Sulit.com.ph loses sulit.ph in landmark WIPO case

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has handed down the decision regarding the dispute between Sulit.com.ph and the owner of sulit.ph.

I wrote about the domain dispute (UDRP) back in June where the owners of popular classified ads site Sulit.com.ph wants to take control of sulit.ph.

A copy of the resolution was provided by Atty. Rod Vera (counsel to sulit.ph) which details the entire case.

The resolution went down on a technicality, including one very critical point — that the term “sulit” is a generic word and is also being used by a lot of other websites in their domains.

It’s also interesting to note that Sulit.com.ph offered to buy the domain sulit.ph for as much as $2,000PHP 117,371INR 169,500EUR 1,905CNY 14,557 but after negotiations failed, they had to file for UDRP. Read the document above to fully appreciate the decision.

Abe Olandres

Abe is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of YugaTech with over 20 years of experience in the technology industry. He is one of the pioneers of blogging in the country and considered by many as the Father of Tech Blogging in the Philippines. He is also a technology consultant, a tech columnist with several national publications, resource speaker and mentor/advisor to several start-up companies.

https://www.yugatech.com

20 Comments

Anton says:

13 years ago

Thanks for the post!
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jonaflormicfren says:

13 years ago

There are a lot of business competition, including the imitation of exact product or domain to attract followers. I am sharing a lot regarding business and selling. To know more about it click the Jonaflormicfren
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benchmark says:

13 years ago

well since ganun na nga nangyari, wag lang sana gawin ng sulit.ph na same yung type ng business ang gagawin nila, worse pati itsura ng sulit.com.ph eh gayahin na din nila…wag lang ma-confuse yung mga loyal sa sulit.com.ph…

well dun pumapasok ang BOOKMARK :)
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Yikes... says:

13 years ago

Astig… entertaining read (PDF). No offense meant to both parties, pero, nakaka-aliw yung case na ‘to. Something worth noting and remembering. :P
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Name: IC DeaDPiPoL says:

13 years ago

sulit talaga XD

juan says:

13 years ago

thanks for sharing!
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Iyan Sommerset says:

13 years ago

Interesting to know we have these domain disputes as well in-country. Reminds me of that whole pldt.com thingy back then.

Big local (brick&mortar/semento@haloblak) companies should really pay more attention to their online presences in this modern day and age. I’ve seen too many local companies have crappy, outdated, inactive websites.
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Puge Teopengco says:

13 years ago

Kung talagang gusto ni Sulit.com.ph yung domain ni mr sheker dapat tinaasan pa nila yung offer nila. US$2000??? Alam naman siguro ni mr sheker yung value nyan. hehe
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Dave Zan says:

13 years ago

Good win for Sulit.ph. And I’d say “tama” ang decision kasi the domain name was being used in its essential sense of giving sulit deals.

I somewhat kept track of the original pldt.com dispute. Grabe, that took at least 3 years before both parties finally settled.
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Gwapito says:

13 years ago

If Sulit.com.ph’s lawyer was good, they could have won this case.

It’s obvious that Sulit.ph copied Sulit.com.ph’s business model.
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Abe Olandres says:

13 years ago

This was WIPO arbitration so no court cases. From what I understand, the resolution also prohibits future litigation of the same nature.
rattrapante says:

13 years ago

Are you implying that only SULIT.COM.PH as the only onlide classified ads?

Andre says:

13 years ago

They could take it to the local courts, but really if they offered $2k, the decision to spend for a WIPO case was the next move.

I guess they’ll be making a more serious offer now for Sulit.ph and it will probably have to be a lot higher considering the trouble they put the domain owner through to defend against WIPO.

Also now the value of Sulit.ph is now a lot higher now that the arbitration case was won in favor of Sulit.PH, the domain owner could sell it to another interested buyer.

PH domains are becoming more and more valuable. We recently sold weather.ph for $5000.
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jehzlau says:

13 years ago

I agree. Sulit.com.ph is super RICH, yet they only offered $2,000 to buy Sulit.ph. Parang gusto lng nila lokohin sa presyo may ari ng sulit.ph. hehehe. O______O

Andre says:

13 years ago

doh weather.com.ph pala
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Gerard says:

13 years ago

This is a real landmark case. It could happen to anyone. Sulit.com.ph will just have to make sure he provides a better service than his competition. Loyalty will be a factor here.
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alain says:

13 years ago

$2000 for a domain? kuripot!

Lalo nang tataas pa yan ngayon dahil natalo na yung sulit.com.ph sa official dispute case. Bad move.
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ex-sulit member says:

13 years ago

Hmmm, mabilis talaga ang karma haha. Di po kasi makatarungan mga nagpapalakad ng sulit.com.ph. How does it feel na ma-agrabyado? Now you guys got a taste of your own medicine.
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Helaine says:

12 years ago

Greetings! Very helpful advice in this particular
post! It’s the little changes that will make the most important changes. Many thanks for sharing!
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Paul Jake Castania says:

9 years ago

So this is the reason why sulit.com.ph become olx.ph. haahah I never knew that sulit.com.ph and sulit.ph are different website until now. I visited the to website just to confirm it to myself.
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