View full sizeA jury found in Coach Inc.'s favor after the luxury label sued an Oregon company for infringing on its "C" logo with key chains that were sold at Walmart and Lowe's stores.found
, guilty of trademark infringement for a line of key chains the Medford company had ordered from a Chinese manufacturer with an insignia similar to that of the luxury purse maker
The key chains, which Coach argued featured its recognizable sideways "C" logo on the bottom of a flip-flop shoe fob, were ordered by Siskiyou's largest customer, The Hillman Group, and were sold to retailers Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., and Lowe's Companies, Inc. in 2009.
Coach already had sued and settled with the retailers and Hillman. Siskiyou's lawyer had denied it had infringed upon Coach's trademark and further argued that since Coach already received $115,000 from Hillman's settlement over the keychains that it had been reimbursed for any losses if a trademark infringement existed.
Siskiyou's lawyers also argued the company made no profits from the keychains and in fact, incurred losses of $131,000 on the deal, according to statements by Siskiyou co-owner Ken Stringer.
However, a series of lawsuits recently have shown how manufacturers are increasingly concerned about the allure or exclusivity of their brands being chipped away if their products -- or indistinguishable knockoffs -- are sold outside of exclusive contracts.
The civil jury in a federal court in Portland found in Coach's favor and ordered Siskiyou to pay the high-end label $75,000.
Siskiyou operates online as SiskiyouGifts.com and is registered with the Oregon Corporations Division to Ken and Susan Stringer, who list addresses in Lake Oswego and Medford. The company, which Stringer said in court filings has 50 employees, wholesales a variety of key chains, accessories and jewerly with sports, auto, military and Native American themes.
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