Tree huggers will confuse shoppers, says Amazon

Amazon.com is an immensely popular online storefront that sells everything from books and groceries to virtual timeshares of its extensive data center infrastructure. Amazee is a Switzerland-based, social "collaboration website" made for social activists and protestors to organize, promote, and fund their public uprisings and …

[Anonymous Coward]

@Amazon

Whoever it is at Amazon that is responsible for this action, FFS, get a life!

[Chris Hatfield]

Be right back, purchasing some new gadgets from Amazee.

Hahaha, Amazon are looking like right tools in this. Also, Amazee are looking like right tools for setting up a "social media" site for tree-hugger hippies - it's really fail.

[Chris C]

Here's hoping for sanity

Since US trademarks are, according to the USPTO, valid for specific areas/industry/uses, both companies SHOULD be able to use the same name if they want, as long as their services do not clash. Given that, two non-identical names should have absolutely no problem. But then, Amazon.com has tons of cash, and the USPTO has long been known to be corrupt.

[Anonymous Coward]

Spelling!

You misspelled "Amazon" nine times by my count, putting in an "ee" at the end rather than "on."

[Moss Icely Spaceport]

Only in America

"Amazon attorneys say the average person won't appreciate the differences between Amazon and Amazee, thus leading to consumer confusion between the two brands."

Maybe your average American consumer will be confused. After all, many of these people voted George W Bush in, TWICE!

The rest of the world will manage just fine.

Thanks

[Pascal Monett]

"Amazon attorneys say the average person . ."

Is a moron, but in a slightly larger amount of words.

Let's see, the first word that jumps out on Amazon is "Shop", whereas on Amazee it's "Change". Amazee has no left-hand menu at all, nor does it mention the word "book" anywhere. The home pages are not in the same colors at all. The only thing you can quickly do on Amazee is "Join". Amazee has no "Cart" button or logo.

I agree, only a moron would confuse the two sites. Now lumping me in that category is tantamount to libel, maybe even slander.

I am insulted. My lawyer will contact yours, Amazon. Lawsuits at dawn.

[Waggers]

Amazon are being silly

The notion that anyone stumbling across the Amazee website by mistake might think they've arrived at a new-look Amazon site is preposterous. Besides, if you name your business after one of the most threatened rainforest areas on Earth, some confusion is to be expected. If anyone is at fault here it's Amazon themselves - they're making a mountain out of a molehill but if there is an issue, it's of their own making.

[Anonymous Coward]

Well I am amzoned,

sorry amazed that people could make the mistake.....

TBH i did.

[Anonymous Coward]

Confusion

I accidentally logged on and order a special tree hugging kit and "good vibrations" from a bunch of hippies when all I really wanted was an album by the Beach Boys.

Those Amazon guys are really slipping.

[Martin]

count me in

for a share of the proceeds of the lawsuit unless its only those good old usa boys that can sue for being called a moron.

[Richard]

Fight!

I suggest the matter be decided in a fight between representative warriors from both sides.

I look forward to buying the DVD from Amazee, erm, Amazon...

[Paul]

@ Richard

Some pasty faced guy in a suit who is scared of messing his hair v a lental chewing pasafist hippy. It dosent sound fun to me.

[Richard Thomas]

I can see their point

I've been desperately looking for information on a South American river and rainforest, but all I can ever find is an internet bookshop. Can I sue too?

[Anonymous Coward]

Personally...

I'd have thought that the Amazonian population would have more of a gripe against Amazon for getting the worldwide population confused between their luxuriously hot tourist destination and a tat bazar. But who am I to coco?

[NB]

nice

A fantastic example of the streisand effect in action!

Paris, just because.

[David Pollard]

Amazethemeerkat.com

Mine's the snazzy smoking jacket...

[Simon B]

Amazon get a life will you!!

Amazon, ffs grow up and get a life! Like anyone will get confused. Should Microsoft sue EVERYONE with websites starting MICRO?! Honestly Amazon, I thought you were better, stop acting like other big boy muppets, and find your brain again. All this does is show a petty pathetic side to Amazon, reallllllly good advertising that!!

[Britt Johnston]

cross marketing

When the age of consumption is over, and we are all preoccupied with fixing our patch of planet, Amazon might be glad of such a relationship. Think JPS, the cigarette company that branched out into perfumes and fast cars.

[Anonymous Coward]

They Take Their Tree-Hugging Seriously in Europe...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2151/2384166995_eaf7254768.jpg?v=0

[Anonymous Coward]

ORLY?

I never heard of amazee before this. Nice going, amazon wankers; give them some free publicity.

[Dan]

Wildcards in trademarks?!?

So, now Amazon.com has laid claim to the trademark 'Amaz??', or are they asserting claim to 'Amaz*'?

How does this apply to E*Trade, Who now own claim to everything starting with E and ending in 'trade'? What about /., who have a very valid claim to any directory structure directly containing them, including the TLD?

[Dania]

Thanks for the support!

Thanks a lot for this article and all the supportive words in the comments. Glad most of you didn't try to order a book on our site amazee.com :)

[Anonymous Coward]

domain name registration????

surely if amazee or whatever have registered the domain name then surely there is bugger all amazon can do.

And thats how it should be!!!!!!

Dont see comparethemarket.com getting its knickers pissy about comparethemeercat.com

Intended humour or not...

Paris, I'd register her domain.