Indianapolis — In response to a lawsuit by Simon Property Group, a federal judge recently ordered mySimon.com, the popular comparison shopping website, to change its name.
The rulings upheld jury findings that mySimon intentionally adopted a name confusingly similar to Simon Property Group's trademark. “Those findings led the court to issue a permanent injunction ordering mySimon to cease the use of its name, its ‘Simon’ character, and its mySimon.com website,” Simon Property Group announced in a statement.
However, Judge David Hamilton decided to reduce the original jury's $26.8 million damage award to a nominal sum. Simon announced plans to appeal that decision, arguing that mySimon profited from the intentionally deceptive use of the Simon name.
MySimon, which also is appealing the ruling, is allowed to continue using its current name until all appeals are exhausted.
Seattle — DailyShopper Network, a promotions network for retail advertisers, launched a new Internet-based service designed to help retailers boost exposure of print circulars.
Called NetCircular, the service makes it possible to display information from sales or promotional circulars over DailyShopper's web-based network of city guides, newspaper sites and Internet shopping portals. Using a separate solution, dubbed “Powered by DailyShopper,” the same information can be prepared as content for retailers' websites.
Dallas — Internet kiosk companies BigFatWow! and CyberXpo recently entered into an agreement in which CyberXpo will merge into BigFatWow! in a private transaction.
With 114 installed Internet centers nationwide, the combined company will be the largest provider of free public Internet access in the world and one of the fastest-growing new media advertising networks in the country. The new company, which will retain the name BigFatWow!, expects to exceed 300 installed Internet centers by the end of 2001.
“We believe that the combination of free public Internet access and new media in regional shopping malls is a natural fit,” says Don Daseke, chairman and founder of Irving, Texas-based BigFatWow!. “Both of our companies have demonstrated leadership in launching networks to reach this mass consumer audience.”