NM Beauty Industries B.V. v Cary Nedd, CaryNedd

WIPO Case No. D2025-3113

ARBITRATION
AND
MEDIATION CENTER

ADMINISTRATIVE PANEL DECISION

NM Beauty Industries B.V. v. Cary Nedd, CaryNedd

Case No. D2025-3113

1. The Parties

The Complainant is NM Beauty Industries B.V., Netherlands (Kingdom of the), represented by de Merkplaats

B.V., Netherlands (Kingdom of the).

The Respondent is Cary Nedd, CaryNedd, United States of America (“United States”).

2. The Domain Name and Registrar

The disputed domain name <gisov.site> (the “Domain Name”) is registered with NameCheap, Inc. (the

“Registrar”).

3. Procedural History

The Complaint was filed with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center (the “Center”) on August 5, 2025. On August 6, 2025, the Center transmitted by email to the Registrar a request for registrar verif ication in connection with the Domain Name. On August 6, 2025, the Registrar transmitted by email to the Center its verif ication response, disclosing registrant and contact information for the Domain Name which differed f rom the named Respondent (Redacted for Privacy, Privacy service provided by Withheld for Privacy ehf) and contact information in the Complaint. The Center sent an email communication to the Complainant on August 11, 2025, providing the registrant and contact information disclosed by the Registrar, and inviting the Complainant to submit an amendment to the Complaint. The Complainant f iled an amended Complaint on August 15, 2025.

The Center verif ied that the Complaint together with the amended Complaint satisf ied the formal
requirements of the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Policy” or “UDRP”), the Rules for
Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Rules”), and the WIPO Supplemental Rules for
Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the “Supplemental Rules”).

In accordance with the Rules, paragraphs 2 and 4, the Center formally notif ied the Respondent of the Complaint, and the proceedings commenced on August 18, 2025. In accordance with the Rules, paragraph 5, the due date for Response was September 7, 2025. The Respondent did not submit any response. Accordingly, the Center notif ied the Respondent’s default on September 12, 2025.

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The Center appointed Nicholas Smith as the sole panelist in this matter on September 17, 2025. The Panel f inds that it was properly constituted. The Panel has submitted the Statement of Acceptance and Declaration of Impartiality and Independence, as required by the Center to ensure compliance with the Rules, paragraph 7.

4. Factual Background

The Complainant involved in the production and sale of hair care products and other cosmetics. Since at least 2000, it has offered its products under the trademark GISOU (the “GISOU Mark”) mark and other marks containing the word “GISOU”.

The Complainant has registered the GISOU Mark as a trademark in various jurisdictions including Canada, Japan, the European Union and the United States, for goods including goods in classes 3 and 4 (e.g., European Union Registration Number 014173983, registered September 30, 2015).

The Domain Name was registered on July 5, 2025. The Domain Name is presently inactive but prior to the commencement of the proceedings resolved to a website (the “Respondent’s Website”) that displayed the Complainant’s figurative GISOU Mark and purported to of fer the Complainant’s hair care products (and related products) or counterfeit versions of the Complainant’s hair care products (and related products) under the Complainant’s GISOU Mark.

5. Parties’ Contentions
A. Complainant

The Complainant contends that it has satisfied each of the elements required under the Policy for a transfer of the Domain Name.

Notably, the Complainant contends that:

- the Complainant is the owner of the GISOU Mark, having registered the GISOU Mark inter alia in the United States. The Domain Name is confusingly similar to the GISOU Mark as it consists of a minor misspelling of the GISOU Mark (replacing the “u” with a “v”);

- there are no rights or legitimate interests held by the Respondent in respect of the Domain Name. The
Respondent is not commonly known by the Domain Name. The Respondent is not making a
legitimate noncommercial or fair use of the Domain Name. Rather the Respondent is using the
Domain Name to create a website that sells unauthorised versions of the Complainant’s products.
The Respondent’s Website also includes photos of the Complainant’s products and the Complainant’s
logo; and

- the Domain Name was registered and is being used in bad faith. By using the Domain Name for a website that reproduces the Complainant’s photos, and purports to represent the Complainant, the Respondent is using it to deceive consumers as to its affiliation with the Complainant. Such conduct amounts to registration and use of the Domain Name in bad faith.

B. Respondent

The Respondent did not reply to the Complainant’s contentions.

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6. Discussion and Findings
A. Identical or Confusingly Similar

It is well accepted that the f irst element functions primarily as a standing requirement. The standing (or threshold) test for confusing similarity involves a reasoned but relatively straightforward comparison between the Complainant’s trademark and the Domain Name. WIPO Overview of WIPO Panel Views on Selected UDRP Questions, Third Edition, (“WIPO Overview 3.0”), section 1.7.

The Complainant has shown rights in respect of a trademark or service mark for the purposes of the Policy.
WIPO Overview 3.0, section 1.2.1.

The Panel f inds the mark is recognizable within the Domain Name. Accordingly, the Domain Name is confusingly similar to the mark for the purposes of the Policy. WIPO Overview 3.0, section 1.7. Furthermore, a domain name which consists of a misspelling of a trademark is considered by panels to be confusingly similar to the relevant mark for the purpose of the f irst element. Here the replacement of the letter “u” with the letter “v” creates a minor misspelling of the Complainant’s trademark. WIPO Overview 3.0, section 1.9.

The Panel f inds the f irst element of the Policy has been established.

B. Rights or Legitimate Interests

Paragraph 4(c) of the Policy provides a list of circumstances in which the Respondent may demonstrate rights or legitimate interests in a disputed domain name.

Although the overall burden of proof in UDRP proceedings is on the complainant, panels have recognized that proving a respondent lacks rights or legitimate interests in a domain name may result in the difficult task of “proving a negative”, requiring information that is of ten primarily within the knowledge or control of the respondent. As such, where a complainant makes out a prima facie case that the respondent lacks rights or legitimate interests, the burden of production on this element shifts to the respondent to come forward with relevant evidence demonstrating rights or legitimate interests in the domain name (although the burden of proof always remains on the complainant). If the respondent fails to come forward with such relevant evidence, the complainant is deemed to have satisf ied the second element. WIPO Overview 3.0, section 2.1.

Having reviewed the available record, the Panel finds the Complainant has established a prima facie case that the Respondent lacks rights or legitimate interests in the Domain Name. The Respondent has not rebutted the Complainant’s prima facie showing and has not come forward with any relevant evidence demonstrating rights or legitimate interests in the Domain Name such as those enumerated in the Policy or otherwise.

The Panel considers that the record of this case ref lects that:

- before any notice to the Respondent of the dispute, the Respondent did not use, nor has it made demonstrable preparations to use, the Domain Name or a name corresponding to the Domain Name in connection with a bona fide offering of goods or services. Paragraph 4(c)(i) of the Policy, and WIPO Overview 3.0, section 2.2;

- the Respondent (as an individual, business, or other organization) has not been commonly known by
the Domain Name. Paragraph 4(c)(ii) of the Policy, and WIPO Overview 3.0, section 2.3;

- the Respondent is not making a legitimate noncommercial or fair use of the Domain Name, without intent for commercial gain to misleadingly divert consumers or to tarnish the trademark or service mark at issue. Paragraph 4(c)(iii) of the Policy, and WIPO Overview 3.0, section 2.4; and

- the record contains no other factors demonstrating rights or legitimate interests of the Respondent in
the Domain Name.

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The Respondent has used the Domain Name to operate a website to sell hair care products that purport to be legitimate GISOU products. If the hair care products (and related products) sold on the Respondent’s Website are not genuine products produced by the Complainant, the Respondent’s use of the Domain Name does not grant it rights or legitimate interests since it is using the Complainant’s GISOU Mark for a site selling counterfeit products.

Even if the Respondent is offering genuine GISOU products from the Respondent’s Website, such use does not automatically grant it rights and legitimate interests. The principles that govern whether a reseller of genuine goods has rights or legitimate interests have been set out in a variety of UDRP decisions, starting with the case of Oki Data Americas, Inc. v. ASD, Inc., WIPO Case No. D2001-0903 (“Oki Data test”).

The WIPO Overview 3.0, section 2.8 summarizes the consensus views of UDRP panels in assessing claims of nominative (fair) use by resellers or distributors in the following manner:

“[… ] Panels have recognized that resellers, distributors, or service providers using a domain name
containing the complainant’s trademark to undertake sales or repairs related to the complainant’s goods or
services may be making a bona fide offering of goods and services and thus have a legitimate interest in
such domain name. Outlined in the ‘Oki Data test’, the following cumulative requirements will be applied in
the specif ic conditions of a UDRP case:

(i)        the respondent must actually be of fering the goods or services at issue;

(ii)       the respondent must use the site to sell only the trademarked goods or services;

(iii)      the site must accurately and prominently disclose the registrant’s relationship with the trademark holder; and

(iv)      the respondent must not try to ‘corner the market’ in domain names that ref lect the trademark.

The Oki Data test does not apply where any prior agreement, express or otherwise, between the parties expressly prohibits (or allows) the registration or use of domain names incorporating the complainant’s trademark.”

In this case, the Respondent’s Website does not accurately or prominently disclose the Respondent’s relationship with the Complainant, in particular that it is not an authorized dealer or has any particular connection with the Complainant. Rather, its reproduction of the Complainant’s of f icial product images, Complainant’s logo and the absence of a disclaimer or any explanation as to the identity of the operator of the Respondent’s Website results in the impression that the Respondent’s Website is an of f icial website of the Complainant. Under the circumstances of this case, even in the event that the Respondent is reselling genuine GISOU products, its use of the Domain Name for the Respondent’s Website does not grant it rights or legitimate interests in the Domain Name.

The Panel f inds the second element of the Policy has been established.

C. Registered and Used in Bad Faith

The Panel notes that, for the purposes of paragraph 4(a)(iii) of the Policy, paragraph 4(b) of the Policy establishes circumstances, in particular, but without limitation, that, if found by the Panel to be present, shall be evidence of the registration and use of a domain name in bad faith.

The Panel considers that the record of this case reflects that the Respondent has intentionally attempted to attract, for commercial gain, Internet users to its website or other on-line location, by creating a likelihood of confusion with the Complainant’s GISOU Mark as to the source, sponsorship, affiliation, or endorsement of the Respondent’s Website or location or of a product or service on the Respondent’s Website. Paragraph 4(b)(iv) of the Policy, and WIPO Overview 3.0, section 3.1.4. The Respondent registered the Domain Name for the purpose of operating a website specifically to sell either the Complainant’s products or counterfeit versions of the Complainant’s products. The Respondent is using the Domain Name that is a typosquatted version of the GISOU Mark to sell products, be they genuine or otherwise, in competition with the

Complainant and without the Complainant’s approval and without meeting the Oki Data test.

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The Panel f inds that the Complainant has established the third element of the Policy.

7. Decision

For the foregoing reasons, in accordance with paragraphs 4(i) of the Policy and 15 of the Rules, the Panel orders that the Domain Name <gisov.site> be transferred to the Complainant.

/Nicholas Smith/
Nicholas Smith
Sole Panelist
Date: September 23, 2025