Going, going, gone: enforcing trademark rights on auction websites

Because they typically do not have control over the items for sale
on auction websites, rights holders have expressed concerns about the policing
of their marks in this increasingly popular marketplace. To reassure them, William
M Bryner and Andrew Roppel of Kilpatrick Stockton LLP sketch out the measures
that eBay - the largest auction website - has put in place to halt auctions
that violate trademark rights. They also highlight the legal considerations
to bear in mind in such circumstances.