Conducting trademark registration in the UAE has become critical for e-commerce firms as the country is driving a major share of e-commerce sales in the Middle East region. However, most e-commerce entrepreneurs overlook trademarks due to the vague and fast-moving nature of their business. Ignoring trademark protection provides your competitors with an opportunity to snatch your customer base and revenues.
Performing trademark registration in the UAE gives you the legal power to take legal action against an infringer. Without conducting registration, you may struggle to prove that you came up with the brand name first. Trademark agents in the UAE can assist you with information on the standard procedure you need to follow to register your e-commerce brands. Read ahead to know further:
Determine Ownership of Your Intellectual Property
There are certain critical things to be determined and decisions to be made before applying for trademark registration in the UAE. You need to ensure that your company will be the owner of all types of intellectual property assets that you seek to protect with trademark registration. If your e-store is built through a web development platform, try to ensure that the other company doesn’t hold any ownership claim to the logos and slogans displayed on the website.
Choose a Strong Brand Name
Building a strong brand name is essential for you to stand out among your competitors and be easily recognised by your customers and the public. Names that are generic and descriptive lack distinctiveness, making it tough for your consumers to distinguish the products marketed under the brand name from that of a competitor. Moreover, the UAE Trademark Office may deny protection for trademarks that are descriptive.
Strong and distinctive trademarks are formed using coined words that don’t have an apparent meaning in that language. Such trademarks are known as fanciful marks and it would be tough for impersonators to come up with a brand name similar to a fanciful mark. eBay and Dubizzle are some of the famous brand names that are fanciful trademarks.
Check if the Trademark Is Available
Okay, you have come up with a strong and distinctive trademark. What if someone has already registered an identical or similar brand name? Applying for trademark registration in the UAE for an existing brand name would lead to opposition from the owner of the original trademark. To avoid this, you need to conduct a trademark search in the UAE before starting the application process.
Trademark agents in the UAE can search on your behalf to ensure that your proposed mark is available for registration. They will browse through the Offical Trademark Database and inform you whether the trademark is available or not. Based on that information, you can initiate necessary actions.
File for Registration in the UAE and Appropriate Territories
If you are a UAE-registered e-commerce firm, you must apply for trademark protection here. Trademark agents in the UAE can advise you on the Trademark law and associated standard procedures. E-commerce companies that have an international presence or those planning for an expansion abroad must also register their trademarks through the Madrid Protocol of International Trademark Registration. The Madrid Protocol allows you to obtain protection for your trademark in multiple global jurisdictions through a single filing, a single language and a single set of fees.
Avail Trademark Watch Services in the UAE
Obtaining trademark registration in the UAE doesn’t guarantee absolute protection for your brands. Your trademarks may still be under attack from a competitor or a counterfeit. However, you may not be aware that your consumers are purchasing products that bear a brand name similar to yours. You will lose a good share of consumers to your competitor in this way if you sit complacent after registering your trademarks with the UAE Trademark Office.
What you need to do is keep on monitoring the market to identify whether someone of infringing upon your trademark rights. However, as a busy entrepreneur, you need to focus on other aspects of your business. To ensure your trademark is safe, you can avail trademark watch services in the UAE. Trademark agents in the UAE will monitor the market to check if anyone is infringing upon your registered trademarks.
Record Your Trademark With Dubai Customs
After obtaining trademark registration in the UAE, you can record your marks with the Dubai Customs Authority. This is not mandatory but an essential procedure that offers better protection against counterfeiters. Once your registered trademark is recorded with Dubai Customs, you will be alerted when a shipment of fake goods arrives. The Customs officials will carry out an official raid to seize the counterfeit goods.
Get Additional Support From E-commerce Marketplaces
Online marketplaces including Amazon provide additional support to registered brands because they can back your authenticity. For instance, Amazon’s brand registry provides “Trusted by Amazon’ certifications to offer protection against counterfeit products.
Consult with the Best Trademark Agents in Dubai, UAE
As online purchases are gaining more momentum nowadays, entrepreneurs can’t think of business growth without giving due consideration to trademark registration in the UAE. You must protect your e-commerce brands with the help of trademark agents in the UAE to stop competitors and counterfeiters from snatching your customers and tarnishing your brand image. Jitendra Intellectual Property (JIP) is one of the top IP firms in Dubai providing end-end trademark solutions for all types of companies including e-commerce firms. JIP is a leading provider of trademark services in the UAE with a special focus on services such as trademark registration, renewal, trademark search & watch services. We also provide robust services related to trademark registration through the Madrid Protocol of International trademark registration.