Spin Master Sues Online Sellers | Rubik’s Cube Counterfeit Controversy

Spin Master has filed yet another trademark infringement lawsuit due to the sale of the brand’s iconic Rubik’s Cube products! Everyone in the world likely knows what a Rubik’s Cube is. It’s the incredible ubiquity and household-nameism of the product that makes it a hot commodity. This popularity hasn’t been lost on e-commerce operators! Which is why they’ve been keen to sell these products for years and years. 

Given that Rubik’s trademarks are undeniably valuable, it stands to reason that the owner of the marks wants to protect that value. Which brings us to this newest Spin Master intellectual property infringement action! The Plaintiff alleges that the Defendants relied on their counterfeit “network” to unlawfully sell Rubik’s goods to consumers in the United States. Because of these allegations, Spin Master will do all it can to cease any further sale of their products. To that end, the Plaintiff will impose a temporary restraining order on the named sellers accounts. 

Our team at Stockman & Poropat, PLLC is well aware that online sellers need financial means to successfully operate. It’s almost as if that doesn’t even have to be said! Of course, every business needs money to continue doing what they’re doing. E-commerce operations are no different. The seriousness of the allegations are what will convince the federal court to approve of the temporary restraining order. 

Protecting Your E-Commerce Business With Stockman & Poropat, PLLC

With the injunction in effect, sellers will be prevented from accessing the funds in their seller accounts. This maneuver is designed to halt additional sales of Rubik’s products. The Plaintiff wants to inhibit the sellers’ ability to offer potentially infringing goods because they say they’ve sustained damage and loss already. Spin Master isn’t motivated to condone these “unlawful” activities, rather, it’s quite the opposite. If you were Spin Master, perhaps you’d understand. But since you’re not, as an online seller you need to worry about protecting your own business.  Which is where our firm at Stockman & Poropat, PLLC will come in! 

The Defendants’ revenue, earned primarily from the sale of Rubik’s goods, will be frozen. Access to these funds will not be restored until a resolution of some sort is reached. Now, what that resolution looks like will vary depending on the seller in question. Regardless, however much you did or didn’t engage in the counterfeiting described by Spin Master, you’ll want to have a lawyer on your side. Consider that the Plaintiff is a massive company with an extensive and robust amount of resources at its disposal. At Stockman & Poropat, PLLC, we know just how to communicate and negotiate with brands like Spin Master. The nuances and intricacies of the e-commerce world are where we live! 

Do You Need a Reason to Take The Latest Spin Master Lawsuit Seriously

Do you need a reason to take this latest Spin Master trademark infringement action seriously?! Aside from the temporary restraining order, there are some things to take into consideration. For one, the response… All of the Defendants need to provide a response to the lawsuit so that the court doesn’t hit them with a Default Judgment. Are you unclear on what the response should contain and/or how it ought to be composed? Stockman & Poropat, PLLC can guide you! It’s in the named sellers’ interest to respond and avoid a DJ. Those who don’t respond for whatever reason may see the entirety of their frozen funds awarded to the Plaintiff. If you’re interested in keeping as much of your money as you can, and saving time in the process, reach out to Stockman & Poropat, PLLC!  

Develop a Legal Strategy and Take Action in Response to the Rubik’s Lawsuit

Our firm is passionate about providing our clientele with a world-class experience that prioritizes communication, efficiency, and friendliness. If you have questions or concerns, our team is ready and eager to address them! From the first consultation to the point at which a sensible resolution is reached, our attorneys will be right by your side. We’re an award-winning firm that has developed effective legal strategies for e-commerce businesses across the globe. And we want to offer you the legal tools you need to sustain this trademark lawsuit! 

Instead of choosing to try and negotiate with Spin Master on your own, decide to work with our firm at Stockman & Poropat, PLLC. Why? Because most of the time direct settlements between online sellers and the brand suing them for infringement don’t work out for the seller. An average settlement percentage in these cases hovers at around 60%. So, if you were to go that way, there’s a possibility that Spin Master may be awarded the bulk of the money in your frozen account. Therefore, if you’re not airing on the side of forfeiture, give our team a shout! 

Spin Master Intellectual Property Infringement Claims…

We’ll provide further details about the lawsuit below, in the form of excerpts taken from the legal complaint. Affected sellers may want to comb through the complaint to fully understand the scope of the infringement allegations. It’s also beneficial during your initial consult to have this information so that you can ask pertinent questions: 

Plaintiffs have identified many fully interactive, e- commerce stores offering Counterfeit Products on online marketplace platforms such as PayPal, Amazon, eBay, Walmart, and Temu, including the e-commerce stores operating under the Seller Aliases. The Seller Aliases target consumers in this Judicial District and throughout the United States. 

E-commerce stores operating under the Seller Aliases often include content and images that make it very difficult for consumers to distinguish such stores from an authorized retailer. Spin Master has not licensed or authorized Defendants to use any of the RUBIK’S Trademarks, and none of the Defendants are authorized retailers of Rubik’s Products.

E-commerce store operators like Defendants are in constant communication with each other and regularly participate in QQ.com chat rooms and through websites such as <sellerdefense.cn> and <kuajingvs.com> regarding tactics for operating multiple accounts, evading detection, pending litigation, and potential new lawsuits. 

Contact our team at Stockman & Poropat, PLLC today for a free initial consultation! 

Download the legal complaint below: