Conducting a Trademark Search would allow brand owners to identify whether any other party has registered a similar or identical mark that could prevent them from commercially using it on their products or services .

Yes, everyone should conduct a Trademark Search. While a search is an additional expense over and above that associated with preparing and filing an application for registration, it is an expense that often saves the client significantly in the long run. The search is frequently an eye-opening experience by illustrating the current and past uses of a proposed mark by others, as well as occasionally providing at least a glimpse of potential competitors in a given market. We recommend that you conduct a trademark search before filing an application to federally register the mark.

The cost of a search can vary greatly. Obviously, a basic self-conducted, “let’s see what we can find on the internet” type search costs only your time. A detailed third-party search may cost from a couple hundred to several thousands of dollars, depending on the geographic scope (e.g., a mark used just in the United States will cost less to search than a mark used to 3-4 countries or a mark that is used worldwide), the nature of the mark, and the associated goods/services. An international Clearance Search (Trademark Search) will be far more expensive than a preliminary style search..