{"id":43814,"date":"2025-01-23T22:45:15","date_gmt":"2025-01-23T22:45:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/business\/legal\/uspto-clamps-down-on-trademark-descriptions\/"},"modified":"2025-01-23T22:45:15","modified_gmt":"2025-01-23T22:45:15","slug":"uspto-clamps-down-on-trademark-descriptions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=43814","title":{"rendered":"USPTO Clamps Down On Trademark Descriptions"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>When filing a trademark registration, the applicant must identify the goods and services with which the mark is, or will be, used.\u00a0 Often, applicants try to use a broad description (i.e., \u201cshirts\u201d rather than \u201cpolos\u201d) so that if new related products are introduced under the mark, the applicant need not apply for a new registration to cover the new goods.\u00a0 However, sometimes these broad descriptions\u00a0 come up against rules requiring that the description be \u201cspecific, definite, clear, accurate, and concise.\u201d\u00a0 TMEP \u00a71402.01.\u00a0 For example, it is not sufficient to list software. Rather, the Trademark Office requires that the applicant designate if the software is prerecorded (i.e., available on a disc), downloadable, or made available as a software-as-a-service.\u00a0 Whether the software is recorded, downloadable or available as a software-as-a-service affects the class into which the software falls, regardless of the type of software.\u00a0 The Trademark Office does publish an <a href=\"https:\/\/idm-tmng.uspto.gov\/id-master-list-public.html\">ID Manual<\/a> which lists accepted descriptions to assist applicants in identifying the class(es) into which\u00a0 their goods or services fall.<\/p>\n<p>The Trademark Office decided to clamp down on what it terms are \u201cfree form\u201d descriptions where an applicant does not use pre-approved descriptions from the ID Manual. \u00a0\u00a0The Trademark Office issued new rules which went into effect January 18, 2025, that are designed to urge applicants to use the Trademark Office\u2019s preapproved descriptions (or to punish those who use free text entry of goods and service IDs). Under this new rule, there will be a $200 <em>per class<\/em> fee for entering descriptions in free text form (i.e., not using the preapproved descriptions.)\u00a0 The Trademark Office defends this fee by noting that (1) preapproved descriptions will make it easier for examiners to review the identification of goods and services and (2) that it expects most filers will select their IDs from the ID manual.\u00a0 Although the Trademark Office may be correct that most applicants will be able to use the ID Manual, \u00a0often the descriptions in the ID Manual are not accurate for the good or service to be provided under the mark. This is especially true with new technologies.<\/p>\n<p>This rule will disrupt the manner in which many applicants list their goods and services when filing a registration application. \u00a0Often, if an applicant is filing for a new version of the same mark (i.e., a word mark after a logo mark has already been filed), the applicant would typically use the same description as the prior registration.\u00a0 However, the ID manual is updated frequently.\u00a0 Thus, the prior description may no longer be an approved description, and the applicant will need to provide a different description for its mark.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, applicants often use broader terminology (i.e., \u201cplayground equipment\u201d, \u201cclothing\u201d, \u201cclothing and accessories therefore\u201d, or \u201csoftware\u201d) in their initial descriptions.\u00a0 One reason for this is to avoid broadcasting exactly what will be offered under the mark for as long as possible.\u00a0 A second reason is that an applicant may not have yet fully identified the full universe of, for example, clothing items, to be provided under the mark.\u00a0 In the software example above, an applicant not have determined how it will distribute the software, i.e., as recorded software, downloadable software, or software-as-a-service at the time of filing of the application.\u00a0 This is especially true in the situation of an intent-to-use application where the\u00a0 full realm of goods or services to be provided are still under development.\u00a0 However, such strategies are discouraged in the new rules as the Trademark Office will assess an additional $100 fee per class when the Examiner determines that the application contains insufficient information.<\/p>\n<p>One potential strategy to comply with these new rules and fees is to pay the fee for only one class in applications with goods or services that may fall into multiple classes.\u00a0 Sometimes it is not clear where items should be classified.\u00a0 Other times the applicant needs more time to determine exactly what the applicant wants to include in its application.\u00a0 This strategy, while preserving as much flexibility as possible for the applicant, would incur both the fee for insufficient information and the fee for using free text format.<\/p>\n<p>In view of these changes, Applicants will need to work more closely with their attorneys to develop the descriptions of their goods and services listed in their registration applications. Unfortunately, this may increase the cost to the applicant of preparing an application for filing.<\/p>\n<p>If you have any questions regarding your trademark, please feel free to contact the IP attorneys at Sandberg Phoenix.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When filing a trademark registration, the applicant must identify the goods and services with which the mark is, or will be, used.\u00a0 Often, applicants try to use a broad description (i.e., \u201cshirts\u201d rather than \u201cpolos\u201d) so that if new related products are introduced under the mark, the applicant need not apply for a new registration [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":43815,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[97],"tags":[27060,27061,16520,16521],"dealstore":[],"offerexpiration":[],"class_list":["post-43814","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-legal","tag-clamps","tag-descriptions","tag-trademark","tag-uspto"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.4 - 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