A cheaper alternative to patent lawsuits
The program will match a seller claiming infringement and the accused merchant with a neutral, third-party lawyer.
According to engadget.com, the company is testing a program to help fight utility patent infringements. It’s meant to be a cheaper, faster alternative to traditional patent lawsuits, which can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and take years to settle.
For a $4,000 deposit, the program will match a seller claiming infringement and the accused merchant with a neutral, third-party lawyer. If the accused party doesn’t respond to claims that it violated the seller’s utility patent — which details how a product is used — the product will be removed from Amazon, and the seller will get their $4,000 back. If the accused merchant wants to argue that it should be allowed to keep selling the product on Amazon, it will also have to make a $4,000 deposit. The lawyer makes a decision and collects $4,000 from whichever side loses. The winner will get their deposit back, and according to an Amazon spokesperson, the company doesn’t take a cut from anyone for going through its “Utility Patent Neutral Evaluation” process.
More Amazon news
Amazon is launching a new marketplace in the Netherlands
Amazon opens Netherlands marketplace to sellers Amazon has opened its Netherlands marketplace for sellers to register, as well as announcing plans to expand it later this year. Sellers are invited to register on the amazon.nl portal for a fee of €39 per...
Why Did Amazon Block Sellers From Using FedEx?
Here's Why Amazon Won't Let Third-Party Sellers Ship with FedEx Earlier this week, Amazon announced that sellers on its site will not be permitted to use FedEx for deliveries to Amazon Prime customers. The Wall Street Journal reported a “decline in...
Amazon logistics keeps growing rapidly
Amazon is already delivering half of its packages Amazon has been steadily growing its logistics operations, and it now delivers more than half of all packages in the US, according to Morgan Stanley It means Amazon, which now operates its own freighters...