We are, in many ways, living in a golden age of entrepreneurship. The Internet provides straightforward ways for budding entrepreneurs to connect with bulk retailers and source supply chains, and online marketplaces provide small businesses with the opportunity to sell their products to people around the world, cutting out many of the traditional barriers to access.
But while starting a business may be relatively straightforward, really establishing a recognizable brand takes a little more work. The online retail market place is increasingly dominated by a few massive corporations, and success in online marketing and sales requires entrepreneurs to partner with these giants if they want to reach new customers.
In order for a small business to be able to launch their own custom Amazon store, however, a business needs to do more than just prove that they are a legitimate company; they also need to have a registered trademark under which they can market their goods.
A registered trademark can take many forms, but it is generally a logo, name, slogan, or combination thereof that is the intellectual property (IP) of a particular business. Having a unique trademark is an important part of building a reliable, recognizable brand, and registering it with the proper authorities is the best way to ensure that this brand cannot be stolen, appropriated, or misused by other individuals or businesses.
Unfortunately, while designing a trademark is relatively straightforward, having it registered can be quite difficult. In most jurisdictions, registering a trademark is a lengthy process that involves a number of steps, including:
• An initial Canada trademark search
• A formal application
• An examination conducted by the relevant government agency to ensure the trademark meets the necessary standards
• A public report in the Trademarks Journal that gives third parties a window of opportunity to lodge challenges to the trademark
• A declaration of use (if you are already using the trademark) or an amendment to your application indicating when it will come into use
• A registration fee if the trademark meets all requirements unopposed
Even under the best circumstances, this process can take more than a year. If challenges to the trademark are lodged, it can become an even more involved and complicated process. This is one of the reasons why many new businesses opt to work with trademark lawyers who can navigate the process for them.
Not only do trademark lawyers understand the ins and outs of intellectual property law as it applies to trademarks, they also take on the time-consuming task of checking to make sure a trademark is original before going through the application process.
Growing businesses that want to register their trademark will often engage the services of a company like The Trademark Shop to guide them through the application process from beginning to end (if you are interested you can learn more from The Trademark Shop about how this process works).
Because these experts often charge a flat rate for the entire process, business don’t need to worry about incurring huge legal fees if there are issues with the application, which is one reason why these trademark registration experts are especially well-suited to serve the needs of entrepreneurs without a lot of start-up capital.
Final Thoughts On Trademarks And Business IP
It has never been easier for those interested in taking their fashion line, arts boutique, perfumery, or artisanal foods store and making it a going concern to succeed online. And with a registered trademark, these entrepreneurs can build their brand on a solid legal foundation.
I hope you enjoyed this blog post about how a registered trademark can help you to jump-start your small business or ecommerce shop.
Interested in more articles about the legal side of business?
Read Related Resources:
• How To Make Sure That Your Law Firm Stands Out
• Ways To Keep Your Business On The Right Side Of The Law
It has never been easier for those interested in taking their fashion line, arts boutique, perfumery, or artisanal foods store and making it a going concern to succeed online. And with a registered trademark, these entrepreneurs can build their brand on a solid legal foundation.
I hope you enjoyed this blog post about how a registered trademark can help you to jump-start your small business or ecommerce shop.
Interested in more articles about the legal side of business?
Read Related Resources:
• How To Make Sure That Your Law Firm Stands Out
• Ways To Keep Your Business On The Right Side Of The Law
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