Your Hard-Earned Brand, Domain Squatted? See How Starbucks Recovered starbucks.la in Laos

你辛苦打拼的品牌，域名被人抢注了？看看星巴克在老挝是怎么把starbucks.la拿回来的

ທ່ານລົງທຶນສ້າງແບຣນມາຢ່າງຍາກລຳບາກ, ຊື່ໂດເມນຖືກຄົນອື່ນຈັບຈອງແລ້ວບໍ? ເບິ່ງວ່າ Starbucks ໃນລາວໄດ້ຄືນ starbucks.la ມາໄດ້ແນວໃດ

Published: 2026-09-12 · LaoPaniti legal guides

A Real Scenario That Sends Shivers Down Business Owners' Spines

Imagine this: you've been operating in Laos for years, your brand is well-known locally, and suddenly one day, a customer tells you that when they type your brand name plus `.la` into their browser, they land on a completely unfamiliar website—selling anything but your products. You confront the other party, and they shrug: "I registered this domain, what's it to you?"

This is not a joke. Global coffee giant Starbucks encountered exactly the same situation.

What Did Starbucks Do?

Starbucks Corporation discovered that the domain `starbucks.la` was registered by an entity named PERFECT PRIVACY, LLC. This domain is almost identical to Starbucks' Trademark "starbucks," only with the suffix changed to Laos' country code top-level domain `.la`.

Starbucks did not choose to argue privately but directly filed a domain name Dispute Complaint with the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) Arbitration and Mediation Center.

The core Dispute issues in the case were threefold:

1. Is the disputed domain `starbucks.la` identical or confusingly similar to Starbucks' Trademark?
2. Does the respondent have any Right or legitimate interest in the disputed domain?
3. Was the domain registered and used in bad faith by the respondent?

These three questions are precisely the three elements stipulated in Article 4(a) of the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP). If the complainant can prove all three points simultaneously, the domain may be ordered to be transferred.

Decision and Insights

After Trial by the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center, based on Article 4(a) of the UDRP and Articles 2 and 4 of the Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy, it was adjudicated that the disputed domain `starbucks.la` be transferred to Starbucks Corporation.

This case serves as a reminder for friends doing business in Laos:

First, manage your Trademark and domain together. Many people think that registering a Trademark in Laos is all that's needed, but domains are a separate system. If someone registers your Trademark as a `.la` domain, they can still divert your traffic and harm your brand.

Second, don't delay when you discover squatting. The UDRP process is specifically designed to resolve such domain Disputes, and is usually faster and less costly than going to Court. But the premise is that you must be able to prove the other party's "bad faith registration and use."

Third, keep your Evidence well. Your Trademark Registration certificate, usage records in Laos, and screenshots of the other party's bad faith squatting are all key materials for a Complaint.

If you are operating a brand in Laos, why not check right now who owns the `.la` domain corresponding to your brand name.

Have specific questions? Welcome to 老法智 LaoPaniti to ask AI for free and help sort out your thoughts.

This article is compiled by 老法智 LaoPaniti for reference only and does not constitute legal advice.

FAQ

My Trademark is registered in Laos, can someone still squat on my .la domain?

It is possible. Trademark Registration and domain registration are two different systems. Even if you own the Trademark Right, others may still squat on a .la domain identical or similar to your Trademark. In such cases, you can file a domain Dispute Complaint with WIPO or other institutions based on the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy, but you need to prove the other party's bad faith registration and use.

What conditions must be met for a UDRP Complaint?

According to Article 4(a) of the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy, it is usually necessary to prove three points simultaneously: the disputed domain is identical or confusingly similar to a Trademark in which the complainant has Rights; the respondent has no Rights or legitimate interests in the domain; and the respondent registered and used the domain in bad faith.

What are the typical outcomes after a domain is squatted?

If the Complaint is successful, the adjudicating body may order the transfer of the disputed domain to the complainant or cancel the domain. The specific outcome depends on the facts of the case and the adjudicating body's determination.

Legal basis

《统一域名争议解决政策（UDRP）》第4(a)条
《统一域名争议解决政策规则（Rules）》第2条
《统一域名争议解决政策规则（Rules）》第4条

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