Amazon claims that the average consumer is likely to confuse AMAZON with AMAZEE. We think that Amazon is wrong. We believe that YOU and all other consumers are well capable of separating between Amazon and Amazee.
But that's just us, and that is why we want your opinion! Please join this project (you have to sign up to contribute) and give us your honest opinion in the poll: http://www.amazee.com/node/8482/poll And of course you can drop us a line in the discussion area: http://www.amazee.com/node/8482/area
And since Amazee likes to take a sportive approach to challenges, we will give away a 100$ Amazon voucher at the end of this lawsuit (=as far as our small budget takes us, whatever the outcome). Every member of this project will take part in the drawing!
As most of our readers will know, we are still in negotiation with Amazon regarding the use of our beloved Amazee brand. Now, check out this trouvaille that Marco discovered in Dess/Lumpkin/Eisner’s book “Strategic Management – Creating Competitive Advantages”.
“For example, a large company with a strong reputation that is challenged by a small or unknown company may elect to simply keep an eye on the new competitor rather than quickly react or overreact. Part of the story of online retailer Amazon’s early success is attributed to Barnes & Noble’s overreaction to Amazon’s claim that it was “earth’s biggest bookstore”. Because Barnes & Noble was already using the phrase “world’s largest bookstore”, it sued Amazon, but lost. The confrontation made it to the front page of the Wall Street Journal and Amazon was on its way to becoming a household name.”
Getting right, claiming right… looks like Amazon has a busy track record in brand management.
For the last few months Amazon's lawyers have been urging us to stop using Amazee as our brand. While the attorneys representing their Luxembourg subsidiary are demanding the deletion of Amazee in the Swiss trade mark register (nota bene after waiting for the opposition period to expire and therewith provoking a costly court procedure) their US attorneys have filed an appeal against the registration of Amazee in the US. Our peaceful and cooperative efforts to reach an amicable solution have not born any fruits.
Deutsche Informationen findest du in dieser Spalte unten!
Now, why should the world's largest online retailer fear that YOU and other consumers confuse AMAZON with AMAZEE or in other words take an "ON" for an "EE"? Their IP department says:
"... the mark AMAZEE is not a natural derivative of “amazing”. Amazee is a coined term where the dominant portion of the mark brings to mind Amazon, not “amazing”."
Hm. The brand name Amazon is better known than the english word amazing? Well, at least they show great enthusiasm for their company.
Seit ein paar Monaten finden wir uns in die Ecke gedrängt, von niemand geringerem als dem Online-Kaufhaus Amazon. Sie mögen unseren Namen nicht und gehen nun in der Schweiz und den USA gegen unsere Marke vor.
Sollten sie Erfolg haben, dürfen wir Amazee nicht mehr verwenden und müssen einen neuen Namen finden! Gemäss Amazons Anwälten besteht zwischen Amazon und Amazee eine akute Verwechslungsgefahr und deswegen möchten sie uns den Gebrauch unseres Namens verbieten. Das wollen wir natürlich nur ungern hinnehmen! Wir möchten deshalb, dass ihr eure Stimme erhebt für uns: Bringt die Story unters Volk, erzählt sie euren Twitter-Followers, euren Freunden, eurer Familie!
Zeigt eure Unterstützung auch in diesem Projekt, in dem wir euch up to date halten. Und weil wir's sportlich nehmen, verlosen wir unter allen Projektmitgliedern einen Amazon-Gutschein. Einfach dem Projekt beitreten und ihr seid dabei.
Wir sehen absolut keine Verwechslungsgefahr der beiden Marken. Unser Name bezieht sich auf das englische Wort "amazing" (erstaunlich), sie entleihen sich ihren dem grossen Amazonas. Wir haben nicht vor, euch irgendwann Bücher oder CDs zu verkaufen.
Darüber hinaus ist natürlich augenfällig, dass die Firmenlogos deutlich unterschiedlich sind. Und, last not least: Wir sind bei weitem nicht so bekannt wie Amazon. Aber wir wollen eure Meinung hören: Bitte meldet euch hier zu Wort, z.B. im Diskussionsbereich http://www.amazee.com/node/8482/area oder in der Abstimmung http://www.amazee.com/node/8482/poll.
Well, nothing much, esteemed reader. We have a couple of media responses to add to the list, but apart from that there are no news. Amazon seems to be taking their time, and so are we. Every day we wake up with the name Amazee on our web site is a good day. We'll keep you posted!
Digital Media Wire (USA)
http://bit.ly/c6sJD
ethority (Germany)
http://bit.ly/eARzb
TechFluff (UK)
http://bit.ly/J0WXj
Netwoche (Germany)
http://bit.ly/DqrH1
Swissinfo.ch (Switzerland)
http://bit.ly/u0RpW
Thanks again to everybody for your continuing support!
For the first time after we made this case public, Amazon called today to take up discussions again. And thanks to your support there are some good news! As it (currently) looks, Amazon's lawyers will DIScontinue their action against our Swiss trademark. The bad news is that the objection against the registration of our US trademark (which is as important to Amazee's identity as the Swiss brand) will be continued. However, we achieved a first milestone in a possibly lengthy trial - and we owe it to nobody else than you! I'll keep you posted on the further progress of our negotiations. Thanks again, Gregory
Wonderful to hear! Keep up the fight! "You can't keep a good man down". ;-)
Yes! But everybody needs to keep the friendly pressure up. Can't let our guards down now. So keep on keeping on, y'all!
We never would have expected so much interest and support from the blogosphere and media! Now the buzz is slowing down, but we still have a few new posts for anybody interested:
Handelsblatt (Germany)
http://bit.ly/Tet8m
Markenblog (Germany)
http://bit.ly/UGo9n
Alltagskakaphonie (Germany)
http://bit.ly/pzprF
datensicherhet.de (Germany)
http://bit.ly/XmaPI
It's not stopping. Here are the latest blog posts on our case. Thanks once more to everybody for all the supportive words, the advice, the intros and more! This really proves us that we are right!
Techdirt (USA)
http://bit.ly/o0KO4
Ecommerce Journal (USA)
http://bit.ly/lsis4
Presse kostenlos (Germany)
http://bit.ly/KkfBe
Telekompresse (Austria)
http://bit.ly/k59Jb
...and many more with the same titles or in a language we don't understand ;)
Again, in no particular order, things that have been coming in during the day.
PCtipp (Switzerland):
http://bit.ly/UAt3Z
heise online (Germany):
http://bit.ly/VlPcw
NZZ (Zurich; great piece of old school journalism):
http://bit.ly/hEdJM
Persönlich (Switzerland):
http://bit.ly/GP4Qo
Glocalist (Germany/Austria):
http://bit.ly/uNyMi
Blippitt (USA?):
http://bit.ly/yfjOS
Elui (Switzerland):
http://bit.ly/bmsD2
TechChannel (Germany):
http://bit.ly/FuHDg
Thanks!
When will it stop? We don't know! Here's a round of blogs and mainly print mentions we gathered for your continuing reading pleasure. Please tell us if we start to bore you.
There are articles in today's Swiss free newspapers 20 Minuten (p. 12), News (p. 17, don't we look fresh?), .ch (p. 6) and of course yesterdays Blick am Abend (title page and p. 10). So, if you are commuting, you might have read about us!
Furthermore there are:
The Register (UK):
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/04/21/amazon_v_amazee/
Dimido (Germany):
http://www.dimido.de/2009/04/22/amazon-ist-gegen-amazee/
Kubitz (Germany):
http://www.kubitz.net/internet/muss-das-denn-sein-amazon-vs-amazee/
Meedia (Germany):
http://meedia.de/nc/details/article/amazon-gegen-amazee_100019645.html
CDV (Germany):
http://prcdv.typepad.com/cdv/2009/04/amazon-vs-amazee.html
Media Ocean (Germany, Blogpiloten repost):
http://www.media-ocean.de/2009/04/21/amazon-klagt-gegen-amazee/
Online PC (Switzerland):
http://bit.ly/A9Xdd
If you have found something we haven't listed yet, or have written something yourself, please let us know in the comments or via direct message!
A last roundup for today of the ongoing coverage of what one blog has come to coin as "The great name debate". Like the ring of this. Thanks so much for your support, we are overwhelmed!
The Washington Post (USA, PaidContent repost):
http://bit.ly/I0uwy
T3N (Germany):
http://bit.ly/GnWrj
AppScout (USA):
http://bit.ly/DeqbR
Vorwärts (Germany):
http://bit.ly/4gIXSN
Keep on blogging, writing and tweeting!
Here we go with another round of press and blog entries gathered all across the European afternoon, both German and English.
Mashable (USA):
http://mashable.com/2009/04/21/amazee-amazon/
Startup Meme (USA):
http://bit.ly/yun3l
PaidContent (USA):
http://bit.ly/TqUwY
Blick am Abend (Switzerland, print edition, front page mention!)
http://www.blick.ch/blickamabend
20 Minuten (Switzerland):
http://bit.ly/11j6XV
Inside IT (Switzerland):
http://www.inside-it.ch/frontend/insideit?&site=ii&_d=_article&news.id=1...
Basic Thinking (Germany):
http://bit.ly/13xF6A
Netzwoche (Switzerland):
http://bit.ly/XF4NJ
Netzwertig (Switzerland):
http://netzwertig.com/2009/04/21/namensstreit-amazon-greift-amazee-an/
Onlinkosten.de (Germany):
http://bit.ly/MhShU
Once again, we extend our thanks to all of you who support us, in writing about us, tweeting the case or telling your neighbors! We even heard that in some cases people have started writing complaints to Amazon's customer service, seriously! We're not asking for that, but I guess we can't hold you back ...
Thank you very much for your continuous support. We appreciate your input in articles, blog posts, comments and tweets. Keep 'em coming!
TechCrunch (USA):
http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/04/21/amazon-wants-to-bully-amazee-into-c...
Berner Zeitung (Berne):
http://www.bernerzeitung.ch/digital/internet/Amazon-verklagt-junge-Schwe...
Der Bund (Berne):
http://www.derbund.ch/digital/internet/Amazon-verklagt-junge-Schweizer-F...
Thurgauer Zeitung (Frauenfeld):
http://www.thurgauerzeitung.ch/digital/internet/Amazon-verklagt-junge-Sc...
ICT Kommunikation (Switzerland):
http://www.ictk.ch/newsmeldung/article/amazon-streitet-mit-schweizer-sta...
Deutsche Startups (Germany):
http://www.deutsche-startups.de/2009/04/21/amazee-im-clinch-mit-amazon/
For Tweets, check the Tweet feed below!
The first press and blog entries are coming in. So far they are in German only, enjoy!
Tagesanzeiger (Zurich):
http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/wirtschaft/unternehmen-und-konjunktur/Amazon...
Basler Zeitung (Basel):
http://bazonline.ch/digital/internet/Amazon-verklagt-junge-Schweizer-Fir...
Startwerk (Switzerland):
http://startwerk.ch/2009/04/21/amazon-greift-amazee-an-gigantin-gegen-st...
Blogpiloten (Germany):
http://www.blogpiloten.de/2009/04/21/amazon-klagt-gegen-amazee/
Benkö (Switzerland):
http://www.benkoe.ch/amazon-vs-amazee-weltkonzern-gegen-weltverbesserer/
Blogging Tom (Switzerland):
http://bloggingtom.ch/archives/2009/04/21/david-gegen-goliath-oder-amaze...
And of course tons of Tweets:
http://search.twitter.com/search?q=Amazee
Keep spreading the word, we are overwhelmed by your love and support!
Group of the day: Kerry Armstrong Critical Care Fund: Help get Kerry the care, physio & occupational therapy she w... http://bit.ly/dzgHCS
Neuigkeiten: Drei Fragen an Veronika Mischler: Diese Woche steht uns Veronika Mischler Rede und Antwort. Sie hat d... http://bit.ly/aPNwJE
News: Three questions for Veronika Mischler: This week Veronika Mischler answers our three questions. She has set ... http://bit.ly/ceqzsr
@_ricola Kannst du demnächst auf Amazee lesen, ich sag dann gern Bescheid. :)
@maddiexo_ ahh, catch up time soon my lovely <3 hope you had an amazee time :') xxx



Comments
whats new? 13.06.2009
Your comment