You say you got a great deal on a Tommy Hilfiger T-shirt from the Wal-Mart cyberstore on the internet? Hold on, shoppers. Those Hilfiger socks and T shirts may be counterfeit. That’s the charge anyway from Tommy Hilfiger, USA, Inc, which alleges that Wal-Mart has been selling phony Hilfiger goods on the internet. According to the Wall Street Journal, Hilfiger has put the finger on Wal-Mart three times before dating back to 1994, when Wal-Mart was accused of infringing on Tommy’s crest logo. In the same year, U.S. Custom’s agents along the Texas/Mexico border held back Hilfiger look-alikes from being imported by Wal-Mart. In 1996, Tommy pressed Wal-Mart to the Wal, and got the Arkansas company to agree to a permanent injunction against intentionally using its trademarks. Now Tommy’s having a deja vu all over again, and wants Wal-Mart to recall the imitation T shirts and to pay back the internet shoppers who bought the products thinking they were genuine Hilfigers. Such infringement suits seem to be the most popular suits at Wal-Mart. In November, 1996, Wal-Mart was ordered to pay NIKE, Inc. $6 million for infringing on the Air Mada shoe.
Want to buy a real pair of Nike’s? Looking for a real Tommy Hilfiger t shirt? Maybe it’s time to stop worrying about whether your designer goods are real or counterfeit. While you’re at it, skip Wal-Mart too. Help clear our courts of infringement lawsuits, buy your suits somewhere else.
