WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center
ADMINISTRATIVE PANEL DECISION
Aktiebolaget Electrolux v. li li
Case No. D2013-0086
1.The Parties
The Complainant is Aktiebolaget Electrolux of Stockholm, Sweden, represented by Melbourne IT Corporate Brand Services AB, Sweden.
The Respondent is li li of Beijing, China.
2. The Domain Name and Registrar
The disputed domain name <electroluxwx.com> is registered with Xin Net Technology Corp. (the “Registrar”).
3. Procedural History
The Complaint was filed with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center (the “Center”) on January 14, 2013. On January 14, 2013, the Center transmitted by email to the Registrar a request for registrar verification in connection with the disputed domain name. On January 15, 2013, the Registrar transmitted by email to the Center its verification response confirming that the Respondent is listed as the registrant and providing the contact details. On January 16, 2013, the Center transmitted an email to the parties in both Chinese and English language regarding the language of proceedings. On the same day, the Complainant confirmed its request that English be the language of proceeding. The Respondent did not comment on the language of proceedings by the specified due date.
The Center verified that the Complaint satisfied the formal requirements of the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Policy” or “UDRP”), the Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Rules”), and the WIPO Supplemental Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Supplemental Rules”).
In accordance with the Rules, paragraphs 2(a) and 4(a), the Center formally notified the Respondent of the Complaint, and the proceedings commenced on January 24, 2013. In accordance with the Rules, paragraph 5(a), the due date for Response was February 13, 2013. The Respondent did not submit any response. Accordingly, the Center notified the Respondent’s default on February 14, 2013.
The Center appointed Jonathan Agmon as the sole panelist in this matter on February 21, 2013. The Panel finds that it was properly constituted. The Panel has submitted the Statement of Acceptance and Declaration of Impartiality and Independence, as required by the Center to ensure compliance with the Rules, paragraph 7.
4. Factual Background
The Complainant, Aktiebolaget Electrolux, is a Swedish joint stock company founded in 1901.
The Complainant is a world leading producer of appliances and equipment for kitchen and cleaning. The Complaint is also one of the largest producers in the world of kitchen equipment for professional users. The Complainant is selling more than 40 million products to consumers in 150 countries every year.
The Complainant's products include refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, vacuum cleaners and cookers sold under esteemed brands such as ELECTROLUX, AEG, AEG-ELECTROLUX, ZANUSSI, EUREKA and FRIGIDAIRE.
In 2009 the Complainant had sales of SEK109 billion and 51,000 employees.
The trademark ELECTROLUX has acquired the status as well-known trademark due to extensive and long term use on products and services of the Complainant.
The Complainant has registered the trademark ELECTROLUX as a word and figure mark in several classes in more than 150 countries all over the world.
The Complainant has also registered the trademark ELECTROLUX as a domain name under 700 gTLDs and ccTLDs worldwide, among these: <electrolux.com>, <electrolux.com.cn> and <electrolux.co.uk>.
The disputed domain name <electroluxwx.com>was registered on August 4, 2012 long after the Complainant has registered the trademark ELECTROLUX worldwide.
From the evidence provided by the Complainant, it appears that the disputed domain name <electroluxwx.com> does not resolve to an active website.
5. Parties’ Contentions
A. Complainant
The Complainant argues that the disputed domain name is confusingly similar to the Complainant's well-known trademark ELECTROLUX, seeing that the dominant part of the disputed domain name comprises from the Complainant's trademark ELECTROLUX, which has been registered as a trademark and domain names in numerous countries all over the world.
The Complainant further argues that the addition of the suffix "wx" is not relevant and will not have any impact on the overall impression of the dominant part of the name, ELECTROLUX, the Complainant's famous mark.
The Complainant further argues that anyone who sees the disputed domain name is bound to mistake it for a name related to the Complainant.
The Complainant further argues that with reference to the reputation of the ELECTROLUX trademark there is a considerable risk that the public will perceive the disputed domain name as a domain name owned by the Complainant or that there is some kind of commercial relation with the Complainant.
The Complainant further argues that the Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests with respect to ELECTROLUX mark or the disputed domain name.
The Complainant further argues the Respondent does not have any registered trademarks or trade name corresponding to the disputed domain name.
The Complainant further argues that the Respondent is not using the disputed domain name in connection with a bona fide offering of goods or services and that the disputed domain name is currently connected to a disabled website.
The Complainant further argues that the disputed domain name was registered and is being used in bad faith.
The Complainant further argues that the considerable value and goodwill of the mark ELECTROLUX is most likely what made the Respondent registered the disputed domain name.
The Complainant further argues that she tried to contact the Respondent on October 6, 2012 through a cease and desist letter, to which the Respondent did not respond.
The Complainant further argues that the Respondent is using the disputed domain name in bad faith even though the disputed domain name does not resolve to an active website. Passive use of the disputed domain name in the manner practiced by the Respondent is sufficient to form the basis for bad faith registration and use of such domain name.
The Complainant further argues that the Respondent has hidden its true identity since the name of the registrant is "li li" with an incomplete address and owns about 12,000 other domain names, therefore the disputed domain name must be considered to have been registered and used in bad faith.
B. Respondent
The Respondent did not reply to the Complainant’s contentions.
6. Discussion and Findings
A. Identical or Confusingly Similar
Paragraph 4(a)(i) of the Policy requires the Complainant to show that the disputed domain name is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark or service mark in which the Complainant has rights.
A registered trademark provides a clear indication that the rights in the mark shown on the trademark certificate belong to its respective owner.
The Complainant owns numerous worldwide trademark registrations for the mark ELECTROLUX. For example: United States trademark registration No. 0933368 – ELECTROLUX, with the registration date of May 2, 1972; United Kingdom trademark registration No.469786 – ELECTROLUX, with the registration date of May 14, 1926; China trademark registration No. 862864 – ELECTROLUX, with the registration date of August 14,1996, and many more.
The Complainant also owns numerous domain names with the trademark ELECTROLUX worldwide, among these: <electrolux.com>, <electrolux.com.cn> and <electrolux.co.uk>.
Also, the Complainant's rights in the ELECTROLUX mark have been established in previous UDRP decisions, AB Electrolux v. Ilgaz Fatin Micik, WIPO Case No. D2009-0777.
The disputed domain name <electroluxwx.com> differs from the registered ELECTROLUX trademark by the addition of the two letters “wx” and the additional gTLD “.com”. The disputed domain name integrates the Complainant’s ELECTROLUX trademark in its entirety, as a dominant element.
The addition of the letters “wx” does not serve sufficiently to distinguish or differentiate the disputed domain name from the Complainant’s ELECTROLUX trademark. Previous UDRP panels have ruled that the mere addition of a non-significant element does not sufficiently differentiate the domain name from the registered trademark: “The incorporation of a trademark in its entirety is sufficient to establish that a domain name is identical or confusingly similar to the Complainant’s registered mark” (Britannia Building Society v. Britannia Fraud Prevention, WIPO Case No. D2001-0505).
Furthermore, the addition of the gTLD “.com” to the disputed domain name does not avoid confusing similarity. See F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG v. Macalve e-dominios S.A., WIPO Case No. D2006-0451, and Telstra Corporation Limited v. Nuclear Marshmallows, WIPO Case No. D2000-0003. The gTLD “.com” is without legal significance since the use of a gTLD is technically required to operate the domain name.
Consequently, the Panel finds that the Complainant has shown that the disputed domain name is identical or confusingly similar to trademarks in which the Complainant has rights.
B. Rights or Legitimate Interests
Once the Complainant establishes a prima facie case that the Respondent lacks rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name, the burden shifts to the Respondent to show that it has rights or legitimate interests in respect to the disputed domain name, WIPO Overview of WIPO Panel Views on Selected UDRP Questions, Second Edition (“WIPO Overview 2.0”), paragraph 2.1.
In the present case, the Complainant has demonstrated to the Panel that the Respondent lacks rights or legitimate interests in respect of the disputed domain name and the Respondent had failed to assert any such rights or legitimate interests.
The Panel finds that the Complainant has established a prima facie case in this regard, inter alia, due to the fact that the Complainant has not licensed or otherwise permitted the Respondent to use the ELECTROLUX trademark, or a variation thereof.
The Respondent had not submitted a Response and did not provide any evidence to show any rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name that is sufficient to rebut the Complainant’s prima facie case.
Accordingly, the Panel finds that the Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the disputed domain name.
C. Registered and Used in Bad Faith
The Complainant must show that the Respondent registered and is using the disputed domain name in bad faith (Policy, paragraph 4(a)(iii)). Paragraph 4(b) of the Policy provides circumstances that may prove bad faith under paragraph 4(a)(iii).
The Complainant submitted evidence, which shows that the Respondent registered the disputed domain name long after the Complainant started to use the name and trademark ELECTROLUX (since the year 1919) and long after the Complainant registered its trademark. According to the evidence filed by the Complainant and the trademark search performed by the Panel, the Complainant has owned a registration for the ELECTROLUX trademark since the year 1926. It is suggestive of the Respondent’s bad faith in these particular circumstances where the trademark, owned by the Complainant, was registered long before the registration of the disputed domain name (Sanofi-Aventis v. Abigail Wallace, WIPO Case No. D2009-0735).
Paragraph 4(b)(iv) of the Policy provides that it will be evidence of bad faith registration and use by a respondent, if by using the disputed domain name, it had intentionally attempted to attract, for commercial gain, Internet users to the websites or other online locations to which the disputed domain name is resolved to, by creating a likelihood of confusion with the Complainant’s mark as to the source, sponsorship, affiliation, or endorsement of the websites or locations or of a product or service on the websites or locations to which the disputed domain name resolved to.
The disputed domain name is confusingly similar to the Complainant’s trademarks. Previous UDRP panels ruled that “a likelihood of confusion is presumed, and such confusion will inevitably result in the diversion of Internet traffic from the Complainant’s site to the Respondent’s site” (See Edmunds.com, Incv. Triple E Holdings Limited, WIPO Case No. D2006-1095). To this end, prior UDRP panels have established that attracting Internet traffic by using a domain name that is identical or confusingly similar to a registered trademark may be evidence of bad faith under paragraph 4(b)(iv) of the UDRP.
From the evidence provided by the Complainant, it appears that the disputed domain name does not resolve to an active website. The Respondent's passive use of the disputed domain name also indicates bad faith registration and use of the disputed domain name: "The concept of a domain name being used in bad faith is not limited to positive action: inaction is within the concept" (See Cho Yong Pil v. Kee Dooseok, WIPO Case No. D2000-0754). See Also: "The significance of the distinction is that the concept of a domain name "being used in bad faith" is not limited to positive action; inaction is within the concept. That is to say, it is possible, in certain circumstances, for inactivity by the Respondent to amount to the domain name being used in bad faith" (Telstra Corporation Limited v. Nuclear Marshmallow, WIPO Case No. D2000-0003).
Another indication for the Respondent's bad faith use is the fact that, at the time of the notification of this proceeding, the disputed domain name <electroluxwx.com> resolved to an active website in Chinese selling purported products of the Complainant. The Respondent used the disputed domain name to promote the sale of goods of the Complainant, while using the Complainant’s name and mark on the website. Using the disputed domain name to promote similar or identical goods to the goods being offered by the Complainant is clear evidence that the Respondent registered and is using the disputed domain name with knowledge of the Complainant and of the use the Complainant is making with its trademark, and indicates that the Respondent’s primary intent with respect to the disputed domain name is to trade off the value of these. The Respondent’s actions therefore constitute bad faith. See Herbalife International, Inc. v. Surinder S. Farmaha, WIPO Case No. D2005-0765, stating that “the registration of a domain name with the knowledge of the complainant’s trademark registration amounts to bad faith”. The Panel also finds that the Respondent’s attempt to attract, for commercial gain, Internet users to its website with the intent to creating a likelihood of confusion with the Complainant’s trademarks and its affiliation with the Respondent’s website falls under paragraph 4(b) of the Policy.
Another indication for the Respondent's bad faith is raised from the fact that the Respondent has hidden its true identity, owns about 12,000 domain names and has not responded to the cease and desist letter from the Complainant (Bayerische Motoren Werke AG v. Joshuathan Investments, Inc., WIPO Case No. D2002-0787).
Another indication for the Respondent's bad faith is raised from the incorporation of the Complainant well-known trademark into the disputed domain name by the Respondent who has no plausible explanation for doing so (Intel Corporation v. The Pentium Group, WIPO Case No. D2009-0273).
Based on the evidence presented to the Panel, including the registration of the disputed domain name long after the registration of the Complainant’s marks, the Respondent's registration and using of the disputed domain name with no conceivable explanation for doing so, the Respondent’s passive use of the disputed domain name the Panel draws the inference that the disputed domain name was registered and is being used in bad faith.
Accordingly, having regard to the circumstances of this particular case, the Panel finds that the Complainant has met its burden under paragraph 4(a)(iii) of the Policy.
7. Decision
For the foregoing reasons, in accordance with paragraphs 4(i) of the Policy and 15 of the Rules, the Panel orders that the disputed domain name<electroluxwx.com> be transferred to the Complainant.
Jonathan AgmonSole Panelist
Date: March 4, 2013