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Thursday, January 23rd
TrademarkPlus is a site used by thousands of customers to register trademarks online. The company offers services for business owners who want to complete their trademark registration, conduct a trademark search, or update/maintain their current registration with the USPTO. TrademarkPlus has been in business for over 22 years, and it promises easy and affordable services for protecting your business and personal marks. The company has completed over 14,000 filings and claims to have over 100,000 happy customers to date.
Describe your mark to get started
To get started with your trademark registration, you just need to click the orange "get started now” button. This will take you to a page where you can browse the different packages and choose your best fit. Once you move forward, you'll be asked questions about the type of entity you're seeking a trademark for, the personal details of the owner or applicant, whether you want a character mark or a logo registered, the details of the mark name in standard characters, whether or not you're currently using the mark, and what goods or services your mark covers. Once you describe your service industry, and any class numbers if you know what you're applying for, you're all finished.
Two packages - and one offers an attorney
There are only two packages to choose from on TrademarkPlus. The Standard application includes an in-depth federal trademark search and electronic filing of your application with the USPTO. This does not include any assistance from an attorney. The Attorney-Led package includes the same features as the Standard package, but you'll get an attorney who reviews your application, and a phone consultation with that attorney before you file. However, once you get deeper into the purchase page, you'll see not everything is included in the original price. Only federal research is included and you'll get your final application in 2-3 working days.
Pricing from $199.95 to $399.95 for applications
The pricing for each package includes only the basics: filing and federal research. For the Standard plan, you can expect to pay $199.95. For the Attorney-Led plan, you'll pay $399.99. This does not include any add-ons like cease and desist letters or more comprehensive searches for trademarks that might keep your application from succeeding. Both packages are identical in content other than the inclusion of an attorney to answer your questions and review the application before you submit your trademark registration on the Attorney-Led plan.
Extra costs for more extensive research
There are plenty of extras you can buy to make your plans more complete. There are more comprehensive searches available including:
You can also add a cease and desist letter for $49 or rush/priority processing time for $69.
Stay away from TrademarkPlus
However, when you see this company's reputation, you probably won't want to add anything to your cart (extra or otherwise). Currently, TrademarkPlus holds an "F” rating from the Better Business Bureau and a 1-star average out of 5. On Trustpilot, the news is just as bad with a 1.5-star average. Reviews caution business owners to "run-away”. Many clients rant about never receiving services for their money. Most customers have to file claims with their credit card company to get their money back, and reviewers agree that this site is a scam. Stay far away.
Looks to be a trademark scam
With the extreme red flags seen in reviews and TrademarkPlus' BBB rating, there are no reasons to risk your money on this trademark registration service. The prices might look good, but the quality just isn't there. With concerns about scams and customers not receiving any services after paying, you'll want to find pretty much any other service than TrademarkPlus. Keep your stress to a minimum and check out one of our top-rated services instead.
Are you getting started with a new business or planning a rebrand? Registering for a trademark is one of the most important steps in protecting your money-making venture. Registering for a trademark protects your intellectual property and grants you exclusive rights to the name within your industry. So, if you're the first one to think of Airbnb, for example, then that name can be trademarked within the hospitality industry.
There are plenty of things you can trademark too, not just your business name. According to the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), a trademark is defined as a "word, phrase, symbol, and/or design that identifies and distinguishes the source of the goods of one party from those of others.” There are trademarks out there for slogans, logos, company designs, words, phrases, and sounds.
Brand names are some of the most popular trademarks, but there are plenty of ways to protect your property depending on what you're most worried about. And, you don't need to be working on a new company to trademark. If you've been in business for years and want to stand out from the pack, you can trademark your existing logo or brand slogan any time.
If you're thinking this sounds very in-depth, don't worry. The process is pretty simple. A trademark application is just a matter of doing research, filling out the forms, and submitting it to the USPTO. The hard part is waiting. Some trademarks can take six months (or more) to go through the review process. And, there are some pitfalls with applications that can be stressful.
For example, researching to figure out if your chosen business name is in use (or something too similar) can be a time-consuming and frustrating step. Since any marks or slogans that are too similar to existing trademarks will be rejected, you don't want to skip the research. If the USPTO rejects your application, you'll lose the fee you paid to apply. On the bright side, if you find an online trademark registration service, they'll do the work for you, and you don't have to stress at all.
Online trademark registration services can help you or your business protect your intellectual property without all the worry. These services offer faster and more convenient application processes that keep you from running into the pitfalls of applying directly through the USPTO yourself. Services for registering a trademark offer higher success rates, since getting your trademark is not guaranteed. A good trademark registration company will support you through the process. Many online trademark registration companies offer guarantees that ensure you get your trademark or get your money back.
If you're ready to jump into your trademark registration but don't know where to start, we've got you. Here are a few factors that can help you narrow the field as you choose the best online trademark registration company to get your logo, slogan, or design mark protected:
To help you get your next company name listed for your exclusive use, your new slogan registered, or your beautiful logo legally protected, Top Consumer Reviews has reviewed and ranked the top trademark registration companies online. This way, you can take the stress (and uncertainties) out of applying for your trademarks. You can hand the hard parts off to trained legal professionals and enjoy the more exciting parts of creating something new for your business or brand!
Select any 2 Trademark Registration Services to compare them head to head