Will this domain name get me into trouble?

Hi, first post, this is great forum and information source.

My question: mr3m.com is up for renewal.

I plan on dropping it, because I don't want legal trouble - right decision to let it go?

Thank you.

 

What type of legal trouble do you mean ? I can't think of any trademark this domain might have problems with.

 

Would imagine that 3M is a trademark but a trademark covers useage not just words, are you operating similar products/ geographies?

 

No, to be honest, I have been very afraid to do anything with it - I had it parked for a time. The only niche I could think of that might be a safe use for it (not to make 3M mad at me) was along the lines of "success/how to make money", that sort of thing - you know, all those dumb sites you see that the page scrolls down about 10 feet before you get to the bottom?

I just want to say, none of my other sites are like that, but I just thought about trying it out so I could say I tried it.

But could just the name be a problem? I definitely want to avoid risk, but the name is easy to remember, so to me that makes it potentially valuable.

 

Don't be a pussy, you only live once (unless you are some weird religion). Take it and milk it for what you can get.

 

Yeah; the worst you'd receive is a DMCA in which case you just take it down and everyone is happy as larry.

 

I had a problem with RR in a domain. It is reg.
I had a problem with MINI in a domain. Cease and desist but sold to BMW (for their mini cooper but mine was about mini lead soldiers - cooper is not reg but mini is!!)
A friend had a problem with vintagebayonets
So, assume that everything is reg, get the most of it and then surrender when needed...

 

You can certainly receive worse than a DMCA.

It all depends on what exactly their trademark is for and the similarities of the products/ geographies etc.

We did hold a domain which contained a trademark but was for a totally unrelated thing in a different geography and did not give in to their cease and desist lawyers letter with a request for a large fee attached to it. In that case the trademark owner happened to decide to buy the domain from us, for a very appealing price, which we accepted simply because the site was only just live, no inbound links etc and so was a simple rebranding exercise to relaunch under a new URL and a decent profit in the bank.

 

my opinion...ask a lawyer, but if it bothers you and you're worried
then take it down.

 

I don't think "3M" is even trademarked, the little "tm" sign isn't by the logo on their website. It seems like too generic a term to trademark anyway.

 

couldn't agree more !

I love that comment, milk, pussy and religion all in one sentence ! Dude you should start writing poetry , it will sell!

 

i'd take my chances with that domain if it were mine.

 

OMG ! ask a lawyer ????? !!!!!!! by that logic you better ask a lawyer before you drink a coke, what if you choke and die .... OMFG

 

Live and learn ... I really thought I had a dumb question going there, but you all have convinced me to renew it and do something with it - after I scrape a few pennies together. Can't afford no "lawyer" though

 

a) 3M has a ton of registered trademarks.
b) DMCA has nothing to do with trademarks.
c) Trademarks don't need to be registered.

The usage is what will likely make the difference. As long as your usage of the domain has nothing to do with an existing usage or product, then your chances of hearing from anyone are much smaller. From a practical standpoint, if a deep pocket company doesn't want you to have/use the domain, you will lose it. Most people aren't going to spend vasts sums of money to keep a domain that could never return legal fees even if you won.

Personally, I wouldn't bother keeping the domain.