ARBITRATION

AND
MEDIATION CENTER
ADMINISTRATIVE PANEL DECISION
IMB Textil S.A. v. Domain Administrator, Name Administration Inc. (BVI)
Case No. D20!"0#$
1. The Parties
T%e Com&lainant is IMB Textil S.A. o' S(o )a*lo, Bra+il, re&resented ,- .ir/er 0 Co 1td., S2it+erland.
T%e 3es&ondent is Domain Administrator, Name Administration Inc. (BVI) o' 4rand Ca-man, Ca-man
Islands, 5verseas Territor- o' t%e 6nited .in7dom o' 4reat Britain and Nort%ern Ireland, re&resented ,- 8o%n
Berr-%ill, )%.d., 9s:., 6nited States o' America.
2. The Domain Name and Registrar
T%e dis&*ted domain name ;&*/et.com< is re7istered 2it% 6nire7istrar Cor& (t%e =3e7istrar>).
. Pro!ed"ra# $istor%
T%e Com&laint 2as 'iled 2it% t%e ?I)5 Ar,itration and Mediation Center (t%e =Center>) on 8*ne $, 20!.
5n 8*ne @, 20!, t%e Center transmitted ,- email to t%e 3e7istrar a re:*est 'or re7istrar veri'ication in
connection 2it% t%e dis&*ted domain name. 5n 8*ne 2, 20!, t%e 3e7istrar transmitted ,- email to t%e
Center its veri'ication res&onse con'irmin7 t%at t%e 3es&ondent is listed as t%e re7istrant and &rovidin7 t%e
contact details. 5n 8*ne 2!, 20! t%e Center sent a comm*nication to t%e Com&lainant re:*estin7 to
&rovide t%e missin7 Com&laint and Annexes. 5n 8*ne 2$, 20!, t%e Center sent a '*rt%er comm*nication to
t%e Com&lainant noti'-in7 it t%at t%e Com&laint 2as administrativel- de'icient in t%at it %ad identi'ied t%e
2ron7 3e7istrar. In res&onse to a noti'ication ,- t%e Center t%at t%e Com&laint 2as administrativel-
de'icient, t%e Com&lainant 'iled an amendment to t%e Com&laint on 8*l- , 20!.
T%e Center veri'ied t%at t%e Com&laint to7et%er 2it% t%e amendment to t%e Com&laint satis'ied t%e 'ormal
re:*irements o' t%e 6ni'orm Domain Name Dis&*te 3esol*tion )olic- (t%e =)olic-> or =6D3)>), t%e 3*les 'or
6ni'orm Domain Name Dis&*te 3esol*tion )olic- (t%e =3*les>), and t%e ?I)5 S*&&lemental 3*les 'or
6ni'orm Domain Name Dis&*te 3esol*tion )olic- (t%e =S*&&lemental 3*les>).
5n 8*l- 2, 20! t%e Center received an in'ormal comm*nication 'rom t%e 3es&ondent re:*estin7 t%e
Com&lainant to &rovide t%em 2it% some annexes.
5n 8*l- A, 20! t%e Center received a comm*nication 'rom 3es&ondentBs A*t%ori+ed 3e&resentative
&a7e 2
re:*estin7 t%e Center to direct all '*t*re corres&ondence in t%is matter ,e sent to t%e contact details &rovided
'or t%e 3es&ondentCs re&resentative.
In accordance 2it% t%e 3*les, &ara7ra&%s 2(a) and !(a), t%e Center 'ormall- noti'ied t%e 3es&ondent o' t%e
Com&laint, and t%e &roceedin7s commenced on 8*l- A, 20!. In accordance 2it% t%e 3*les, &ara7ra&% #(a),
t%e d*e date 'or 3es&onse 2as 8*l- 2A, 20!. T%e 3es&onse 2as 'iled timel- 2it% t%e Center.
T%e Center a&&ointed ?ar2ic/ A. 3ot%nie, 1*i+ 9. Monta*r- )imenta and 3ic%ard 4. 1-on as &anelists in
t%is matter on A*7*st 2#, 20!. T%e )anel 'inds t%at it 2as &ro&erl- constit*ted. 9ac% mem,er o' t%e )anel
%as s*,mitted t%e Statement o' Acce&tance and Declaration o' Im&artialit- and Inde&endence, as re:*ired
,- t%e Center to ens*re com&liance 2it% t%e 3*les, &ara7ra&% $.
&. 'a!t"a# Ba!(gro"nd
T%e Com&lainant is a Bra+ilian com&an-. Accordin7 to t%e Com&laint, it %as several stores in Bra+il and
Vene+*ela 'rom 2%ic% it sells clot%in7. T%e Com&lainant also claims t%at it ex&orts its clot%in7 to several
ot%er So*t% American co*ntries, )ort*7al and A*stralia.
Accordin7 to t%e Com&laint, t%e Com&lainant %as ,een sellin7 its clot%in7 in Bra+il ,- re'erence to t%e ,rand
)6.9T since @D$. More recentl-, it %as assi7ned ri7%ts to a &arent com&an- 2%ic% is 2or/in7 on a
'ranc%isin7 &ro7ram.
T%e 3es&ondent is in t%e ,*siness o' re7isterin7 domain names s*c% as dictionar- 2ords, descri&tive
&%rases and 7eo7ra&%ic terms to moneti+e t%em.
In t%e &resent case, t%e 3es&ondent re7istered t%e dis&*ted domain name on Ma- #, 200A. Materials
s*,mitted in t%e 3es&onse and arc%ived on t%e ?a-,ac/ Mac%ine at =222.arc%ive.or7> s%o2 t%at, since it
2as re7istered, t%e dis&*ted domain name %as resolved to a 2e,site 2%ic% %as lin/s (&res*ma,l- &a-"&er"
clic/ lin/s) to searc%es related to )*/et (or )%*/et) in T%ailand and 7eneral in'ormation related to T%ailand.
B- Se&tem,er 20A, t%ere 2as a c%an7e in t%e 2e,site. ?%ile still retainin7 lin/s related to )*/et (or
)%*/et) and T%ailand, t%e 2e,site also incl*ded a ,anner across t%e to& =Clic/ %ere to ,*- )*/et.com 'or
-o*r 2e,site nameE>.
). Dis!"ssion and 'indings
)ara7ra&% !(a) o' t%e )olic- &rovides t%at in order to divest t%e 3es&ondent o' t%e dis&*ted domain name,
t%e Com&lainant m*st demonstrate eac% o' t%e 'ollo2in7F
(i) t%e dis&*ted domain name is identical or con'*sin7l- similar to a trademar/ or service mar/ in 2%ic%
t%e Com&lainant %as ri7%tsG and
(ii) t%e 3es&ondent %as no ri7%ts or le7itimate interests in res&ect o' t%e dis&*ted domain nameG and
(iii) t%e dis&*ted domain name %as ,een re7istered and is ,ein7 *sed in ,ad 'ait%.
)ara7ra&% #(a) o' t%e 3*les directs t%e )anel to decide t%e Com&laint on t%e ,asis o' t%e statements and
doc*ments s*,mitted and in accordance 2it% t%e )olic-, t%ese 3*les and an- r*les and &rinci&les o' la2 t%at
it deems a&&lica,le.
A. Identi!a# or Con*"sing#% Simi#ar
In s*&&ort o' its claim to trademar/ ri7%ts, t%e Com&laint incl*des in Annexes H and $ a list o' trademar/s 'or,
or containin7 )6.9T, 2%ic% t%e Com&lainant sa-s it %as re7istered in vario*s co*ntries incl*din7 Bra+il.
&a7e A
T%ese trademar/s do incl*de Bra+ilian 3e7istered Trademar/ No. DAH0$!$$ in class 2# 'or )6.9T 2%ic%
2as a&&arentl- 'iled on 8*ne A0, @@$ and re7istered on 5cto,er @, @@A. A lar7e n*m,er o' t%e claimed
trademar/s, %o2ever, are descri,ed in t%e Annexes as =&endin7>.
T%e 'irst di''ic*lt- is t%at t%e evidence o' t%ese trademar/s does not incl*de re7istration certi'icates or
&rinto*ts 'rom online 3e7isters s*c% as t%at 'o*nd t%ro*7% T9SS at =222.*s&to.7ov>. 3at%er, t%e annexes
are &rint o*ts o' 2%at a&&ear to ,e t%e internal listin7 maintained ,- t%e Com&lainantBs la2 'irm or trademar/
attorne-s.
)ara7ra&% A(,)(xv) o' t%e 3*les re:*ires a com&lainant toF
Annex an- doc*mentar- or ot%er evidence, incl*din7 a co&- o' t%e )olic- a&&lica,le to t%e domain
name(s) in dis&*te and any trademark or service mark registration *&on 2%ic% t%e com&laint relies I.
(em&%asis s*&&lied).
T%is )anel considers t%at t%e Com&lainantBs (or its la2 'irmBs) internal listin7 o' trademar/s 2o*ld t-&icall-
not ,e s*''icient to satis'- t%e re:*irements o' t%e )olic- and t%e 3*les. T%e )anel also notes t%at t%e
materials in t%e Com&laint do not incl*de 'i7*res 'or sales reven*es or advertisin7 ex&endit*res *nder or ,-
re'erence to t%e trademar/ )6.9T. Nor does t%e Com&laint incl*de exam&les or ill*strations o' t%e
trademar/ in *se. T%*s, t%e Com&laint 'alls 2ell s%ort o' satis'-in7 t%e re:*irements to &rove o2ners%i& o'
an *nre7istered trademar/F see ?I)5 5vervie2 o' ?I)5 )anel Vie2s on Selected 6D3) J*estions,
Second 9dition (=?I)5 5vervie2 2.0>), &ara7ra&% .$.
It is *nnecessar- 'or t%e )anel to decide t%is case on t%e ,asis o' lac/ o' &roo' o' trademar/ ri7%ts, %o2ever,
in vie2 o' t%e concl*sions t%e )anel reac%es in relation to t%e t%ird lim, *nder t%e )olic- to 2%ic% t%e )anel
no2 t*rns.
B. Rights or Legitimate Interests
In vie2 o' t%e concl*sions t%e )anel reac%es in relation to t%e t%ird lim, *nder t%e )olic- it is *nnecessar- to
decide t%is case *nder t%e second lim, o' t%e )olic-.
C. Registered and +sed in Bad 'aith
6nder t%e t%ird re:*irement o' t%e )olic-, t%e Com&lainant m*st esta,lis% t%at t%e dis&*ted domain name
%as ,een ,ot% re7istered and *sed in ,ad 'ait% ,- t%e 3es&ondent. T%ese are conK*nctive re:*irementsF
,ot% re7istration and *se m*st ,e s%o2n to %ave ,een in ,ad 'ait%.
4enerall- s&ea/in7, a 'indin7 t%at a domain name 2as re7istered and is ,ein7 *sed in ,ad 'ait% re:*ires an
in'erence to ,e dra2n t%at t%e res&ondent in :*estion %as re7istered and is *sin7 t%e dis&*ted domain name
to ta/e advanta7e o' its si7ni'icance as a trademar/ o2ned ,- (*s*all-) t%e com&lainant.
In t%e &resent case, t%e dis&*ted domain name consists o' t%e letter strin7 =&*/et> &l*s t%e 7eneric To&"1evel
Domain (7T1D) =.com>. Disre7ardin7 t%e 7T1D com&onent, t%e letter strin7 =&*/et> is in 'act t%e name o' a
2ell"/no2n island in T%ailand. In ma/in7 t%at 'indin7, t%e )anel ac/no2led7es t%at t%ere is at least one
ot%er commonl- *sed s&ellin7 'or t%at &lace, )%*/et. Lo2ever, =)*/et> is also :*ite 2idel- *sed.
T%e 2e,site at t%e dis&*ted domain name dis&la-s lin/s in connection 2it% to&ics relatin7 to T%ailand travel.
T%e evidence in t%is case is t%at t%e 3es&ondent does see/ to moneti+e t%e dis&*ted domain name, ,*t
does so and %as a&&arentl- done so since it re7istered t%e dis&*ted domain name ,- see/in7 to ex&loit its
si7ni'icance as t%e name o' t%e %olida- destination in T%ailand. T%ere is no evidence t%at t%e 3es&ondent
%as so*7%t to ta/e advanta7e o' t%e dis&*ted domain nameBs association 2it% t%e Com&lainantBs claimed
trademar/s. In t%ose circ*mstances, t%e )anel is *na,le to 'ind on t%e record in t%is case t%at t%e
3es&ondent %as re7istered t%e dis&*ted domain name in ,ad 'ait%. See e.g. Gold Medal Travel Group plc v.
&a7e !
Damir Kruzicevic, ?I)5 Case No. D200$"@02.
Accordin7l-, on t%e record in t%is case, t%e Com&laint m*st 'ail.
D. Re,erse Domain Name $i-a!(ing
)ara7ra&% #(e) o' t%e 3*les &rovides (in &art)F
MIN I' a'ter considerin7 t%e s*,missions t%e )anel 'inds t%at t%e com&laint 2as ,ro*7%t in ,ad 'ait%, 'or
exam&le in an attem&t at 3everse Domain Name LiKac/in7 or 2as ,ro*7%t &rimaril- to %arass t%e
domain"name %older, t%e )anel s%all declare in its decision t%at t%e com&laint 2as ,ro*7%t in ,ad 'ait%
and constit*tes an a,*se o' t%e administrative &roceedin7.
In an a&&ro&riate case, t%ere'ore, a &anel m*st consider and is re:*ired to ma/e a determination 2%et%er or
not t%e Com&laint %as ,een ,ro*7%t in ,ad 'ait%. )ara7ra&% !.$ o' t%e ?I)5 5vervie2 2.0 '*rt%er ex&lainsF
=?I)5 &anels %ave 'o*nd t%at t%e on*s o' &rovin7 com&lainant ,ad 'ait% in s*c% cases is 7enerall- on
t%e res&ondent, 2%ere,- mere lac/ o' s*ccess o' t%e com&laint is not itsel' s*''icient 'or a 'indin7 o'
3everse Domain Name LiKac/in7. To esta,lis% 3everse Domain Name LiKac/in7, a res&ondent 2o*ld
t-&icall- need to s%o2 /no2led7e on t%e &art o' t%e com&lainant o' t%e com&lainantCs lac/ o' relevant
trademar/ ri7%ts, or o' t%e res&ondentCs ri7%ts or le7itimate interests in, or lac/ o' ,ad 'ait% concernin7,
t%e dis&*ted domain name. 9vidence o' %arassment or similar cond*ct ,- t%e com&lainant in t%e 'ace
o' s*c% /no2led7e (e.7. in &revio*sl- ,ro*7%t &roceedin7s 'o*nd ,- com&etent a*t%orities to ,e
7ro*ndless, or t%ro*7% re&eated cease and desist comm*nications) ma- also constit*te a ,asis 'or a
'indin7 o' a,*se o' &rocess a7ainst a com&lainant 'ilin7 *nder t%e 6D3) in s*c% circ*mstances.>
T%is o' co*rse is not an all"encom&assin7 statement o' t%e circ*mstances in 2%ic% a 'indin7 o' reverse
domain name %iKac/in7 or ,ad 'ait% ,- a com&lainant co*ld ,e made. It does re'lect, %o2ever, t%e 7eneral
a&&roac% t%at %as develo&ed over t%e co*rse o' t%e )olic-.
In t%e &resent case, t%ere %ad ,een corres&ondence ,et2een t%e &arties ,e'ore t%e Com&laint 2as 'iled.
T%e Com&lainant %as relied on &art o' t%at corres&ondence O an o''er 'or sale O to tr- and esta,lis% ,ad 'ait%
on t%e &art o' t%e 3es&ondent. In t%is )anelBs vie2, t%at o''er did not assist t%e Com&lainant ,eca*se t%e
dis&*ted domain name %as val*e inde&endentl- o' its si7ni'icance as t%e Com&lainantBs trademar/. T%at is,
it %as val*e ,eca*se it is t%e name o' a &o&*lar to*rist destination and, as t%e )anel %as 'o*nd a,ove, t%e
3es&ondent did not re7ister t%e dis&*ted domain name in ,ad 'ait%.
T%e 3es&ondent &oints to a di''erent &art o' t%at corres&ondence. 5n Marc% 2, 20!, t%e 3es&ondent (or
its ,ro/er) sent an electronic messa7e to t%e Com&lainant see/in7 to K*sti'- its &ositionF
=I am sorr- 2e 2ere *na,le to come to a7reement a,o*t t%is domain name. P)*/etP is a common
s&ellin7 o' a 2ell"/no2n resort island in T%ailand, and t%e o2ner %as *sed t%e domain name to
advertise T%ailand travel 'or a ver- lon7 time. T%e o2ner does not ,elieve *se o' t%e domain name as
a common 7eo7ra&%ic indicator %as an-t%in7 to do 2it% -o*r claimed trademar/, and loo/s 'or2ard to
addressin7 -o*r 6D3) com&laint i' necessar-.>
T%*s, t%e Com&lainant 2as 2arned ,e'ore it 'iled t%e Com&laint 2%at t%e 3es&ondentBs de'ence 2o*ld ,e.
Lavin7 received t%at 2arnin7, t%e Com&lainant co*ld %ave ta/en 'airl- r*dimentar- ste&s to investi7ate t%e
3es&ondentBs claims. At a minim*m, it co*ld %ave veri'ied %o2 t%e dis&*ted domain name 2as in 'act ,ein7
*sed. A &ro&erl- advised com&lainant s%o*ld also %ave ta/en ste&s to investi7ate t%e claim t%at t%e
3es&ondent %ad ,een *sin7 t%e dis&*ted domain name in an *no,Kectiona,le 2a- ='or a ver- lon7 time>. Qor
exam&le, T%e ?a-,ac/ Mac%ine maintained at =222.arc%ive.or7> is a 2ell"/no2n reso*rce 2%ic% can o'ten
&rovide some indication a,o*t %o2 a domain name %as ,een *sed at &oints in time in t%e &ast.
T%e Com&lainant, %o2ever, %as not &rovided an- ex&lanation o' 2%at, i' an-t%in7, it did to investi7ate t%e
3es&ondentBs claims ,e'ore ,rin7in7 t%e Com&laint. 5n t%e contrar-, t%ere is some indication in t%e
&a7e #
corres&ondence t%at %as ,een disclosed t%at t%e 3es&ondent &roceeded on t%e ,asis t%at man-
res&ondents do not de'end com&laints *nder t%e )olic-G t%at is, as t%e 3es&ondent contends, in t%e %o&e
t%at t%e 3es&ondent 2o*ld not =s%o2 *&>.
T%e )anel considers t%at, in t%e circ*mstances o' t%is case as revealed in t%e record, t%e Com&lainant
s%o*ld %ave reali+ed ,e'ore 'ilin7 t%e Com&laint t%at its &ros&ects o' s*ccess 2ere at ,est %i7%l- s&ec*lative.
It %as not so*7%t to &oint to an-t%in7 2%ic% contradicts t%e 3es&ondentBs claims noti'ied in t%e &re"Com&laint
corres&ondence. 3at%er, on t%e record ,e'ore t%e )anel, t%e Com&lainant a&&ears to %ave &roceeded in t%e
%o&e t%at t%e 3es&ondent 2o*ld not see/ to de'end t%e Com&laint. 4iven t%e stron7 7eo7ra&%ic
si7ni'icance o' t%e dis&*ted domain name and t%e a,sence o' an- evidence t%at t%e 3es&ondent %as so*7%t
to trade on t%e trademar/ si7ni'icance o' t%e dis&*ted domain name, t%e )anel considers t%at is not an
a&&ro&riate *se o' t%e &roced*re *nder t%e )olic-. Accordin7l-, t%e )anel 'inds t%at t%e Com&laint 2as
,ro*7%t in ,ad 'ait%.
.. De!ision
Qor t%e 'ore7oin7 reasons, t%e Com&laint is denied.
/ar0i!( A. Rothnie
)residin7 )anelist
L"i1 E. Monta"r% Pimenta
)anelist
Ri!hard 2. L%on
)anelist
DateF Se&tem,er #, 20!