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ARTICLE · 21 DECEMBER 2007

Intellectual Property News

Minter Ellison
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The United States District Court has found that eBay intentionally infringed a patent owned by MercExchange through use of eBay's 'buy it now' feature and ordered eBay to pay $30 million in damages.

GlobalIntellectual Property
Charles Alexander
Charles Alexander

Patents

International

The United States District Court finds that eBay intentionally violated MercExchange's patent

The United States District Court has found that eBay intentionally infringed a patent owned by MercExchange through use of eBay's 'buy it now' feature and ordered eBay to pay $30 million in damages. However, eBay has already released a statement saying that they are planning to appeal the case. MercExchange is alleging, in another motion, that they are owed profits since 2003 related to the 'buy it now' feature, which MercExchange estimates account for about 39% of eBay's revenue.

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