Comments to the Preliminary Task Force Report on Whois Services

["Deal, Susanne" <susanne.deal@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Charming Shoppes, Inc. ("CSI") is a leading multichannel specialty
apparel retailer primarily focused on plus-size women's apparel.  CSI is
the parent company of four distinct store brands - Lane Bryant, Fashion
Bug, Catherines Plus Sizes and Petite Sophisticate - as well as
Crosstown Traders, Inc. ("Crosstown"), a direct marketer of women's
apparel.  Today there are approximately 2,300 retail stores under the
names Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug, Catherines Plus Sizes and Petite
Sophisticate.  Crosstown offers high-quality women's apparel through its
Old Pueblo Traders, Intimate Appeal, Regalia, Coward Shoe, Bedford Fair
Lifestyles, Bedford Fair Shoestyles, Willow Ridge, Lew Magram,
Brownstone Studio and Monterey Bay Clothing Company catalog titles.  An
additional catalog title, Figi's offers food and specialty gift
products.

 

CSI through its subsidiaries own a large number of trademarks and domain
names, which it uses in connection with the sale of its products and
services.  CSI's tradenames, trademarks and domain names are an
extremely valuable asset of CSI.  CSI has taken steps to protect its
trademarks in the United States and own many U.S. Registrations for its
trademarks.  The CSI trademarks and tradenames are well known throughout
the U.S. as a result of the high quality of products we sell.

 

Unfortunately, some individuals and companies try to capitalize off of
the good will and reputation that CSI has built and which is associated
with our name and trademarks by registering domain names in the same or
very similar name as our protected trademarks.  Any person looking for
one of our brands who is otherwise exposed to the domain name by
accident, is likely to be confused as to source or affiliation and
therefore falsely believe that there exists a relationship between this
individual or company and CSI.

 

To protect our trademarks and tradenames, cease and desist letters were
sent to domain name registrants who infringed upon our trademarks,
demanding that the domain name be immediately transferred to us.  In the
past eight (8) months, 26 cease and desist letters were sent, to which
14 had successful outcomes, either in the transfer of the domain name to
us or the domain name being disabled.

 

The contact information in the Whois database, specifically, the
registrant name, postal address, e-mail address, telephone and fax
number, creation date and expiration date, is extremely important to CSI
to be able to protect its rights and its customers' rights by being able
to continue to send cease and desist letters to domain name registrant
infringers.  Without the use of the accurate contact information in the
Whois database, companies such as CSI would be restricted in their
ability to effectively pursue these infringers.

 

Any restrictions made to the information in the Whois database should
not exclude registrant name or legal contact for notice, postal address,
e-mail address, telephone and fax number, creation date and expiration
date.

 

Best regards,

Susanne F. Deal, Esq.

 

Susanne F. Deal, Esq.

Corporate Counsel

Charming Shoppes, Inc.

450 Winks Lane

Bensalem, PA 19020

215-633-4988 (phone)

215-638-6919 (fax)

Susanne.deal@xxxxxxxxxxxx