What Not to Sell: How to Identify Infringing Products
When getting inspired to design artwork or scrolling through AliExpress to find new products, it’s important to consider what can and cannot be sold on Chip’s platform.
Our Terms of Use state that sellers can’t upload, post, or make available any content that violates copyright, trademark, or any other law protecting Intellectual Property. But, what does this mean exactly? Let’s break it down to get a better understanding!
What is Intellectual Property
According to the World Intellectual Property Organization, Intellectual Property (IP) refers to creations of the mind: Inventions, literary and artistic works, designs and symbols, names, and images used in commerce.
Types of Intellectual Property for Business
Companies can opt for four types of protection when it comes to protecting products and brands:
- Copyrights – This protection is provided to the authors of original works like writing, pictures, music, art, and others.
- Patents – A patent for an invention grants a property right to the inventor.
- Trademarks – Refers to a word, phrase, symbol, design, or a combination thereof, that distinguishes the company that owns it.
- Trade Secrets – Any piece of confidential information that gives any business a competitive advantage.
Identifying Infringing Products and Artwork
When looking or designing the products you’ll add to your store, it’s mandatory to follow these rules:
- For dropship listings, avoid working with branded products. Don’t search for “Disney pajama sets,” “BTS merch,” “Harry Potter t-shirts,” or similar. Our platform does not allow these, as they’re trademarks owned by other companies.
- For publishing print-on-demand products, only use your original artwork. You can get inspired by other designers to make your creations, but avoid taking someone else’s images or illustrations, as it is considered plagiarism.
As you can see above, products on the right side are only inspired by popular movies or tv series, yet don’t include any copyrighted or trademarked.
✍️ ProTip: When in doubt, you can always Google up if a particular brand, design, or product has an Intellectual Property claim before adding it to your store.
What happens if I sell copyrighted or trademark products?
At Chip, we take Intellectual Property as a serious matter. Our moderation team is in charge of approving or taking down campaigns and listings that violate our terms of use.
If you’re selling infringing products, you will receive three warnings from our team via email advising you to take them down. If for any reason, you refuse to disable them, your account will be banned. So, make sure you’re constantly checking on your email!
How can I claim my work?
If you believe that we, or those using our Service, have violated a copyright, trademark right, or any other intellectual property right you claim in your work, please contact us pursuant to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and our Intellectual Property Policy at copyright@chipchip.com.
No infringement, more sales!
Consider these guidelines when creating your store’s catalog, and avoid getting your listings and campaigns taken down.
These policies allow all sellers to sell their original artwork and not profit from someone else’s creations. Remember that honest work is more rewarding in the long run!