Decision for dispute CAC-UDRP-108730

The Panel is not aware of any other legal proceedings which are pending or decided and which relate to the disputed domain name.

The Complainant, Guangdong Qisitech Co., Ltd., is the registered owner of the GEEK BAR trademark in the great majority of jurisdictions in which the mark is protected, including the United States, the European Union, and China, among others. Guangdong Qisitech is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Shenzhen Geekvape Technology Co., Ltd., as established in the Complaint by reference to China's National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System. In Morocco specifically, the GEEK BAR mark is registered in the name of Shenzhen Geekvape under International Registration No. 1605240, granted protection effective 4 April 2024. It is well established that a trademark owner's affiliate, such as a subsidiary of a parent or holding company, is considered to have rights in a trademark under the UDRP for purposes of standing to file a complaint. See WIPO Overview 3.1, section 1.4.1. 

GEEK BAR is the name of a line of disposable vapes. The disputed domain name was registered on 29 August 2025 and resolves to a page that prominently and unambiguously displays the Complainant's GEEK BAR trademark, the name of the Complainant's specific vape product line "GEEK BAR PRO," and a French-language navigation menu structured to present an e-commerce storefront. The Respondent, according to the Registrar Verification, purports to be in Morocco, which in French language is Maroc.

The Complainant contends that the requirements of the Policy have been met and that the disputed domain name should be transferred to it. No administratively compliant Response has been filed.

The Complainant has, to the satisfaction of the Panel, shown the disputed domain name is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark or service mark in which the Complainant has rights (within the meaning of paragraph 4(a)(i) of the Policy). In Morocco specifically, the GEEK BAR mark is registered in the name of Shenzhen Geekvape under International Registration No. 1605240, granted protection effective 4 April 2024, more than a year before the disputed domain name was registered on 29 August 2025.

The Complainant has, to the satisfaction of the Panel, shown the Respondent to have no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the disputed domain name (within the meaning of paragraph 4(a)(ii) of the Policy). The Complainant claims that it has not licensed, authorized, or otherwise permitted the Respondent to use the GEEK BAR trademark, nor to register or use any domain name incorporating the GEEK BAR mark. The Complainant claims that Respondent is not an authorized distributor, reseller, or business partner of the Complainant, and there is no relationship of any kind between the Parties. There is no disclaimer or any indication that the Respondent's website is operated independently from the Complainant.

The presentation of the website appears to create the false impression that it is an official website of, or is authorized, sponsored, or endorsed by the Complainant. Such use appears commercial in nature and intended to capitalize on the goodwill associated with the Complainant’s GEEK BAR trademark. Accordingly, the Respondent’s use of the disputed domain name does not constitute a bona fide offering of goods or services within the meaning of the Policy, nor does it amount to a legitimate noncommercial or fair use.

The Respondent has not appeared to dispute any of Complainant's prima facie allegations, and therefore the Panel accepts those allegations as true. Complainant thus has satisfied its burden of proof as to this element.

The Complainant has, to the satisfaction of the Panel, shown the disputed domain name has been registered and is being used in bad faith (within the meaning of paragraph 4(a)(iii) of the Policy). 

The Panel is satisfied that all procedural requirements under UDRP were met and there is no other reason why it would be inappropriate to provide a decision. The Respondent's awareness of the Complainant is confirmed by the manner in which the disputed domain name is being used as an apparent commercial website that prominently displays the Complainant's GEEK BAR trademark, and presents itself as an online storefront directed to consumers in Morocco. The content of the website leaves little doubt that the Respondent had the Complainant and its trademark rights clearly in mind when registering the disputed domain name.

Respondent's conduct squarely falls within paragraph 4(b)(iv) of the Policy, which provides that evidence of bad faith exists where a respondent intentionally attempts to attract, for commercial gain, Internet users to its website or other online location by creating a likelihood of confusion with the complainant's mark as to the source, sponsorship, affiliation, or endorsement of the website or of products or services offered on the website.

Furthermore, the disputed domain name wholly incorporates the Complainant's distinctive GEEK BAR trademark together with the geographic term "maroc", which is the French spelling of Morocco, and the commercial gTLD ".store". The overall composition of the disputed domain name reinforces the misleading impression that it is an official or authorized online store operated by, affiliated with, or endorsed by the Complainant for the Moroccan market. Such use inevitably creates a likelihood of confusion among Internet users and serves to divert consumers seeking the Complainant's genuine products to the Respondent's website for commercial gain.

The disputed domain name wholly incorporates the Complainant's distinctive GEEK BAR trademark together with the geographic term "maroc", which is the French spelling of Morocco, and the commercial gTLD ".store". The composition of the disputed domain name reinforces the misleading impression that it is an official or authorized online store operated by, affiliated with, or endorsed by the Complainant for the Moroccan market.