A trademark can be anything that identifies a product or services. There are many things to trademark in your business, not just the business name.
What to trademark
Many e-commerce businesses have multiple trademarks. Below is a list of items that an e-commerce business may trademarks:
Business Name: This trademark is usually the most broad trademark as the trademark may be registered for all classes that cover the range of products sold by the business. For example, if a business sells a coffee grinder and clothing related to the product, the business may want to register the trademark under class 21 to cover the coffee grinder and class 25 to cover the clothing.
Brand Name: Similar to the business name, the brand may cover a wide variety of products. If the brand covers more than one class. The brand name should also be registered under multiple classes.
Product Name: A business may also want to trademark all of the product names as well. Products most likely will only be registered under one class because the product name will be applied to one specific product. For example, if a brand, Kitchenware, sells a coffee grinder, buzz, a business can trademark the name Buzz under Class 21.
Slogans: A business may have their own slogan. The slogan may also be trademarkable.
Packaging: If a business has a specific packaging for their product, the business may want to have trade dress protection.
Is it worth trademarking
Registering a trademark may be costly. To trademark a name without an attorney may cost $250 – $350. With an attorney, the trademark may cost $1000 – $2000 depending on the complexity.
The business will want to determine a cost effective strategy to protect their business. The most important part of the business to trademark is generally the business name and the brand name. Product names and slogans may also be valuable, however, the costs may add up if the business has many products.
From there, the business may determine what to trademark based on the uniqueness of the name. If the name is a descriptive term, there may be little to no trademark protection, which makes the trademark less valuable. If the name is more unique, the name may comes with stronger trademark protection. For more information on trademarks, click here.