14ers.com

Bringing this post over from Mountain Project. It seems Backcountry.com has been suing small businesses that use the word "backcountry" in their name and trying to run them out of business. Most disturbing, they filed a lawsuit earlier this year against Backcountry Babes, an outdoor education group for women that operates in CO. info below:

https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/t ... aying-nice

https://coloradosun.com/2019/10/31/back ... -business/

https://www.kunr.org/post/backcountryco ... k#stream/0

http://ttabvue.uspto.gov/ttabvue/v?pnam ... %20&page=1

https://wintrymix.podbean.com/

If you don’t defend your trademark, you’re effectively abandoning it in the eyes of the law. Feel good - no. Business smart - probably.

speth wrote: ↑Fri Nov 01, 2019 8:27 am If you don’t defend your trademark, you’re effectively abandoning it in the eyes of the law. Feel good - no. Business smart - probably.

it's one thing to sue another business, but suing an outdoor education organization is different...

curt86iroc wrote: ↑Fri Nov 01, 2019 8:23 am Most disturbing, they filed a lawsuit earlier this year against Backcountry Babes

Oh no!! Not the babes!!!

Everybody needs to head up to Frisco and pound as many beers from Backcountry Brewing as you possibly can. Then, when they become a brewing leviathan due to every skier and hiker patronizing their business, they'll be big enough to sue the other 'Backcountry' company into oblivion.

Ha! The sweet new/consignment gear shop in town used to be called Backcountry Pursuit, then BC.come lawyers called em up. Its now called Boise Gear Collective. That happened like 9 months ago.

speth wrote: ↑Fri Nov 01, 2019 8:27 amIf you don’t defend your trademark, you’re effectively abandoning it in the eyes of the law.

Well, yes, of course, but "backcountry" is a generic term, and most of us are having difficulty understanding how a company called Marquette Backcountry Skis might somehow be infringing on whatever trademark is claimed by Backcountry.com. After all, Backcountry.com has co-existed with brands like Backcountry Magazine, Backcountry Access and Backcountrygear.com for many years. It's very strange that Backcountry.com is inviting bad publicity and risking customer backlash by going after a small company that doesn't even compete with them in the first place, yet they're leaving well-established brands alone.

I agree with Martin, "backcountry" is a generic term. Its like Ohio State trying to trademark "The" (Which it did, and was denied).

I'll continue to support the local shops as much as I can, like Alpine Quest and Ptarmigan Sports in Edwards and Wilderness Sports in Summit for my backcountry needs.

FCSquid wrote: ↑Fri Nov 01, 2019 8:47 am Everybody needs to head up to Frisco and pound as many beers from Backcountry Brewing as you possibly can. Then, when they become a brewing leviathan due to every skier and hiker patronizing their business, they'll be big enough to sue the other 'Backcountry' company into oblivion.

It closed!

martinleroux wrote: ↑Fri Nov 01, 2019 9:06 am

speth wrote: ↑Fri Nov 01, 2019 8:27 amIf you don’t defend your trademark, you’re effectively abandoning it in the eyes of the law.

Well, yes, of course, but "backcountry" is a generic term, and most of us are having difficulty understanding how a company called Marquette Backcountry Skis might somehow be infringing on whatever trademark is claimed by Backcountry.com. After all, Backcountry.com has co-existed with brands like Backcountry Magazine, Backcountry Access and Backcountrygear.com for many years. It's very strange that Backcountry.com is inviting bad publicity and risking customer backlash by going after a small company that doesn't even compete with them in the first place, yet they're leaving well-established brands alone.

I wondered why backcountryedge.com just changed to enwild.com, and backcountry deli just changed to yampa deli...interesting. And kind of dumb. TSG Partners (private equity firm) acquired a majority stake in Backcountry in 2015, and you can be sure this is a TSG move.

I'm positive a way to ensure other silly corporate tactics like this trademark enforcement is to lower their sales without any communication. Instead - write a letter, call them, send in complaints with reasonable thoughts.


Backcountry:
800.746.7580
info@backcountry.com
I won't dox anyone, but you can find the corporate leaders for Backcountry on this page and contact them via linkedin. We live in a connected world, shoot the general counsel a reasonable message why you don't think this is fair, it will be interesting to hear his thuoghts: etc. http://www.backcountrycorp.com/

TSG:
TSG-SVC@Sardverb.com
415.217.2300

You can also email customerexperience@backcountry.com and tell them your dissatisfaction. I have already done this and received a quick response. thought not to my liking, they at least responded to my email.

martinleroux wrote: ↑Fri Nov 01, 2019 9:06 am

speth wrote: ↑Fri Nov 01, 2019 8:27 amIf you don’t defend your trademark, you’re effectively abandoning it in the eyes of the law.

Well, yes, of course, but "backcountry" is a generic term, and most of us are having difficulty understanding how a company called Marquette Backcountry Skis might somehow be infringing on whatever trademark is claimed by Backcountry.com. After all, Backcountry.com has co-existed with brands like Backcountry Magazine, Backcountry Access and Backcountrygear.com for many years. It's very strange that Backcountry.com is inviting bad publicity and risking customer backlash by going after a small company that doesn't even compete with them in the first place, yet they're leaving well-established brands alone.

I'm not defending them, I'm just pointing out what they're incentivized to do.