I have the domain name name bottomlinetech.com registered to me (at dotster) since march 2003. I am a broadcast systems engineer and am using the domain name which would also be my proposed company name as a tool to seek contract engineering work in my chosen market - I have not launched my company as yet it is just a sideline. I have recently received the following message from a similarly named company:-
.........................
Tony:
I am writing because the name of your company is very similar to our company name. Since you are also offering technical services, you may confuse our clients.
I don't know how long you've been using the name Bottom Line Technical Services but it may be in your interest not to use this name. Our company was incorporated in 1989 and has substantial name recognition in the technical services market. If, as I suspect, you are just getting started and other names are available to you, we may consider purchasing the domain name from you for a nominal fee.
Ed McCauley
Bottom Line Technologies Inc.
Voice: (908) 479-1228
Main: (908) 479-1200
FAX: (908) 479-1201
http://www.bltinc.com
[email protected]
.......................................................
So - what do I do? I perceive a clear threat in these words. I have placed a holding reply as follows:-
..............................................................
Hello Ed,
The domain name bottomlinetech.com was registered in my name on 13 March
this year following a number of checks I carried out to ensure that this
name was sufficiently "unique" to be usable as a trading name.
It is a, perhaps unfortunate, co-incidence, that we have this similarity in
the name. I had become aware that there was another company in the 'States
called Bottom Line Technical Services (whose URL does not appear to function
anymore!) therefore I had decided to call my company just BottomLineTech
for differentiation and put that up on the new web page which I am
preparing. However it has become apparent to me that the popular phrase
"Bottom Line" is likely to result in this sort of occurrence - there are
other companies using this phrase also.
I would stress that it is in no way my intention to negatively affect your
business and marketing by apparent similarity in names and area of business.
Whilst on that subject my business activity/capability is primarily that of
a systems integration engineer for the TV & Radio industry and our business
area does not appear to overlap although it is very close. However I can
also see that this naming similarity could also confuse my clients.
You suspect, correctly, that I am just getting started. However since I have
carried out some marketing effort within my industry already I have cost and
effort to expend in order to change my domain name and notify a significant
number of potential clients.
Therefore I am prepared to consider selling my domain name to you for an
appropriate fee, at this stage I am not sure what that fee should be since
this is not a course of action I had previously considered.
Please let me know how you would like to proceed.
.......................................................................................
So far I have not received any further communication back from Ed McCauley. What is my legal stance? If they wish to purchase my domain name what could a fair value be? Any comments would be appreciated.
Tony M
.........................
Tony:
I am writing because the name of your company is very similar to our company name. Since you are also offering technical services, you may confuse our clients.
I don't know how long you've been using the name Bottom Line Technical Services but it may be in your interest not to use this name. Our company was incorporated in 1989 and has substantial name recognition in the technical services market. If, as I suspect, you are just getting started and other names are available to you, we may consider purchasing the domain name from you for a nominal fee.
Ed McCauley
Bottom Line Technologies Inc.
Voice: (908) 479-1228
Main: (908) 479-1200
FAX: (908) 479-1201
http://www.bltinc.com
[email protected]
.......................................................
So - what do I do? I perceive a clear threat in these words. I have placed a holding reply as follows:-
..............................................................
Hello Ed,
The domain name bottomlinetech.com was registered in my name on 13 March
this year following a number of checks I carried out to ensure that this
name was sufficiently "unique" to be usable as a trading name.
It is a, perhaps unfortunate, co-incidence, that we have this similarity in
the name. I had become aware that there was another company in the 'States
called Bottom Line Technical Services (whose URL does not appear to function
anymore!) therefore I had decided to call my company just BottomLineTech
for differentiation and put that up on the new web page which I am
preparing. However it has become apparent to me that the popular phrase
"Bottom Line" is likely to result in this sort of occurrence - there are
other companies using this phrase also.
I would stress that it is in no way my intention to negatively affect your
business and marketing by apparent similarity in names and area of business.
Whilst on that subject my business activity/capability is primarily that of
a systems integration engineer for the TV & Radio industry and our business
area does not appear to overlap although it is very close. However I can
also see that this naming similarity could also confuse my clients.
You suspect, correctly, that I am just getting started. However since I have
carried out some marketing effort within my industry already I have cost and
effort to expend in order to change my domain name and notify a significant
number of potential clients.
Therefore I am prepared to consider selling my domain name to you for an
appropriate fee, at this stage I am not sure what that fee should be since
this is not a course of action I had previously considered.
Please let me know how you would like to proceed.
.......................................................................................
So far I have not received any further communication back from Ed McCauley. What is my legal stance? If they wish to purchase my domain name what could a fair value be? Any comments would be appreciated.
Tony M