Using Brand Names in Your Company Name?

Is this done in ecommerce?

[successfirst]

Has anyone seen an example of an ecommerce company using a popular brand name in their company name?

If you sell only one brand of products, do you think the manufacturer would be okay with you using their brand name in your company name?

Examples (Just made them up):

BountyPapertowels.com
SonyCameras.com

[cliffud]

I'm pretty sure the manufacturer will NOT be cool with you using their name. Why go through all the trouble of setting up a site just to get a cease and desist letter in the mail along with some lawyers demanding that you give them the domain name?

This is experience talking :)

[successfirst]

I would not do this without the manufacturer's permission. I'm looking for examples of manufacturer's that have allowed online resellers to do this, as evidence that this is something manufacturer's would consider.

[g1smd]

There are plenty of examples of people unable to use their own name for their business because there's already a big business using that name.

Being able to use another businesses name as a part of your own business name is very uncommon. Unless you get explicit written permission from the directors of the company and, or via, their legal department don't go there.

[successfirst]

As I said before, I would never do this without permission from the company. That would be foolish.

I simply want to know if anyone here is aware of an online store that obviously has an agreement with a company to use the product's brand name in their company name or URL.

[buckworks]

Even if you could get permission, consider carefully how that could constrict your own business development.

Piggybacking on someone else's identity instead of developing your own brand might create some short-term advantages, but in the longer term it would create limitations that hinder your growth.

Make reference to other people's products where appropriate, but be cautious about making that the core of your identity.

[successfirst]

Very true buckworks. Normally I would never consider something like this for the same reason you just described. It would be for a small special project.

[piatkow]

Not in the company name but I have seen it by franchised motor dealers who use car brand combined with either their own name or their location as a brand and/or domain. Clearly this is linked with the franchise and not done unilaterally by the dealer.

[smitthhyy]

@piatkow
And this scenerio would be with the brand owners blessing.

[piatkow1]

And this scenerio would be with the brand owners blessing.

Part of the package along with displaying the manufacturers logo on buildings and advertising.

The point is that it is done but as part of a larger relationship, not unilateraly by the retailer.

[lorax]

I think you'd be setting yourself up for a lawsuit and loss of everything you work to build.

[Future]

I will not work for anything, which always can be taken off legally..
In todays competitive world, management changes quite fast... to trust blessings !

[gtellier]

To be safe in your examples you would want to use Papertowels.com rather then BountyPapertowels.com and Cameras.com rather then SonyCameras.com. Search engines will like your keywords much better if it's in your URL as well.

[votrechien]

I would suspect you would get a cease and desist pretty quickly. It's trade mark infringement. Corporations may turn a blind eye if the infringement is not hurting them or better yet, promoting their brand. However, you're likely thinking of registering a name like this for the inherent SEO advantages which is likely to the detriment of brand xyz.