Westmore · UDRP decision
WIPO · Case No. D2022-4834

Outletcaroll.com

TransferWIPO-indexed · informational, not legal advice

The Panel ordered transfer of <outletcaroll.com>. It found the Domain Name confusingly similar to the Complainant’s CAROLL trademark because it incorporated the mark with the preceding word “outlet.” The Respondent had no rights or legitimate interests, and the Domain Name’s initial use for an apparently official-looking website offering the Complainant’s products, followed by use for a parking page with sponsored links, supported findings of registration and use in bad faith.

Outcome
Transfer
At a glance
Provider
WIPO
Outcome
Transfer
Decision date
2023-01-19
Panelist(s)
Lilleengen, Mathias
Complainant
Caroll International
Respondent
Courtney Davis
Counsel
Inlex IP Expertise
Disputed domain(s)
outletcaroll.com
Domain history UDRP Intelligence

The timeline behind outletcaroll.com

Registration, the decision and the archived record of what this domain actually displayed — from public RDAP and the Internet Archive.

Reconstructing the record for outletcaroll.com…
Verified public record
Outcome & remedy
Complaint granted. Panel ordered transfer of outletcaroll.com.
Reverse Domain Name Hijacking
No RDNH raised.
Westmore Insight

The case illustrates a strong targeting pattern where a trademark is combined with the retail term “outlet,” initially used for a site appearing to offer the trademark owner’s products, and later redirected to pay-per-click advertising. The change in website content did not cure the earlier conduct; the Panel considered both the initial impersonation-like presentation and the later sponsored-link use when finding bad faith.

The three-part test
Identical or Confusingly SimilarMet
Rights or Legitimate InterestsMet
Registered and Used in Bad FaithMet

Result of record. The panel's reasoning and decisive facts behind each element are in the Intelligence dossier below.

Case details
Provider
WIPO
Outcome
Transfer
Decision date
2023-01-19
Panel
Lilleengen, Mathias
Full decision
6 min read · hosted by Westmore

ARBITRATION AND MEDIATION CENTER ADMINISTRATIVE PANEL DECISION Caroll International v. Courtney Davis Case No. D2022-4834 1. The Parties The Complainant is Caroll International, France, represented by Inlex IP Expertise, France. The Respondent is Courtney Davis, United States of America. 2. The Domain Name and Registrar The disputed domain name <outletcaroll.com> (the “Domain Name”) is registered with Dynadot, LLC (the “Registrar”). 3. Procedural History The Complaint was filed with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center (the “Center”) on December 16, 2022. On December 16, 2022, the Center transmitted by email to the Registrar a request for registrar verification in connection with the Domain Name. On December 17, 2022, the Registrar transmitted by email to the Center its verification response disclosing registrant and contact information for the Domain Name which differed from the named Respondent and contact information in the Complaint. The Center sent an email communication to the Complainant on December 19, 2022 providing the registrant and contact information disclosed by the Registrar, and inviting the Complainant to submit an amendment to the Complaint. The Complainant filed an amended Complaint on December 20, 2022. The Center verified that the Complaint together with the amended 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 and 4, the Center formally notified the Respondent of the Complaint, and the proceedings commenced on December 22, 2022. In accordance with the Rules, paragraph 5, the due date for Response was January 11, 2023. The Respondent did not submit any response. Accordingly, the Center notified the Respondent’s default on January 12, 2023. The Center appointed Mathias Lilleengen as the sole panelist in this matter on January 17, 2023. The Panel finds that it was properly constituted. The Panel has submitted the Statement of Acceptance and Declaration of Impartiality and Independence, as required to ensure compliance with the Rules, paragraph 7. page 2 4. Factual Background The Complainant is a French clothing brand for women created in 1963. The Complainant’s products are sold through its more than 500 stores in France and abroad as well through the Complainant’s website. The website is multilingual and the Complainant’s turnover for 2018 was about EUR 182.31 million. The Complainant owns the trademark CAROLL since 1983, including French trademark registration No. 1233265, registered on April 15, 1983. The Complainant also has registered several domain names that direct to the Complainant’s official website at “www.caroll.com”. The Complainant has a high number of followers on social media. According to the Complainant, the Domain Name was registered on October 20, 2022. Before filing of the Complaint, the Domain Name has resolved to a website that gave the appearance of an official website offering the Complainant’s products. At the time of drafting the Decision, the Domain Name resolves to a parking page providing sponsored links for clothes and mattresses. 5. Parties’ Contentions A. Complainant The Complainant documents registered trademark rights and argues that the trademark is known worldwide. The Complainant argues that the Domain Name is confusingly similar to the Complainant’s CAROLL trademark. The addition of the descriptive element “outlet” does not distinguish the Domain Name from the Complainant’s trademark. The Complainant argues that there is no evidence to support that the Respondent is commonly known by the Domain Name. The Respondent cannot establish rights or legitimate interests in the Domain Name, as the Respondent has not made any use of, or demonstrable preparations to use, the Domain Name in connection with a bona fide offering of goods or services. The use of the Domain Name – as described above under the factual background - is not bona fide. The Complainant submits that its trademark is well known, and the Complainant’s trademark rights are prior to the Respondent’s registration of the Domain Name. Further, the Respondent has employed a privacy service in order to hide its identity to avoid being notified of a UDRP proceeding. The information provided by the Registrar is inconsistent and probably false. The Respondent attempts to attract Internet users for commercial gain by creating a likelihood of confusion with the Complainant’s trademark. The Respondent is likely to earn pay-per-click revenue in relation to the sponsored links. B. Respondent The Respondent did not reply to the Complainant’s contentions. 6. Discussion and Findings A. Identical or Confusingly Similar The Complainant has established rights in its trademark CAROLL. The test for confusing similarity involves a comparison between the trademark and the Domain Name. The Domain Name incorporates the Complainant’s trademark with the word “outlet” at the front. This does not prevent a finding of confusing similarity. page 3 For the purposes of assessing confusing similarity under paragraph 4(a)(i) of the Policy, it is permissible for the Panel to ignore the generic Top-Level Domain (“gTLD”) as it is viewed as a standard registration requirement, see WIPO Overview of WIPO Panel Views on Selected UDRP Questions, Third Edition (“ WIPO Overview 3.0”) section 1.11. The Panel finds that the Domain Name is confusingly similar to a trademark in which the Complainant has rights in accordance with paragraph 4(a)(i) of the Policy. B. Rights or Legitimate Interests The Respondent is not affiliated with nor authorized by the Complainant. There is no evidence that the Respondent is commonly known by the Domain Name. The Respondent cannot establish rights in the Domain Name, as it has not made use of, or demonstrable preparations to use, the Domain Name in connection with a bona fide offering. On the contrary, the use suggests bad faith (see below). The Panel finds that the Complainant has made out a prima facie case showing that the Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in the Domain Name, which has been unrebutted by the Respondent. Accordingly, the Panel finds that the Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the Domain Name in accordance with paragraph 4(a)(ii) of the Policy. C. Registered and Used in Bad Faith The Complainant’s trademarks were registered long before the Respondent’s registration of the Domain Name. The composition and use of the Domain Name suggest that the Respondent was aware of the Complainant’s trademark when the Respondent registered the Domain Name. The Domain Name seems to be registered to attract Internet users by misleading them into believing that the initial website at the Domain Name is somehow connected to the Complainant. The current use is also evidence of bad faith. It misleads Internet users for the benefit of the Respondent’s pay-per-click revenue. The Respondent has not replied to the Complainant’s contentions, and not provided any evidence of good faith use. Moreover, the Respondent appears to have provided inconsistent and probably false contact details behind the Registrar’s privacy shield. The Panel finds that the Domain Name was registered and is being used in bad faith, within the meaning of the 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 Domain Name <outletcaroll.com> be transferred to the Complainant. /Mathias Lilleengen/ Mathias Lilleengen Sole Panelist Date: January 19, 2023

Source of record: WIPO . Reproduced for research; WIPO is the authoritative source.

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