domain StarWarsEmpire.com

[ClutchGatorade]

StarWarsEmpire.com, looking for input on this one, thanks.

 

[Blake]

George Lucas + Disney will take this name at will as it's a trademark violation. I would get rid of the name either via refund or deletion.

Appraisal: $0 or less due to headache of legal action.

 

[ClutchGatorade]

I guess I can't say I was really worried about that since it's been a legit website since like 1998.

 

[Blake]

Funny thing about trademark owners ...lots will wait until you build the site/property then file the papers for legal actions. Take a few minutes and review the legal section of this forum...I wish you the best of luck and welcome aboard.

 

[ClutchGatorade]

Funny thing about trademark owners ...lots will wait until you build the site/property then file the papers for legal actions. Take a few minutes and review the legal section of this forum...I wish you the best of luck and welcome aboard.

That actually makes a lot of sense. Okay I will go check that out.

 

[wot]

I guess I can't say I was really worried about that since it's been a legit website since like 1998.

Registered 26th Feb?

Didn't you wonder why it was available?

 

[ClutchGatorade]

Registered 26th Feb?

Didn't you wonder why it was available?

Because it just expired ...

 

[wot]

Because it just expired ...

Why do you think that is?

 

[Bannen]

Domain has dropped in 2003, '08, '10, '11, and this year. That many drops usually means no one's really using it, domainers can't sell it, domainers keep picking it up and then getting c&d letters, or newbs pick it up, get it appraised on a forum, learn that it's a trademark term regged in bad faith, and have their registrar delete it before Lucas' legal team kicks them up the a$$.

Star Wars is a trademark; any domain you register based on that keyword and the star wars franchise, and intend to sell or make money from, is registered in bad faith, unless you have the permission of the TM holders.

Welcome to Namepros, have a good time and learn stuff. And please never reg another domain that is based around a brand name.

 

[ClutchGatorade]

Domain has dropped in 2003, '08, '10, '11, and this year. That many drops usually means no one's really using it, domainers can't sell it, domainers keep picking it up and then getting c&d letters, or newbs pick it up, get it appraised on a forum, learn that it's a trademark term regged in bad faith, and have their registrar delete it before Lucas' legal team kicks them up the a$$.

Star Wars is a trademark; any domain you register based on that keyword and the star wars franchise, and intend to sell or make money from, is registered in bad faith, unless you have the permission of the TM holders.

Welcome to Namepros, have a good time and learn stuff. And please never reg another domain that is based around a brand name.

So I couldn't even make a fan page out of it without express written permission from Lucas / Disney to use the name for such purposes huh?

 

[Bannen]

So I couldn't even make a fan page out of it without express written permission from Lucas / Disney to use the name for such purposes huh?

You put it in the domain appraisals section, which means you're curious/interested in the monetary value of the domain, ergo to any legal eye it means you have it in bad faith (legal term, meaning you hope/intend to profit from someone else's trademark).

If you'd just developed a fan page, without monetization, and didn't post it up for appraisal, then yes, sometimes TM holders aren't concerned about fan sites. But it's still a gamble even as a fan site - some TM holders are very protective of how their TM is used, and even if you aren't monetizing the site they can argue you are 'diluting their trademark' and in ways they may not agree with.

It's safer, cleaner, clearer all around, that if you are really interested in a fan site, ask their permission first to use this kind of domain. But I don't sense you are really into creating a fan site... like a lot of new domainers you put the tm term up for appraisal first, then when we inform them it's a tm term and to get rid of it, the most common response after that is 'well what if I make it into a fan site, then'.

We're not beating you up here; we've been through the TM issues for years, watched people put TM names up for appraisal practically daily, and try steer you in the correct direction. The correct direction is to never reg TM based names, and if you do have any, delete them (not sell them) as soon as you can.

TM law for domains used to be rather nebulous, lots of grey area and domainers were selling TM domains to the TM owners often. In my newbie days I had maybe a handful of TM domains, I was sketchy about both my domaining ethics and TM law back then - I remember having a couple xbox names, and actually sold a google name for $850, these were back in 2005. But in these last few years TM law for domains is becoming pretty clear, and TM holders are learning that they have a lot of power, in fact almost all the power, over a domainer who tries to profit from the TM owner's mark. I don't touch TM's any more.

It's a dangerous game, just stay clear of it. You'll sleep much better.

 

[ClutchGatorade]

Yeah, I won't pretend like building the site into a fan page was to deflect from asking about the site appraisal. If I made a fan page it would be for monetization purposes. I mean I LOVE Star Wars but not enough to invest large amounts of personal time into developing a site for free and no end game monetary value lol. I will just let the domain sit there then until expiration. Thanks for all the info and experiences you provided.

Glad this lesson only cost me $10 bucks.

Can I ask you about some other domains I've registered?

 

[serryjw]

BANNEN

Domain has dropped in 2003, '08, '10, '11, and this year.

WHERE do you get that kinda of info? I'm love to know if a domain has been previously regged.

Thanks,
Serry

 

[ImageAuthors]

It just doesn't make sense to risk lawsuits when there are so many amazing opportunities to own domains that are problem-free.