You better not lie

About shipping times

I’m telling you whyBuyer lawsuits are coming to town 🎶

The holidays are upon us, and Black Friday sales have already kicked off as companies anticipate shipping delays due to current supply chain issues.  As such, some companies, such as Disney, will not be offering rush shipping at all this holiday season.  Walmart has gone so far as to charter its own cargo ships to various ports throughout the country to ensure goods make it to consumers on time.  Product distributors may want to implement similar policies and tactics through year-end to avoid be gifted lawsuits in their stockings for failure to timely ship to consumers pursuant to state and federal laws.

Case in point, Kanye West (or “Ye” as the billionaire is going by these days) recently saw his companies Yeezy Apparel LLC and Yeezy LLC slapped with a lawsuit in California alleging “unlawful business practices and false advertising by failing to ship items in a timely manner.”  According to the complaint, Yeezy “repeatedly violated” state law by (1) failing to ship items within thirty days; (2) failing to provide adequate notice of shipping delays to California consumers; and (3) failing to offer and provide refunds to those consumers whose goods were not shipped within the requisite 30-day time frame. Moreover, the complaint goes on to contend that Yeezy made misleading statements by posting two-to-seven-day shipping estimates on its websites; and, most egregiously, charged consumers additional fees for expedited shipping.  Yeezy will pay $950,000 to settle the claims which includes $50,000 in restitution, $100,0000 for investigative costs, and $800,000 in civil penalties.

The 30-day shipping requirement that Yeezy ran afoul of is not unique to California.  Many states have similar laws, and the Federal Trade Commission requires sellers who solicit buyers to order merchandise through the mail, via the Internet, or by phone to have a reasonable basis to expect that the sellers can ship within the advertised time frame, or, if no time frame is specified, within 30 days. The rule also requires that, when a seller cannot ship within the promised time, the seller must obtain the buyer’s consent to a delay in shipping or refund payment for the unshipped merchandise.

To ensure a happy holiday for all parties involved, product distributors must be transparent about shipping times (and delays) and offer consumers the right to cancel and receive a refund for product that does not ship within 30 days.  Contact and attorney familiar with FTC regulations if you need help drafting or reviewing consumer policies and website ordering terms. 

Case in point, Georgia-based distributor of water filtration systems, iSpring Water Systems LLC, has been accused by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) of making false claims that its products are made in the United States, when they are, in fact, made entirely in China. Astoundingly, this is not the first time iSpring has attempted to profit off of the American name, as the current mislabeling is actually a violation of a 2017 FTC order prohibiting iSpring from making unqualified “Made in USA” claims for its products.

As part of the FTC settlement, iSpring has agreed to pay a $110,000 civil penalty, admit that it, along with its company owner and officer Zhuangyong Chen and vice president Pearl Cai, made false claims that the water filtration systems it sells are “designed and crafted in USA,” among other claims, and to notify all impacted consumers.

Some might be surprised to learn that the rules regarding product origin claims are not so black and white, and are governed by both the FTC and the U.S. Customs Service. For example, where an imported product incorporates materials and/or processing from more than one country, Customs considers the country of origin to be the last country in which a “substantial transformation” took place. Thus, a product with parts from say Mexico or Canada, may, under certain circumstances, be marked “Made in USA.” The FTC offers some guidance in this regard; however, product marketers and distributors should speak to a qualified attorney prior to making country of origin claims; especially if that country is the United States.

Steve Suddell, inventor of the “Neck Hammock,” raised just over $200k on Kickstarter. He was on cloud nine – for about a minute. A week later, he began receiving angry emails from backers stating that his product was being sold for 50% less on other websites. After some investigation, he found websites featuring all of his images, videos, and content, advertising the Neck Hammock at half the price. He was concerned that Kickstarter would take his project down (as was the case with another product campaign, C-Rest), because the listings violated their policy of “not being able to sell the product anywhere else as long as the campaign is active.” The problem was, his product was not being sold elsewhere; rather, it had been copied and counterfeited. This has become very common with Kickstarter projects, and while Kickstarter is aware of the problem, it has not taken any steps to help the creators/inventors on its platform.

Yekutiel Sherman also knows all too well what it’s like to become a victim of China’s lightning-speed copycats. After he launched his Kickstarter campaign (but prior to manufacturing his first unit) of the “Stikbox,” a smartphone case that turns into a selfie stick, a cheap knockoff version of the product was being sold on AliExpress at half the price.

Unfortunately, these experiences are not uncommon. Crowdfunding platforms, Amazon and sites like Taobao have become feeders for knock-off artists to source other people’s new gadgets. These companies are deep-pocketed, and can get a product manufactured and sold well before the inventor’s campaign is fully funded. This just goes to show that your brilliant idea – even if it is patented or trademarked – could be on sale through Chinese distributors or other bootleggers even before you’ve gotten your project funded.

If you are an inventor who is considering using a crowdfunding site to fund your new idea, be diligent in protecting your proprietary information. There are strategies you can employ that describe the features, advantages, benefits and objectives of your invention without disclosing key details that would enable someone else to rip you off. Consider scheduling a consultation with an experienced intellectual property attorney who can provide you with some affordable strategies to protect your product, such as working with U.S. Customs and Border Control.

Though not all are bad actors, many invention promotion companies (and consultants) have been accused of scamming individual inventors out of thousands of dollars; just ask those involved in a 2018 class action against InventHelp in the Southern District of New York (Zanotti et al v. Invention Submission Corporation et al).

The plaintiffs allege that InventHelp runs a “fraudulent invention promotion scam that has bilked thousands of aspiring inventors and entrepreneurs into paying millions of dollars” for services that were never intended to be provided. Specifically, named plaintiff Sherry Porter claims she paid InventHelp $9700 to market her LED pet collar. According to the lawsuit, InventHelp’s Pittsburgh headquarters contacted Porter and said a company called Abrams Gentile Entertainment was interested in licensing her invention. However, when investigators for Porter’s attorney went to the office of Abrams Gentile, it was vacant. The company didn’t exist.

Unfortunately for inventors, this is not the first promotion company to be accused of engaging in such fraudulent activity. In fact, due to prior lawsuits, the American Inventors Protection Act of 1999 (AIPA) was passed. This act requires that prior to signing an invention submission agreement with a promotion company, the firm must provide the following information:

1. The total number of inventions evaluated by the invention promoter for commercial potential in the past five years, as well as the number of those inventions that received positive evaluations, and the number of those inventions that received negative evaluations.

2. The total number of customers who have contracted with the invention promoter in the past five years, not including customers who have purchased trade show services, research, advertising, or other non-marketing services from the invention promoter, or who have defaulted in their payment to the invention promoter.

3. The total number of customers known by the invention promoter to have received a net financial profit as a direct result of the invention promotion services provided by such invention promoter.

4. The total number of customers known by the invention promoter to have received license agreements for their inventions as a direct result of the invention promotion services provided by such invention promoter.

5. The names and addresses of all previous invention promotion companies with which the invention promoter or its officers have collectively or individually been affiliated in the previous 10 years.

Upon reviewing these statistics from two companies, the numbers do not bode well for inventors. For example, promotion company Davison reported that the “total number of consumers in the last five years who made more money in royalties or sales proceeds than they paid to Davison, in total, under any and all agreements with Davison, is 15. This number includes people who first made a profit more than 5 years ago, if they continued to make additional profit during the past five years.”

InventHelp reported that “from 2015-2017, we signed Submission Agreements with 6,564 clients. As a result of our services, 166 clients have received license agreements for their products, and 49 clients have received more money than they paid us for these services.” For those doing the math, 0.7% of InventHelp clients made more money than they paid to InventHelp. The question also remains, how much more money did these inventors make to justify using such as service at such low odds of success?

There are also a host of consultants that charge monthly fees to participate in their inventing schools or to be coached through the inventing process. Some of these entities do not fit the definition of an invention promoter, and thus they are able to operate in a gray area that is not regulated by the AIPA.

Despite periodic enforcement activities and occasional legislation, the AIPA and the U.S. government do not do enough to protect independent inventors from fraud, misrepresentation and misleading statements about the success rate of so-called invention help companies.

If you are an inventor, do yourself a favor and contact an IP attorney about your invention, and instruct them to run a patent search to determine the novelty of your idea. A reputable IP attorney will not try to sell you monthly subscription fees or con you out of thousands of dollars for an idea that may not be patentable. You will be in a much better position to determine how you should proceed with your idea (and your money).

Please email us if you have any questions or if you would like to receive a copy of the complaint against InventHelp.

Cybersecurity firm, RiskIQ, reported that Black Friday scams have been on the rise significantly since 2016. Not only do consumers and product marketers need to be wary of the usual suspects (i.e. Amazon, Alibaba, eBay), but fake mobile applications are also a serious concern. According to tests run by RiskIQ, a search of popular retail brand names in conjunction with the term “Black Friday,” resulted in over 200 malicious apps. The firm’s full assessment revealed over 6,600 mobile apps were illegitimate; offering holiday shopping deals that were in reality, a scam.

Additionally, last year nearly a quarter of counterfeits purchased by millennials were done via social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram; thus, monitoring these platforms is essential to brand protection and a successful holiday shopping season.

Whether you are a shopper or a seller, here are some keys to identifying counterfeits online:

Deep discounts. A deal that is too good to be true is likely just that. If you can purchase a big    brand product like MAC lipstick or BEATS by DRE at a deep discount, the product is likely a fake.

Shipping from China. Products shipping directly from China can be a red flag, as most (not all) legitimate U.S. products are shipped from U.S. distribution/fulfillment centers.

Unverified third-party sellers. Most reputable online sellers also have their own product websites (e.g. snuggiestore.com). Do a web search prior to purchase to find out whether the seller is the same as the one listed on Amazon, and whether there is a major price difference in the products.

Typically, you won’t know if you purchased a fake until you have received your shipment. Signs to look for are:

Packaging that is flimsy or has misspelled words.

Electronics that do not have the UL (Underwriters Laboratory). This is particularly concerning as counterfeit electronics can be a safety hazard.

No country of origin or manufacturer contact information on either the packaging or the product itself.

Policing the sale of goods online can be a daunting and time-consuming task for product marketers – especially if a product is being heavily counterfeited. It also doesn’t help that each marketplace has a different system (some more user-friendly than others) for reporting and ultimately removing counterfeit goods and storefronts.

Ensure that you can take advantage of this season’s millennial impulse buying extravaganza by making certain consumers are purchasing authentic products from you or your authorized distributors, so that buyers and product owners, not counterfeiters and scammers, can benefit from holiday season spending.

The copyright is so overlooked that even product attorneys forget what a powerful member of the IP protection league it is. For example, patent rights enforcement tends to be technical and complex, often requiring long, costly legal battles with Tony Stark caliber experts to prove infringement. However, copyrights, which protect property such as images, illustrations, infomercials, and product packaging, are pretty easy to eyeball, even for an untrained juror.

Copyright is also the most affordable IP protection to secure. Moreover, copyright infringement triggers statutory damage awards that can soar to up to $30,000 per occurrence; plus, recovery of attorney’s fees. As such, trial attorneys are more willing to take on a (properly registered) copyright infringement case on a contingency basis. Of course, statutory damages are merely a fallback, with many product owners seeking actual damages (i.e., lost profits), which is an entirely different hulk of a task.

Additionally, the copyright is the only member of the IP protection league that successfully combats counterfeit sales on platforms such as Amazon; trademark registration alone will not suffice to remove counterfeits on Amazon. To be sure, the counterfeit seller merely has to allege that it is selling a legitimate product, and then there is no infringement thanks to the First Sale Doctrine (you bought it, you own it, you can resell it and call it what it is). In some instances, the infringer changes the name of the product, which effectively shields it from a trademark infringement claim altogether. However, the right to resell a product does not give rise to the right to display copyrighted images for the purpose of that sale. This is another reason why the copyright is so powerful.

While patents and trademarks are formidable tools for many reasons other than defending against knock-offs and counterfeits, with the copyright being such a low-cost titan in the IP universe, it’s a wonder more businesses do not utilize its armor. For maximum protection, copyrights need to be registered in a flash, so be sure to summon an intellectual property attorney prior to your product rollout.

According to their marketing materials, the elegantly packaged products sold by several retailers including Dillard’s, Overstock.com and Anthropologie, were “tested in the rice paddies of Southeast Asia as well as the finest locations in the Caribbean, Hamptons, and cottage country in the peak of summer,” and effectively repel mosquitoes for 2.5 hours. Further, the company claimed that the sprays and candles repel mosquitoes as effectively as 25% DEET. According the FTC’s complaint, the product website also stated that the sprays and candles were “rigorously tested at one of the world’s leading Universities” and “repels mosquitoes that may carry Zika, Dengue, Chikungunya, and Yellow Fever.” The FTC contends that none of these claims can be substantiated.

In addition to the lack of scientific evidence supporting the veracity of the products’ claims, the FTC was bugged by the fact that many of the purported impartial positive product reviews posted on the company’s Amazon storefront were, in fact, written by the owners of Mikey & Momo, as well as other individuals with a financial interest in the company.

Fortunately for Mikey and Momo, the proposed order settling the FTC’s charges does not include a monetary penalty. It does, however, prohibit the company and its owners from making any of the misrepresentations alleged in the complaint, and requires them to disclose clearly, conspicuously whether there is a connection between an endorser and the product or anyone associated with it.

Avoid the sting of the FTC by consulting with an attorney to make sure your product claims pass the smell test.

Please email us if you have any questions or if you would like more information regarding the content above.

Allstar is alleged to have violated multiple consumer protection laws by its deceptive advertising practices involving products including, among others: Snuggie, Perfect Bacon Bowl, Magic Mesh Door, Perfect Brownie Pan, and Cat’s Meow. According to the FTC complaint, consumers who purchased Allstar’ s products thought, for example, that they were getting two Snuggies for the low price of $19.95, but in reality, were charged processing-and-handling (P&H) fees for both items, bringing the total purchase price to $35.85. Further, customers were not given the option to decline the promotional buy-one-get-one-free (BOGO) offer.

With the multimillion dollar settlement and refund checks making national news, consumers and regulatory bodies may be on the lookout for similar marketing strategies by other leading marketers. To be sure, FTC law enforcement actions led to more than $6.4 billion in refunds for consumers during the one-year period from July 2016-June 2017. As such, marketers should be cognizant of what product offerings may raise red flags, particularly since consumer protection laws are typically broad generalizations rather than prohibitions on specific marketing strategies.

Accordingly, while some disclosures need to be more conspicuous than they once were, BOGO offers still generally have the green light. That being said, there are three main areas of concern: the use of the word “free” (especially with a modifier such as “absolutely”); P&H disclosures; and the ability to opt out of the free offer.

First, use of the word “free” could garner some unwanted attention and scrutiny from regulatory agencies. Even when the only cost for the additional item may be processing and handling, and the additional item is technically free, if the charges for P&H are as costly as the product itself, and nonrefundable if the product is returned, that offer would likely constitute deceptive advertising tactics. It is therefore recommended that distributors avoid BOGO offers with costly P&H charges. However, those who insist on a BOGO offer while still charging significant P&H fees should use alternative language to convey that the second item is “free.” Not so creatively, for example, “As a bonus, we will also send you this second [product]. Just pay an additional [amount] for processing and handling.”

To further steer clear of FTC scrutiny, P&H fees should be shown on the screenshot in the commercial (preferably stated in the script as well), on the website’s order page, and in a confirmation email to the consumer. According to compliance guidance provided by the New York Attorney General, the amount of any processing and handling or other fees (excluding taxes) is a material term that must be disclosed in an advertisement if the total amount of such fees exceeds the amount consumers would reasonably expect to pay for processing and handling. Expectations take into account the applicable shipping method for a product of similar price, size, and weight. Finally, a consumer should be provided with the option to opt out of the BOGO offer and be allowed to purchase a single item.

As laws can vary from state to state, be sure to consult with an attorney experienced in consumer protection regulations prior to launching a marketing campaign for a new product.

Many heavy hitters believe that cryptocurrency is the cash of the future, including Shark Tank’s Mark Cuban and Robert Herjavec. While Herjavec is a bit more cautious and won’t be diving in just yet, Cuban recently announced that fans would be able to use Bitcoin and Ether to purchase season tickets to Dallas Mavericks games for the 2018-2019 season. This will make the Mavs the second NBA team (after the Sacramento Kings) to delve into the cryptocurrency market.

More notably, retailers such as Overstock.com, Expedia, Newegg, Shopify stores, Etsy sellers, Subway, and Dish Network are among companies currently accepting cryptocurrency as payment for some or all of their products/services. Though these companies are not in direct competition with DR players, there is some overlap, which could make shopping at these retailers more appealing to consumers than those that do not accept cryptocurrency.

Still not convinced? Rumor has it that the big kahuna, Amazon, may be all in. In November, Amazon purchased the domains amazonethereum.com, amazoncryptocurrency.com, and amazoncryptocurrencies.com. Such purchases suggest that not only might Amazon be accepting cryptocurrency soon, but it may also be setting up its own exchanges. While the domains could mean nothing at all (three years ago, Amazon purchased amazonbitcoin.com, which merely redirects to amazon.com), with so much activity in the cryptocurrency market right now, it would be foolish to think that such a forward-thinking and progressive company that doesn’t shy away from new ventures wouldn’t have cryptocurrency in its game plan.

If Amazon does get in the market, it will put direct response companies at an even bigger disadvantage. Currently, Amazon is perhaps the biggest distributor of counterfeit and knockoff goods, and now it is even in the market of manufacturing its own competing products. Add a new purchase payment option, such as Bitcoin or Dash (commonly used to purchase consumer products), and it could be game over for the direct response industry.

Think about it. If a consumer has a choice between going to a product website and paying $19.99 plus processing and handling and (P&H) waiting possibly weeks for delivery … or going to Amazon and paying $19.99 or less in cryptocurrency and receiving the product in two days with Prime shipping, the choice is obvious. While many distributors do sell their products on Amazon, as well, the return is certainly not as high as the online and phone sales that allow for upsells and marked up P&H charges. Of course, distributors can always add Amazon Pay as a payment option on their sites (assuming cryptocurrency becomes an Amazon Pay option), but this may not be enough to keep sales on product websites. If product distributors and their merchants begin accepting cryptocurrency, it may help keep those sales competitive.

Despite the volatility of cryptocurrency right now, demand for it appears to be there. With kinks needing to be worked out, the house is not on fire just yet, but it is certainly the time for performance-based marketers to at least start doing their homework. There are whispers that some companies may be doing just that.

After speculation that it may be a ruse, on December 29th, General Mills officially announced the launch of its latest cereal, Lucky Charms Frosted Flakes.  Sugary cereal lovers everywhere rejoiced on social media as the news spread and the cereal began appearing on supermarket shelves.  Two classic childhood cereals combined…what’s not to love?  Well, we suspect Kellogg, Corp., the distributor of Frosted Flakes, is not feeling so GR-R-REAT about the latest breakfast sensation that is taking the internet by storm.

Frosted Flakes is probably one of the most iconic cereal brands in the US.  Most everyone can recognize the product from just a glance of the blue box baring the lovable Tony the Tiger, who first debuted back in 1952.  So, with such an established brand, how is it that General Mills can so blatantly use the name of a Kellogg product?  As it turns out, unlike “Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes,” “Frosted Flakes” is not a registered trademark in the cereal or breakfast food categories.  This is likely because the term “frosted flakes” is merely descriptive; that is to say, the words themselves describe exactly what the product is.  Descriptive names are generally not granted federal trademark protection.

Fortunately for Kellogg, it is not without some recourse should it wish to pursue legal action against General Mills.  Trade dress protects the appearance of a product or its packaging under federal and state unfair competition laws, even without formal registration (though registration is recommended).  In this case, rather than the traditional red Lucky Charms box, General Mills’ newest member of its cereal line is blue – strikingly similar to Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes box.   Kellogg therefore may have a good argument that consumers, seeing the words “frosted flakes” combined with the blue box, would be confused by the source of the product.

This is the second time in just a matter of months that Kellogg has been involved in some sort of cereal box controversy, and it will be interesting to see if and how it responds to General Mills’ actions.

If your company is launching a product or creating new ad content, be sure to hire counsel with experience with intellectual property protection laws.  Please email us if you have any questions or if you would like more information regarding the content above.