The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) recently delivered a significant ruling affecting Amazon affiliate sites. In a precedential decision on Wednesday, the board upheld its refusal to register a trademark for a culinary website operating as an Amazon affiliate. Despite earning commissions by directing consumers to products sold by third parties, the website was not deemed to be engaged in retail, which is a requirement for trademark registration in this context.
This decision highlights the stringent criteria for trademark registration pertaining to retail services and could impact other affiliate marketers seeking similar protections. For a more detailed account and legal analysis, the original article is available here.