Guides

Straight answers for when someone copies your brand: opposing UK trade marks, reporting copycat listings, apps and domains, and staying on the right side of other people's rights.

• Brand owners

  How to oppose a UK trade mark application

  You have two months from publication in the Trade Marks Journal to oppose, or three with a free TM7A. The steps, grounds, fees and what happens next.

• Brand owners

  What is a TM7A notice of threatened opposition?

  A TM7A is a free UK IPO form that extends the deadline to oppose a trade mark from two months to three. When to file it, how, and what it signals.

• Makers and small shops

  Someone copied my Etsy listing or design: what to do

  Found your photos, artwork or shop name on another Etsy listing? How to check your rights, gather evidence and file Etsy's IP report.

• Indie and app developers

  How to report an app that copies yours on the App Store or Google Play

  An app copying your name, icon, screenshots or description? How to gather evidence and file Apple's content dispute and Google Play's IP complaint.

• Brand owners and developers

  Someone registered a domain like my brand name: what can I do?

  Lookalike domains are used for phishing, clones and resale. How to report abuse to the registrar and host, and when to use UDRP or Nominet's DRS.

• Makers, founders and small businesses

  How to check if a name is trademarked in the UK

  Search the UK IPO register properly: similar names, the right classes, and unregistered rights. Then check your product listing before you publish.

• Makers, brands and developers

  AI-generated knock-offs of my products: what can I do?

  AI tools make copying a design, listing or website fast and cheap. Your rights still apply to the copy. How to spot AI copies early and get them removed.

• Founders and indie developers

  Someone cloned my SaaS or website: what can I do?

  A competitor copied your landing page, pricing and name? What's protected, how to get clones taken down, and how to catch the next one early.

• Brand owners

  Trade mark watching service UK: what it is and what it costs

  A trade mark watch alerts you to new filings, domains and listings that clash with your brand. What a good watch covers and what it costs.

• Makers and Etsy sellers

  How to stop Etsy listings being removed for trade mark infringement

  Most Etsy IP takedowns come from brand names in titles and tags: 'style', 'dupe', 'inspired by'. What to avoid and how to check before you publish.