Why Did Google Let The "Google Store" Trademark Die?

Maybe you haven't heard of Google Store. Can't blame you because by all appearances, this enterprise is strictly a backwater, low-profile operation.

This status seems at variance to my impression that Google once viewed an online store as a much higher priority than it has become for them. In fact, they once applied for an Google Store trademark, only to let it lapse.

More about that later in this entry. First, let's see what's up there now.

When you click the More link on the Google home page, the page of links that comes up does not even mention Google Store.

Unless you've typed in Google Store's eponymous URL by random chance, the only way you'll get there is by clicking About Google on the Home Page, and then scrolling down to click the Google Store link on the lower right-hand corner of that page.

What they have for sale is not much, Google-branded pens, shirts, bags, backpacks, t-shirts, and woo-hoo, a lava lamp.

I was puzzled by the low-level profile of Google Store. Usually, when a company has plans for a major branding operation, they trademark the brand. And since we're all aware, that Google knows branding and self-promotion, the fact that they've let something as important as a trademark application die tells me that to put it mildly, you aren't gonna see Google Store wheeled out front and center.

It wasn't always that way, though.

Google actually did apply for a Google Store trademark back in September, 2001 - two months after CEO Eric Schmidt assumed his current position.

I've unearthed the Google Store trademark application, and found out some interesting information.

One section of the application described Google's plans for "Electronic retailing services via computer featuring mouse pads, flashlights, lamps, license plate frames and holders, books, notebooks, pens, greeting cards, stickers, decals, tote bags, duffle bags, backpacks, luggage tags, umbrellas, mugs, tumblers, shirts, t-shirts, modem cords, vests, caps, hats, and other clothing items."

OK, that pretty much describes what's up there on Google Store now. But wait, there's more.

Another section of the same application used the exact same merchandising language, but with phraseology that kicked off with "providing an on-line searchable database featuring mouse pads...," etc. That would seem to describe Google Store's search function.

I read through the document describing the disposition of the Google Store trademark application. After 29 months of correspondence and paper shuffle between Google legal counsel and the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, the Google Store trademark application was officially declared "abandoned" in February of 2004.

So as of now, Google Store sits without a trademark, buried deep in the site's taxonomy.

So what does this all add up to? Google seemingly didn't care enough about the Google Store trademark to pursue it through the approval process. Google Store is what it is - a low-profile stepchild for Google-themed merchandise.

Posted by Russell Shaw, January 9, 2005 03:42 AM | TrackBack