An eBay-related dispute that began way back in 2004 seems to have finally run its course. Today, the U.S. Supreme Court announced its decision not to let Tiffany appeal previous legal losses regarding trademark violation and the sale of counterfeit goods.
Tiffany’s lawyers have argued for years that eBay should be proactive in keeping counterfeit products off its site and thereby protecting Tiffany’s reputation. eBay’s representatives maintained that the site’s policy of responding to complaints is more than enough.
Now Tiffany’s lost its last chance to score a win (at least in the U.S.).
Michelle Fang, eBay Associate General Counsel, stated as a result, "The U.S. Supreme Court’s cert. denial is a great victory for eBay and U.S. consumers. We believe this case has always been about Tiffany’s efforts to prevent people from buying and selling authentic Tiffany products online, and the culmination of this case validates eBay’s business practices."
Fang then noted, "The decision lets stand the prior rulings of both the Second Circuit Court of Appeals and the trial court, which found that eBay exceeds all legal requirements in the fight against counterfeits."