eBay

momcqueen · ‎07-15-2016

http://www.ecommercebytes.com/cab/abn/y16/m07/i15/s01

Sellers Face Legal Threat over Tracking Packages

A Florida company has sued over 150 companies over the ability to click a link and track packages during shipping, according to Bloomberg BNA.

Can someone explain this to me? While it cites American companies and therefore leads me to suspect it is isolated to the States, I don't quite *get* it. How is tracking a package violating anything?

momcqueen · ‎07-15-2016

The source material: https://bol.bna.com/online-retailers-face-patent-suits-over-package-tracking/

Shipping and Transit LLC, which is based in Florida, owns patents related to monitoring vehicles’ movement. It has filed infringement lawsuits against such popular electronic commerce businesses as Edible Arrangements LLC, Wayfair LLC and Shutterfly Inc., as well as against conventional businesses that offer online ordering as part of their enterprises, including Acer Inc., Lifetime Brands Inc. and Arhaus LLC.

Is this about real-time tracking? Like, you know whether your item is on the truck across town or at the corner?

mr.elmwood · ‎07-15-2016

This is not about postal tracking. This is about tracking the vehicle the parcel is in.

"Shipping and Transit LLC owns patents related to monitoring vehicles' movement and has filed infringement lawsuits "

.
.
.

momcqueen · ‎07-15-2016

In other words, it pertains less to sellers and more to couriers. This is about real-time tracking.

Real-time tracking is obviously not available at Canada Post.

Therefore, this doesn't affect us and likely won't at any point in the near future.

Correct?

ypdc_dennis · ‎07-15-2016

@mjwl2006 wrote:
In other words, it pertains less to sellers and more to couriers. This is about real-time tracking.
Real-time tracking is obviously not available at Canada Post.
Therefore, this doesn't affect us and likely won't at any point in the near future.

Correct?

That would depend on what the Canada Post and CUPW agreement regarding GPS use has in it.

But considering how shaky Canada Post's current computers can be, overloading them with realtime data seems very unlikely.

-..-

momcqueen · ‎07-15-2016

My next question is how you can patent vehicle movement? Vehicles are made to move. This is about the software used? This company invented the software that tracks vehicles? How is that the problem of the seller by any stretch of the imagination? They have subcontracted that job to the courier.

Patent law is not my speciality. Do we have any Patent and Copyright Law experts in the house?

reallynicestamps · ‎07-15-2016

Or it could be a shotgun approach.

Scare off the customers of the company you actually want to take action against.

Like Donald Trump or Conrad Black, whatever the merits of your case, sue the guy who opposes you (or to whom you owe money) until he gives up and goes away.

ypdc_dennis · ‎07-15-2016

@mjwl2006 wrote:
http://www.ecommercebytes.com/cab/abn/y16/m07/i15/s01

Sellers Face Legal Threat over Tracking Packages
A Florida company has sued over 150 companies over the ability to click a link and track packages during shipping, according to Bloomberg BNA.

Can someone explain this to me? While it cites American companies and therefore leads me to suspect it is isolated to the States, I don't quite *get* it. How is tracking a package violating anything?

It's a well known American game of extortion -- pick companies that would rather settle out-of-court than fight an expensive legal battle over patent validity. As the article mentions, the companies that have the resources and reputation of fighting back are not getting sued.

-..-