Facts To Know About Trademark Classes Before You Register A Trademark Online
A trademark is a design, phrase, or word used for indicating the source of goods, and identifying and distinguishing it from another. So, for instance, ‘Just Do It,’ Samsung, and the bird logo from Twitter are all trademarks. In fact, even colors and sounds can be trademarks, though they are more difficult to defend and define.
Trademarks give the owners exclusive rights for using the mark. It prohibits others from using the trademark or something that is similar to it in appearance, meaning, or sound. You can acquire the rights by registering through the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). However, you will have to outline the trademark class before that.
Understanding the trademark classes in the USA
The USPTO has a list of trademark classes for all services and goods. You can get your US trademark for any of the 45 categories: 34 product classes and 11 service classes. The biggest issue faced by most people is that the names of the classes are pretty confusing. After all, it’s difficult to draw the line between medical services at class 44 and medical supplies at class 10. The same thing goes for textile products at class 22 and textiles at class 24.
Tips to select the right trademark class
You will not get to register your trademark if you do not select the right class. In case you register for the wrong class, you can’t switch from a service to a good or change the registration later for naming a different one. Here are the tips that will help you select the right trademark class.
Take help from the trademark identification manual
The trademark identification manual of the USPTO has a list of trademark classes. You will get pre-approved descriptions of services or products that come under each class. You can search the manual online. Thus, if you type “handbags,” you will get all the goods and services categories for the term.
The distinction between goods and services
You need to decide if the trademark is applicable to a service or goods before you go ahead with Online Trademark Registration. The distinction is pretty clear. Goods are the physical items that people buy from you, and services are the activities that you carry out for others. It’s mostly easy to tell the difference. For instance, digital marketing is a service, but things like furniture are goods. When you sell t-shirts, it is a good. But, when people bring t-shirts to you for printing, it’s a service.
Demarcate what the trademark covers
You can have the trademark applied to your whole business, including your company logo and name. On the other hand, you can also have particular product labels, logos, and names that you need to trademark. The classification of a product is different from the classification for the entire company.
Hopefully, it is easier to understand the trademark classes for you. It is time to start your trademark search, and register it.
