How to Meet the “Commercial Use” Requirement For an App Trademark

By Eric Perrott, Esq.

Having a strong, protectable trademark for your app is essential for a successful launch in today’s cutthroat mobile industry. There are millions of apps in the Apple App Store, Google Play store and other online app marketplaces and the competition can be fierce.

Owning a federal trademark registration is an important step towards protecting your mark in the long term, and if you are reading this, you are either about to take that step or have already applied through an “intent to use” application. Either way, there is one step of the process that has de-railed many trademark applications – proving “commercial use.”

Jump to:

1. Valid Specimen Examples
2. Valid Proof of Commercial Use
3. Statement of Use Requirements

Typically, mobile apps for phones, tablets, and other devices are in International Class 9. If your program is a “software as a service,” a web-app, or otherwise has no downloadable component, then it is likely in another class and you should consult an attorney about which class your product/service falls into.

It is crucial to get this right. If you file before you have actual use in commerce, then the resulting registration is subject to cancellation by a third-party/competitor. If you file the wrong type of specimen, it can lead to significant delays and in some cases, may require you to re-file the entire application. By following a few best-practices (and the advice of your attorney) you can avoid these issues and move forward with registering your trademark.

The “proof of use” filing made with the USPTO consists of two parts: (1) the specimen and (2) the “use in commerce” requirement.

This is general information and not legal advice. Your attorney should review all mock-ups, product packaging, website designs or anything else that may be necessary to prove use and should review your sales and other information to ensure that you meet the commercial use requirement.

1. How to Submit Valid App Trademark Specimens

A specimen is an example of the trademark used in connection with the goods or services provided to the government. For apps, the best specimen is a screen capture of the app store listing clearly showing the mark. However, that isn’t the only kind of specimen. There are several different ways an applicant can show a specimen for an app.

In the specimen, the mark should be clearly distinct from any other wording around it and should not be within a paragraph of text. If the trademark application is for “Tradeair” then the app name should have the “Tradeair” mark distinct and by itself. If the title says “Tradeair Gold”, then the USPTO will likely view the trademark on that specimen as “Tradeair Gold.”

Specimen Example A: App Load Screen

The trademark may appear in the load screen for the app or in the header, footer, or menu of the app itself.

If this is the case, you will need an accompanying website that explains the functionality of the app that also uses the trademark prominently on the page.

That functionality must match the identification submitted to the USPTO with the trademark application.

The website should also have a clear download button or link to a online marketplace where the app can be purchased.

Specimen Example B: App Store Listing

The trademark should appear in the listing for the app itself and the listing should clearly show what the app does.

If selling the app through the Google Play Store, Apple App Store, or other online marketplace, it is important to clearly present your trademark to avoid lengthy delays. The Apple App Store can sometimes take awhile to update listings.

The description must also reflect the description included with the USPTO application and the app itself must actually have this functionality. You can only file proof of use for what you app actually does – not what you plan for it to do sometime in the future.

2. Valid Proof of Commercial Use

To successfully register your app, you will need to not only have your app listed and ready to download, but it must be downloaded and used by real customers. Simply offering the app for download will not be enough to register a trademark.

You will need to have bona fide downloads by customers who are regular, real customers, not just friends and family. Downloads made by friends and family (or from yourself) for the sole purpose of completing this requirement will not be acceptable (this is known as “sham use”) and could lead to the cancellation of your trademark registration.

This does not mean that you need to sell your app. Plenty of apps are free and are not (at first) profit-generating. However, there must be downloads and use as mentioned above to qualify for the “use standard” and at least one of those downloads must be from someone across state lines. This is known as “interstate commerce” and is one of the requirements under the U.S. trademark law.

Tip: If you launch your app and have 50+ downloads and, from your metrics, you can see that 30 were from the U.S. and at least one was from another state, then you should likely meet the requirement. 

That being said, as a reminder, you can not rely on anything in our blog as legal advice and you should still ask your trademark attorney about your specific situation.

Tip: If your only download is your neighbor, then it does not likely meet the requirements for use in commerce.

3. Statement of Use Requirements

You will only need to submit the specimen to the government along with a sworn signed statement that says that, among other things, you believe all of the information provided is correct and that you have interstate sales/downloads of your app.

The USPTO will not do an independent investigation and will not call customers, look at invoices, or anything else like that.

However, if you filed before you had use, then the resulting registration is subject to cancellation, as it would be void for failure to follow the requirements for registration. This is the case even if you didn’t know and mistakenly made the filing. There is little room for error and the USPTO will not allow a “do-over.”

Commercial use is one of the trickiest areas of trademark law and many applicants have failed to follow the requirements and have paid the price in delays or, in some cases, loss of valuable federal trademark rights.

If you have any questions about the process, please discuss with your trademark attorney or contact one of the experienced attorneys at Gerben IP to make sure you have a game plan to avoid these mistakes and to successfully move forward with your trademark registration.

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Eric Perrott, Esq.

Eric Perrott, Esq. is a trademark and copyright attorney committed to providing high-quality legal services for any sized budget. Eric’s ability to counsel clients through any stage of trademark and copyright development and protection allows him to provide his clients with personalized advice and unique analysis. Eric can be reached directly at: eric@gerbenlawfirm.com. The contents of this blog are for informational purposes only and may not be relied on as legal advice.