered trademark. To register your trademark, check with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s website. The USPTO website’s Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS) allows you to search for other companies who have already registered. You cannot register a trademark if it is already in the database.
What happens if someone trademarks your business name?
Once someone else registers a domain or snags a social media profile using your trademark, it can be time-consuming and costly to stop them. Imagine if they start publishing content using a domain or social media profile that matches your brand name. If that content is inappropriate or confuses consumers, you could lose business.
How much does it cost to trademark a product?
File your trademark registration application online through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s website. You must provide information such as the categories of goods and services you offer, the date of the first time you used the trademark, and whether there’s a design in the trademark. The trademark registration costs between $275 and $325.
Can a service mark be used as a trademark?
In the United States, you get automatic trademark rights in your brand just by virtue of using it. There’s nothing special you have to do. Use the letters “TM” to show others that the symbol is yours. If your trademark is for a service, you can use the letters “SM” as a service mark.
Only you have rights to the registered trademark. To register your trademark, check with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s website. The USPTO website’s Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS) allows you to search for other companies who have already registered. You cannot register a trademark if it is already in the database.
When do you need to trademark a product name?
If your products have a unique name, you also may opt to trademark them — if those product names meet trademark eligibility requirements. If your product name simply describes the product, then it’s unlikely to qualify for a trademark. Cars offer one example of product names that become their own brand and may warrant a trademark.
What happens if you use the same trademark as another business?
If you use a trademark that is the same as another business, you can get in trouble for infringement. If your trademark is unregistered and another company registers the same trademark, their registered trademark trumps yours. That is true even if you used the trademark before that company was registered.
File your trademark registration application online through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s website. You must provide information such as the categories of goods and services you offer, the date of the first time you used the trademark, and whether there’s a design in the trademark. The trademark registration costs between $275 and $325.