For Sale About.ca in Sept. 15th TBR - can About.com claim rights?

[grcorp]

While it seems fairly generic, About.com has built quite a brand around themselves as "About.com", not just "About".

Any thoughts as to how this might pan out for whoever picks it up?

 

[Soofi]

where is it going to be released? namejet? snap? and I dont think about,com can claim rights on a generic words, until and unless one decides to copy what about,com does!!

 

[msn]

While it seems fairly generic, About.com has built quite a brand around themselves as "About.com", not just "About".

Any thoughts as to how this might pan out for whoever picks it up?

It does not get much traffic, but for those who would chase about.ca there is little to worry about: there is a valid CIPO registration for about.com but this does not extend to about.ca in any way, shape or form.

Just do not be an idiot and duplicate their site on the www.about.ca URL and/or call them up offering to sell it for tens of thousands of dollars.

 

[theinvestor]

how do you know it doesn't get much traffic?

 

[msn]

how do you know it doesn't get much traffic?

If it did, would About Inc. tell Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP to not renew the domain?

 

[theinvestor]

Where did this name end up?

 

[Ilze]

Where did this name end up?

I believe it is at Sibername. I saw it on the final list today. I am glad someone started a thread on this domain, as it is so generic...and Branded...that buying it
would be a losing enterprise. IMO. If you can pick it up cheap...that would b ideal...but I would not touch this domain with a ten foot pole. What can you do with it? I will tell you...waste your time with c and d letters and then a cdrp.. Just not worth it...generic or not...It is important to do your homework before picking up a tbr...and making sure that the money you spend is worth the fight. You could win the fight...and keep About.ca....but in the end...what is it worth to you if you cannot sell it? Of course you can develop it...and we all know how that can be a long process.

 

[theinvestor]

Yes, i noticed sibername got it ...but for some reason i do not see it in auction.

 

[Ilze]

maybe you won it...lol...check your payment link...Stranger things have happened...

 

[theinvestor]

nope... lol

I am just wondering if i somehow forgot to backorder it there...but i am almost certain i did. I will email them and find out i guess.

 

[Ilze]

It does not get much traffic, but for those who would chase about.ca there is little to worry about: there is a valid CIPO registration for about.com but this does not extend to about.ca in any way, shape or form.

There is a CIPO TM for About.ca so I Would certainly put that on the "minus" side of the pros and cons of picking up this domain.

 

[msn]

I was waiting to find out who got the domain first, but you are close.

Here is what has really happened:

The actual registrant of the domain was About.Com (Canada) Inc., not About, Inc.

Domain number: 17774
Approval date: 2000/10/13
Renewal date: 2010/08/10
Updated date: 2010/08/10

Registrar:
Name: Webnames.ca Inc.
Number: 70

Registrant:
Name: About.Com (Canada) Inc.
Number: 17774
Description: For profit corporation 364324-7

Administrative contact:
Name: Jeff Barnes
Job Title: Administrator
Postal address: About.Com (Canada) Inc.
About.Com (Canada) Inc.
1 First Canadian Place Toronto
CA ON M5X 1B2 Canada
Phone: +416 863 4644
Fax: +416 863 4592
Email: [email protected]

Technical contact:
Name: Ed Barna
Job Title: Technical Contact
Postal address: 220 East 42nd Street, 1st Floor
220 East 42nd Street, 1st Floor
New York, NY 10017
ON Canada
Phone: +1 212 413-8001
Fax: +1 212 849-2121
Email: [email protected]

Name servers:
nydns1.about.com 206.132.96.61
sjdns1.about.com 208.185.127.61
nydns2.about.com 206.132.96.62
sjdns2.about.com 208.185.127.62
​

CIPO does not require licensing agreements to be filed with it, so we could assume About.Com (Canada) Inc. did indeed have an agreement with About, Inc. to use the registered trade mark, usually in exchange for a percentage of revenue so as to reduce the taxable income in Canada, as a form of profit transfer.

However, About.Com (Canada) Inc. was dissolved in 2008. In other words, it passed on. This registrant is no more. It has ceased to be. It's expired and gone to meet its maker. This is a late RANT. It's a stiff. Bereft of life, it rests in peace. It's rung down the curtain and joined the choir invisible. This is an ex-registrant.

Legally, about.ca should have been transferred before About.Com (Canada) Inc. was dissolved, but even then, it appeared to no longer be worthwhile running another site with .ca branding.

And based on a recent decision where an idiot decided to contact a trade mark holder just about immediately after registering a domain name, the new registrant is toast.

What sealed the deal was to open a discussion about it here before it dropped.

Thanks, grcorp for stripping the fame defence. :undecided:

And now you know… the rest of the story.

 

[Soofi]

+1 msn

 

[DOTCA]

Great observations here.. thanks everyone for sharing...

 

[theinvestor]

anyone know what the final price was?