domain ExcelTutorial.net

[RYSV]

how much is it worth?

 

[-Matthew-]

$50 to $200 as is. And it better be a good tutorial.

Regards.matt

 

[Mahogany]

IMHO you'll make more money developing it. adsense/cpa/youtbe/etc.

Nice one.

 

[RYSV]

Thanks for your inputs much appreciated @-Matthew- and @Mahogany

 

[kn65]

Isn't there a trademark issue here?

 

[todaygold]

Isn't there a trademark issue here?

Agreed. Excel is trademarked by Microsoft.

 

[-Matthew-]

'Isn't there a trademark issue here?'

Perhaps, if there were negative intent. Maybe the site would be about Exceling in Chess, Swimming, Sewing ect.

I don't see Microsoft becoming all upity if the intent is pure. There are literally 100's of Books dedicated to Leaning Excel.

Regards.matt

 

[todaygold]

'Isn't there a trademark issue here?'

Perhaps, if there were negative intent. Maybe the site would be about Exceling in Chess, Swimming, Sewing ect.

That's stretching it a bit there isn't it? The domain is 'ExcelTutorial'...no mention of chess, swimming or sewing...the only thing known solely as Excel is Microsoft's product.

 

[kn65]

Of course there are books about learning Excel, it doesn't mean they don't pay royalties, or that they didn't get permission from Microsoft. The point is there is a trademark issue, how to resolve it is a different subject.

 

[RYSV]

Isn't there a trademark issue here?

It could be a problem only if you are using the trademarked name for a different purpose here we are just trying to educate the users on the product only. So i strongly believe it shouldn't be a problem. There are lot of websites that use excel as prefix and suffix. As long as you don't spoil/damage the trademark name and use it in a legit way, no issues.

 

[todaygold]

As long as you don't spoil/damage the trademark name and use it in a legit way, no issues.

How can you use someone else's trademark in a 'legit way'. It's not your trademark to use, regardless of whether you use it in a positive or negative manner. You are talking about profiting off of another companies trademark...that's way different then fair use where you are simply mentioning it, criticizing it or comparing it.

 

[RYSV]

How can you use someone else's trademark in a 'legit way'. It's not your trademark to use, regardless of whether you use it in a positive or negative manner. You are talking about profiting off of another companies trademark...that's way different then fair use where you are simply mentioning it, criticizing it or comparing it.

There are ton's of websites that use the word excel and write articles about excel and make money out of it. This one being the top of all of them - excel-easy.com

 

[kn65]

Sooo why do you guys think Microsoft trademarked Excel?

 

[RYSV]

Sooo why do you guys think Microsoft trademarked Excel?

So that nobody else could use the word excel and create a product that could compete with them. SharePoint/SQL Server, etc are also products of Microsoft and still people create websites using the name and write articles about it.

 

[kn65]

Maybe this will settle the argument

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/legal/IntellectualProperty/Trademarks/Usage/General.aspx

 

[todaygold]

There are ton's of websites that use the word excel and write articles about excel and make money out of it. This one being the top of all of them - excel-easy.com

1st, that site is registered and operated in a foreign country, I'm not a lawyer so idk how international trademark issues work, but that's one thing to keep in mind.
2nd, just because other people shoplift means it's okay for you to go shoplifting as well? Regardless of whether a company comes after you, they very well can at any point in the future...why would anyone want to buy this domain and take that chance? Sure, maybe you'll get away with it for a year or maybe even 10 years, but if Microsoft gets new executives that clamp down on it, guess what, they may come after you.

 

[RYSV]

1st, that site is registered and operated in a foreign country, I'm not a lawyer so idk how international trademark issues work, but that's one thing to keep in mind.
2nd, just because other people shoplift means it's okay for you to go shoplifting as well? Regardless of whether a company comes after you, they very well can at any point in the future...why would anyone wan to buy this domain and take that chance? Sure, maybe you'll get away with it for a year or maybe even 10 years, but if Microsoft gets new executives that clamp down on it, guess what, they may come after you.

I value your opinion and thoughts but IMHO i have never heard of a case where you create a site educate users on the very product and get sued for it, unless you try to degrade the product. Anyways i am planning to create a site around the name, so lets check it out

 

[RYSV]

2nd, just because other people shoplift means it's okay for you to go shoplifting as well? .

This cannot be compared to shoplifting, tons of websites are built to educate users on products and this will be just like one of them. The word excel in the domain name is just for the relevancy other than that nothing much. Thanks again for your opinions. Good day.

 

[kn65]

So you're building a site to educate people? Free? Are you making money off of it?

 

[todaygold]

This cannot be compared to shoplifting, tons of websites are built to educate users on products and this will be just like one of them. The word excel in the domain name is just for the relevancy other than that nothing much. Thanks again for your opinions. Good day.

Again, I'm not a lawyer, but personally I wouldn't mess around with big companies. I'm pretty sure Microsoft has a LOT more money and lawyers than you. Regardless of whether you are right or wrong, Microsoft could probably put you into bankruptcy by suing you. Personally, I see no benefit to taking that risk when there are so many other things you can make a blog about.