Don't Call That Baby Bodysuit a Onesie - Unless Made by Gerber

Many eBay sellers have reported listing violations and even suspensions because of terminology used to describe this type of legless snap closure bodysuit for babies. Gerber has trademarked the word "onesie" and eBay is removing listings containing the word "onesie" that are not Gerber products. If you are listing this type of baby undergarment, and it is not made by Gerber, you are allowed to use any of the following synonyms:

• infant bodysuit
• creeper
• crawler
• snapsuit
• onepiece 

Even though the word "onesie" is a common term for this type of baby wear, it is not allowed on eBay unless the item is made by Gerber. It seems somewhat silly to try and police the use of a word commonly used - such as substituting the word Kleenex for a tissue - but eBay and Gerber are vigilant about this issue.

Here is the official word on the subject by Gerber:

Gerber Childrenswear LLC, located in Greenville, South Carolina, is a leading marketer of infant and toddler apparel and related products, which it offers under several brands, including its licensed Gerber® brand and the Onesies® brand for one-piece underwear. The company distributes to volume retailers, department stores, and specialty retailers.

Gerber has used its Onesies® trademarks since 1982 in connection with infant and children clothing such as bodysuits and undergarments. Gerber is the owner of numerous trademark registrations that utilize the term "ONESIES", both in the United States and worldwide. As an example, Gerber owns U.S. Trademark Registration Nos. 1,292,981, 2,549,557, and 3,488,401 for the Onesies® trademark. As a result of its protection, Gerber owns the exclusive right to use the mark Onesies®, and anything confusingly similar, in connection with infant and children clothing.

Gerber is a member of the eBay VeRO Program and reviews items for sale on eBay regularly. Gerber uses eBay's VeRO program to report the listing of any auctions that infringe its trademark rights. Your listing(s) was removed for one of the reasons listed below:

UNLESS the item is a genuine Gerber product, you do not have authorization to use the terms "ONESIES," "ONESIE," "ONSIE," "ONEZIE," "1Z," or anything confusingly similar to describe infant or children clothing. Genuine Gerber garments can be identified by the presence of the Gerber baby head tag in the neck area and a rectangular white tag with the word "onesies" in blue located just above the left leg opening of the garment. If you believe you are selling genuine Gerber products, please contact Gerber to discuss how you may use its trademarks. Otherwise, please revise any future listings to avoid use of the infringing terms. Suggested alternative descriptions include snap-tee, snapsuit, bodysuit, creeper, or one-piece underwear.
 
Due to the high volume of merchandise for sale on eBay, it is difficult to identify and remove every unauthorized item. The fact that others are selling products that infringe Gerber's trademark rights does not give you the right to do so.

As a seller, you have a responsibility to ensure that your actions do not violate the intellectual property rights of another. Ignorance that it is a violation of any country's trademark, patent or copyright laws is no excuse.

Other news:

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Happy Selling!

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How eBay VERO Protects Online Buyers and Sellers

If you are selling online, you've probably fallen in love with Etsy, eBay and Amazon. Selling online is convenient and easy. One of the downsides to selling online is that there are lots of counterfeit items out there. Some are very obvious but others, not so much. I think we all know the $20 couch purse at the flea market is a knock off, but the $75 wholesale bargain you find online can be much harder to judge.

To protect online sellers eBay has create VERO. VERO stands for verified right owner. This also protects online buyers for getting taken advantage of by buying counterfeit products, in addition to protecting sellers from getting their intellectual property stolen. Keeping the online world of shopping a safer and happier place. As a rights owner it can be very frustrating having your product copied.

To prevent counterfeit listings eBay quickly removes suspicious items, will remove and items reported as counterfeit, actively prosecutes offenders and provides free tools for rights owners to protect themselves.

Online buyers can help by not buying counterfeit items, by using PayPal for extra protection, reporting any suspicious items and leaving honest feedback. With a little effort you can help stop the sale of fake items.

Some may think that counterfeit items are no big deal, but they hurt both buyers and sellers. This is also unfair to the millions of people who depend on online sales to make a living. Online stores provide economic opportunity for people around the globe. Just think of all nonprofit organizations that fund themselves through product sales.

The important things to remember is that we all have a social responsibility to watch out for counterfeit items, not just the sellers. For more information on the eBay VERO program, please click here.

Related posts:

Counterfeit Items on eBay - What Every Seller Needs to Know

Don't Offer Counterfeit Items on eBay

Another Company Works to Halt the Sell of its Products on eBay and Amazon

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