The Complainant is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alibaba Group Holding Limited and forms part of the Alibaba Group. Alibaba Group Holding Limited is a multinational technology and e-commerce conglomerate founded in 1999 in Hangzhou, China. The Alibaba Group is one of the world's largest operators in the field of retail, e-commerce, and digital technology. Through its diversified platforms it operates some of the world's largest online marketplaces across major market segments, including Alibaba.com, Taobao and Tmall, serving hundreds of millions of users worldwide. Beyond its core commerce business, the Alibaba Group is also active in cloud computing, artificial intelligence, digital media, and entertainment.<\/p>\n
Taobao is the name of one of Alibaba Group's most influential consumer-to-consumer online retail platforms. It was launched in 2003 to enable individuals, small businesses and merchants to connect directly with consumers through a dynamic digital marketplace. The Complainant operates the Taobao platform through the domain name <taobao.com>, registered in 2003. The Complainant conducts business in more than 190 countries and extensively uses its TAOBAO mark on the Internet, including on major social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.<\/p>\n
The disputed domain name was registered on November 26, 2022, by a Chinese individual and is passively held. Before starting this UDRP dispute, the Complainant sent a cease-and-desist letter to the Respondent, notifying the Respondent of the infringement of the Complainant's rights and requesting the transfer of the disputed domain name. The Respondent, however, failed to respond to the Complainant's cease-and-desist letter.<\/p>\n
<\/p>", "other_legal_proceedings": "
The Panel is not aware of any other legal proceedings which are pending or decided and which relate to the disputed domain name.<\/p>", "no_response_filed": "
The Complainant contends that the requirements of the Policy have been met and that the disputed domain name should be transferred to it.<\/p>\n
In particular, the Complainant contends that the disputed domain name is identical to its TAOBAO trademark. Moreover, the Respondent does not own rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain name. The Respondent is not a licensee or authorized dealer of the Complainant, nor has it been authorised to include the Complainant's TAOBAO mark in the disputed domain name. Furthermore, the Respondent does not appear to have been commonly known by the disputed domain name.<\/p>\n
The disputed domain name is passively held, and there is no evidence attesting to demonstrable preparations to use the disputed domain name in connection with a bona fide offering of goods and services.<\/p>\n
With respect to bad faith registration and use of the disputed domain name, the Complainant maintains that the TAOBAO mark enjoys extensive reputation. Accordingly, the Respondent could not have ignored the existence of the Complainant's trademark when the disputed domain name was registered, many years after the Complainant registered its TAOBAO mark.<\/p>\n
Although the disputed domain name is passively used, according to the passive holding doctrine, the non-use of a disputed domain name cannot prevent, under certain circumstances, a finding of bad faith. In this respect, the Complainant notes that the TAOBAO mark is highly distinctive and renowned. Moreover, the Respondent failed to reply to the Complainant's cease and desist letter and the Respondent appears to have provided inaccurate or incomplete contact details at the time of the registration of the disputed domain name.<\/p>\n
No administratively compliant Response has been filed.<\/p>", "rights": "
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).<\/p>", "no_rights_or_legitimate_interests": "
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).<\/p>", "bad_faith": "
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).<\/p>", "procedural_factors": "
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.<\/p>", "decision": "Accepted", "panelists": [ "Angelica Lodigiani" ], "date_of_panel_decision": "2026-08-24 00:00:00", "informal_english_translation": "
The Complainant or its parent company, Alibaba Group Holding Limited, are the owners of a large portfolio of TAOBAO registered trademarks in various jurisdictions, including the following:<\/p>\n
- TAOBAO (word), Chinese registration No. 38040117, filed on 8 May 2019 and registered on 21 March 2020, for services in class 45, in the name of Alibaba Group Holding Limited;<\/p>\n
- TAOBAO (word), European Union registration No. 009080029, filed on 5 May 2010 and registered on 21 October 2011, for goods and services in classes, 9, 16, 35, 38, 41, 42, in the name of the Complainant. <\/p>\n
The Complainant is also the owner of the domain name <taobao.com>, as indicated below.<\/p>", "decision_domains": { "taobao.ai": "TRANSFERRED" }, "panelist": null, "panellists_text": null }