Selling Electronic Components online in European countries

[David_B]

I would like to sell on-line products that i bought and they are still in their original package. These products are from some vendors, most of the vendors' HQ are located in Europe.

Do I need any permission from those vendors to sell their products or use their logos on my online shop?

Thanks in advance for your answers :)

David B

[MrPhil]

Are you selling these as new, or as "used" (limited amounts of personal property being disposed of, even if still in original packaging)? If used, I can't think of any restrictions, legal or contractual. If new, these would be considered "gray market" sales, and while legal, you might have problems with trademark owners. For various reasons (some of them legitimate), product manufacturers and trademark/logo owners like to keep tight control over how their products are sold, some of which is to avoid a poor buyer's experience created by an unauthorized seller, and to protect the business of their authorized channels. I would expect that you will hear from the product manufacturers, rather than the vendors you purchased the goods from. One of their favorite avenues of attack is claiming a trademark violation. Depending on what country you are in, they may or may not have a legal means to get at you. If you plan to make a business out of doing this, I would at least consult with an Intellectual Property lawyer to see what kind of exposure you may have.

I can't give any more information than that, as I am not an attorney. However, I do play a lawyer on a hit TV show...

[♥14steve14]

As with using any logo or registered trademark, you need permission to use it.

If you are buying your products from the manufacturer or trademark holder you will be able to ask them. They will generally say yes you can use it as you are an official supplier.

If you are buying from an unauthorised distributor or buying on say ebay to sell on again, you will have to ask the the trademark holder for permission to use their property.

The above also generally applies to official product images.  Just because they are available on the internet does not mean that you can use them without the owners consent.

Proper legal advice is the way to go.

[MrPhil]

8 hours ago, 14steve14 said:

Proper legal advice is the way to go.

Definitely.

The exact laws governing product images (copyrights on them and whether the product manufacturer retains any rights) and trademarks will vary a bit from country to country. Having to get permission to use either (with proper attribution) is common, but not universal.