{"id":16394,"date":"2024-08-19T06:00:57","date_gmt":"2024-08-19T06:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/letslaw.es\/?p=16394"},"modified":"2024-08-12T14:13:18","modified_gmt":"2024-08-12T14:13:18","slug":"third-party-brands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/letslaw.es\/en\/third-party-brands\/","title":{"rendered":"Can I use a third-party brand in my e-commerce?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The use of third-party brands in e-commerce is a sensitive issue and can have serious legal consequences if not done correctly.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Exclusive Right of the Owner<b><\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When using a third-party brand in our e-commerce, we must consider that when a company registers a brand, it obtains an exclusive right over it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By virtue of Article 34 of the Trademark Law (LM), the holder of the <\/span><a title=\"registered trademark\" href=\"https:\/\/letslaw.es\/en\/registering-a-trademark-what-are-the-limits\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">registered trademark<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has the exclusive right to use it in economic transactions and the ability to prohibit third parties from using an identical or similar distinctive sign for products or services identical to those for which the trademark was registered.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What does this exclusive right imply?<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Prohibition of Unauthorized Use:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> No other person can use the trademark to sell identical or similar products or services without the owner&#8217;s consent.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Protection Against Unfair Competition:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Unauthorized use of a trademark can constitute an act of unfair competition, as it unduly exploits the reputation and investment effort of the trademark owner.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Quality Assurance:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The trademark owner usually associates their name with certain quality standards, and the use of the trademark can harm this perception.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Intellectual Property of the Brand<b><\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Intellectual property is a set of legal rights that protect creations of the mind, such as inventions, literary and artistic works, designs, and symbols.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the case of trademarks, intellectual property also grants the owner exclusive rights over a distinctive sign that identifies their products or services.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why is intellectual property of the brand so important?<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Economic Value:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Trademarks are valuable intangible assets for companies. A strong brand can increase the value of a company, facilitate financing, and attract more customers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Differentiation:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Trademarks allow companies to stand out in a crowded market by differentiating their products or services from those of competitors.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Reputation:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Trademarks build a reputation and generate consumer trust. This reputation is a valuable asset that has been built over time and can be affected by unauthorized use of the trademark.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Legal Protection:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Intellectual property provides a legal framework to protect trademarks from copying, counterfeiting, and other unauthorized uses.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Therefore, using a third-party brand that holds this exclusive right has its limits.<\/span><b><\/b><\/p>\n<h3>The Principle of Trademark Exhaustion<b><\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, can I use a third-party registered trademark in my e-commerce?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The answer is found in Article 36 of the Trademark Law:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c1. <\/span><\/i><b><i>The right conferred by the registration of a trademark shall not allow its owner to prohibit third parties from using it for products marketed in the European Economic Area with that trademark by the owner or with their consent.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Paragraph 1 shall not apply when there are legitimate reasons for the owner to oppose further commercialization of the products, especially when their condition has been altered or modified after they were marketed<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Therefore, the answer is <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">yes, you can use a third-party brand in your e-commerce<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as long as you meet the following requirements according to Article 36 LM:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Objective Requirement:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The products under the registered trademark must have been marketed for the first time by their owner or with their consent.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Territorial Requirement:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The commercialization must be in the European Economic Area, disregarding international scope.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Principle of Trademark Exhaustion limits the owner&#8217;s right to prohibit further commercialization of a product that has been legitimately introduced to the market by them or with their consent by an authorized distributor.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, this principle will not apply, as stated in point 2 of Article 36 LM, when the trademark owner demonstrates that the further commercialization of the product unjustifiably harms the value or reputation of their brand, such as careless or inappropriate presentation of the product, which may cause association with inferior quality items or diminish the brand&#8217;s image.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"cyp_post_formulario\"><h2>Contact Us<\/h2>\n<div class=\"wpcf7 no-js\" id=\"wpcf7-f3074-o1\" lang=\"es-ES\" dir=\"ltr\" data-wpcf7-id=\"3074\">\n<div class=\"screen-reader-response\"><p role=\"status\" aria-live=\"polite\" aria-atomic=\"true\"><\/p> <ul><\/ul><\/div>\n<form action=\"\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16394#wpcf7-f3074-o1\" method=\"post\" class=\"wpcf7-form init wpcf7-acceptance-as-validation\" aria-label=\"Formulario de contacto\" novalidate=\"novalidate\" data-status=\"init\">\n<fieldset class=\"hidden-fields-container\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wpcf7\" value=\"3074\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wpcf7_version\" value=\"6.1.5\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wpcf7_locale\" value=\"es_ES\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wpcf7_unit_tag\" value=\"wpcf7-f3074-o1\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wpcf7_container_post\" value=\"0\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wpcf7_posted_data_hash\" value=\"\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wpcf7_recaptcha_response\" value=\"\" \/>\n<\/fieldset>\n<div class=\"campo_nombre\" style=\"width:100%\"> <span class=\"wpcf7-form-control-wrap\" data-name=\"your-name\"><input size=\"40\" maxlength=\"400\" class=\"wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-text wpcf7-validates-as-required datos-contacto2\" aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\" placeholder=\"Name\" value=\"\" type=\"text\" name=\"your-name\" \/><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"campo_telefono\" style=\"width:100%\"> <span class=\"wpcf7-form-control-wrap\" data-name=\"your-phone\"><input size=\"40\" maxlength=\"400\" class=\"wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-tel wpcf7-validates-as-required wpcf7-text wpcf7-validates-as-tel datos-contacto2\" aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\" placeholder=\"Phone\" value=\"\" type=\"tel\" name=\"your-phone\" \/><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"campo_email\" style=\"width:100%\"> <span class=\"wpcf7-form-control-wrap\" data-name=\"your-email\"><input size=\"40\" maxlength=\"400\" class=\"wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-email wpcf7-validates-as-required wpcf7-text wpcf7-validates-as-email datos-contacto2\" aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\" placeholder=\"Email\" value=\"\" type=\"email\" name=\"your-email\" \/><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"campo_asunto\" style=\"width:100%\"> <span class=\"wpcf7-form-control-wrap\" data-name=\"your-asunto\"><input size=\"40\" maxlength=\"400\" class=\"wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-text wpcf7-validates-as-required datos-contacto2\" aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\" placeholder=\"Subject\" value=\"\" type=\"text\" name=\"your-asunto\" \/><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"campo_mensaje\" style=\"width:100%\"> <span class=\"wpcf7-form-control-wrap\" data-name=\"your-mensaje\"><textarea cols=\"40\" rows=\"10\" maxlength=\"2000\" class=\"wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-textarea wpcf7-validates-as-required datos-contacto2\" aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\" placeholder=\"Message\" name=\"your-mensaje\"><\/textarea><\/span><\/div>\n<input class=\"wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-hidden\" value=\"\" type=\"hidden\" name=\"cyp_form_url\" \/>\n<input class=\"wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-hidden\" value=\"cyp_zonaweb\" type=\"hidden\" name=\"zonaweb\" \/>\n<span class=\"wpcf7-form-control-wrap recaptcha\" data-name=\"recaptcha\"><span data-sitekey=\"6LfbCuUpAAAAAGu5f0__hms_y9Kscc_NCNdDGnEJ\" class=\"wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-recaptcha g-recaptcha\"><\/span>\r\n<noscript>\r\n\t<div class=\"grecaptcha-noscript\">\r\n\t\t<iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/recaptcha\/api\/fallback?k=6LfbCuUpAAAAAGu5f0__hms_y9Kscc_NCNdDGnEJ\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" width=\"310\" height=\"430\">\r\n\t\t<\/iframe>\r\n\t\t<textarea name=\"g-recaptcha-response\" rows=\"3\" cols=\"40\" placeholder=\"Aqu\u00ed la respuesta de reCAPTCHA\">\r\n\t\t<\/textarea>\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n<\/noscript>\r\n<\/span>\n<div style=\"width:100%\">\n<p class=\"form-input-check\" style=\"color:#444444 !important;padding:0px !important;margin:0px !important;font-size:12px !important;margin-bottom:15px !important\">\nBy clicking on \"Send\" you accept our <a href=\"https:\/\/letslaw.es\/en\/privacy-policy\/\" target=\"_blank\">Privacy Policy<\/a> - <a href=\"javascript:\/\/\" class=\"cyp_legal_popup_ingles\">+ Info<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<p class=\"form-input-check\" style=\"color:#444444 !important;padding:0px !important;margin:0px !important;font-size:12px !important\">\n<span class=\"wpcf7-form-control-wrap\" data-name=\"checkbox-173\"><span class=\"wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-checkbox wpcf7-exclusive-checkbox\"><span class=\"wpcf7-list-item first last\"><label><input type=\"checkbox\" name=\"checkbox-173\" value=\"\" \/><span class=\"wpcf7-list-item-label\"><\/span><\/label><\/span><\/span><\/span> I agree to receive outlined commercial communications from LETSLAW, S.L. in accordance with the provisions of our <a href=\"https:\/\/letslaw.es\/en\/privacy-policy\/\" target=\"_blank\">Privacy Policy<\/a> - <a href=\"javascript:\/\/\" class=\"cyp_legal_popup\">+ Info<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"vc_col-sm-12 botton-datos-contacto\"><input class=\"wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-submit has-spinner\" type=\"submit\" value=\"Send\" \/><\/div><input type='hidden' class='wpcf7-pum' value='{\"closepopup\":false,\"closedelay\":0,\"openpopup\":false,\"openpopup_id\":0}' \/><div class=\"wpcf7-response-output\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/div>\n<\/form>\n<\/div>\n<div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The use of third-party brands in e-commerce is a sensitive issue and can have serious legal consequences if not done correctly.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":72,"featured_media":16390,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[258],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16394","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-digital-law"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/letslaw.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16394","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/letslaw.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/letslaw.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/letslaw.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/72"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/letslaw.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16394"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/letslaw.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16394\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16395,"href":"https:\/\/letslaw.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16394\/revisions\/16395"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/letslaw.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16390"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/letslaw.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16394"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/letslaw.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16394"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/letslaw.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16394"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}