Canon U.S.A., Inc. Successfully Stops a New Method of Importing Counterfeit Goods Into the United States

Rhea-AI Summary

Canon U.S.A., Inc. has resolved a dispute with a leading Chinese logistics company over the distribution of counterfeit Canon camera batteries in the U.S. This settlement results in the cessation of such distributions, marking a significant win for Canon against counterfeiting. The company discovered that infringers were using fulfillment warehouses in the U.S. to indirectly ship counterfeit goods. Canon's Executive VP, Seymour Liebman, emphasized the importance of this innovative strategy in protecting the Canon brand and hopes other companies will follow suit.

Positive

• Successful settlement halts distribution of counterfeit Canon products in the U.S.
• Innovative enforcement strategy may set a precedent for other brands in combating counterfeiting.

Negative

• None.

MELVILLE, N.Y., Feb. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Canon U.S.A., Inc., and its parent company, Canon Inc. of Japan, are pleased to announce that they have successfully reached an agreement with one of China's leading logistics and fulfillment companies in a dispute over the warehousing and shipping of counterfeit "Canon" camera batteries into the United States for China-based sellers. As part of the settlement, the fulfillment/shipping company agreed to cease distribution of infringing products to consumers in the United States. 

Over the last two years, Canon's investigation into counterfeiting uncovered a new shipping method that China-based sellers are using to bring their infringing goods into the United States. Instead of shipping the goods directly to consumers in the United States, China-based sellers are now sending their goods in bulk to large fulfillment warehouses that are located in the United States. These warehouses then ship the infringing goods to consumers in the United States. This new method not only enables China-based merchants to indirectly ship their counterfeit goods swiftly to American and Canadian consumers, but also makes it harder for branded manufacturers to track and prevent the flow of counterfeit goods.

"After we discovered that China-based infringers were using this new shipment method to bring counterfeit Canon batteries into the United States, we started working on a creative strategy to remove these counterfeit products from the market. We were able to find an innovative solution by proceeding directly against the fulfillment/warehouser to halt the distribution of these fake goods in the United States," said Seymour Liebman, Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer & General Counsel of Canon U.S.A., Inc.  "We believe that we are the first intellectual property owner to successfully stop this new method of importation and distribution, and we hope other companies will follow our lead and utilize this novel approach to stopping counterfeiters."

The Canon companies are represented by Mark Schonfeld, a partner in the Boston office of Burns & Levinson LLP, who negotiated the settlement with the U.S.-based fulfillment company. 

Canon aggressively pursues counterfeiters in the United States and around the world to protect its customers from potentially unsafe products that unlawfully use the Canon name, as well as to protect the value, trusted reputation and loyalty that the Canon brand has acquired over decades in producing high quality, safe and reliable products.

For more information about Canon's anti-counterfeiting measures, please visit https://global.canon/en/intellectual-property/anti-counterfeit/.

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions to the United States and to Latin America and the Caribbean markets. With approximately $30.6 billion in global revenue, its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE: CAJ), as of 2021 has ranked in the top-five overall in U.S. patents granted for 36 consecutive years† and was one of Fortune Magazine's World's Most Admired Companies in 2022. Canon U.S.A. was featured in Newsweek's Most Loved Workplaces list for 2021, ranking among the top 100 companies for employee happiness and satisfaction at work. Canon U.S.A. is dedicated to its Kyosei philosophy of social and environmental responsibility. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company's RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/rss and follow us on Twitter @CanonUSA.

† Number of patents for 2021 are based on figures released by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services. Figures for 2005 to 2020 are based on information issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Editorial Contact:
Logan Crawford
Canon U.S.A., Inc.
631-487-3069
Lcrawford_consultant@cusa.canon.com

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SOURCE Canon U.S.A., Inc.

FAQ

What was the outcome of Canon's dispute with the Chinese logistics company?

Canon reached a settlement that halts the distribution of counterfeit Canon camera batteries in the U.S.

How does this settlement affect counterfeit goods in the U.S.?

The settlement prevents the fulfillment company from distributing counterfeit Canon products to American consumers.

What method were counterfeiters using to import goods into the U.S.?

Counterfeiters were shipping goods in bulk to U.S. fulfillment warehouses instead of directly to consumers.

Who is Canon's Executive VP that commented on the settlement?

Seymour Liebman is the Executive VP who spoke about Canon's strategy against counterfeit goods.

What is Canon's stance on counterfeiting?

Canon aggressively pursues counterfeiters to protect its brand reputation and customer safety.