IPR

Statement:

  • Sprout India respects the intellectual property rights of others, and we expect our users to do the same. Unauthorized use of another party's patent and trademarks are dealt with severely on our websites at www.sproutindia.in.

IPR Protection:

  • Listing unauthorized products is strictly prohibited on the Site. Products with patent are permitted to be displayed on the site if a certificate of authorization has been issued by the patent owner. Postings of offers to sell or purchase unauthorized products shall be subject to removal by Sprout India. Repeated postings of unauthorized products shall result in the immediate suspension of the offender's Membership. If any other content online contains references to active ingredient still under patent protection in certain countries, such content is deemed inapplicable to those countries.
  • Actions resulted from repeat violations of IPR policy:
  • Removal of listing(s)
  • Account suspension
  • Dissolution of membership service agreement

Infringement Claims:

  • The following actions are used as a deterrent against infringement of IPR:
  • Voluntary review and removal of listings that appear to offer unauthorized products.
  • Prompt removal of listing(s) when an intellectual property infringement claim is filed by the patent holder against any Member who displayed such listing(s)
  • Written notification with appropriate reason(s) given to Members who have their product(s) removed on the Site for suspicion of infringing the IPR of others.
  • Written notification to Members whose listings are claimed to infringe on other's IPR. Parties involved will have equal opportunities to respond to such charges.
  • Termination, when appropriate, of the accounts of Members who are repeat offenders.
  • We appreciate the assistance given by all members to report any IPR infringement.
  • We request those who assert claims of infringement to stand behind their claims. By submitting a report of alleged infringement to Sprout India, you agree to indemnify Sprout India against claims for damages arising from the removal of the listing.
  • Sprout India is also not an arbitrator or judge of disputes about intellectual property rights. By taking down a listing, as a prudential matter, Sprout India is not endorsing a claim of infringement. In those instances in which Sprout India declines to take down a listing, it does not mean that Sprout India is determining that the listing is not infringing or Sprout India is endorsing the sale of goods in such cases.

How to report an alleged IPR infringement to Sprout India:

  • If you have a good faith belief that a listing on the Site infringes your copyright, trademark, patent or other intellectual property rights, you may send an IPR infringement report to us. In this report, you need to make a comprehensive expression of the infringement behavior especially the reason(s) resulting in infringement and attach legally effective certificate like patent, authorization and so on. Please send it to admin@sproutintelligence.com
  • Upon receipt of the aforesaid report, we will promptly evaluate your complaint, and in cases where it is appropriate, we will expeditiously take down the listing referred to in your claim.
  • We will notify the member in writing of the removal of the claimed infringing product listing and provide the member with your contact information so that the member may contact you directly and with an opportunity to respond.
  • If the member objects to the removal of the alleged infringing product listing, the member may submit to us an appropriate counter-notice to dispute the claim. Upon receipt of such counter-notice, we may resume the member’s listing unless we receive notice from you that an action has been filed against the member in a court of competent jurisdiction for infringement of your intellectual property rights.