FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT HOLDS THAT ONLINE RESELLER DOES NOT HAVE TO DISCLOSE ITS SOURCES
Conair LLC v. Lighthouse Wholesale, LLC,
2024 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 64489 (D. Conn. 2024)
In an important case for online resellers, on April 9, 2024, Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti held that Stern & Schurin’s client did not have to disclose its sources to the plaintiff brand-owner.
In this case, the defendant sold authentic products on Walmart.com but was not an “authorized reseller.” The plaintiff sued the defendant for infringement and tried to force it to disclose its confidential sources. Stern & Schurin representing the Amazon seller refused to disclose its sources, even after suit was brought. After briefing and hearing oral argument, Judge David S. Vatti agreed with Stern & Schurin and denied the brand-owner’s motion to compel finding that the sourcing information was simply not relevant to the elements of its affirmative claims. After the brand-owner was denied the sourcing information, the case settled on confidential terms.