重视消费者在元宇宙下商品类似的认定中的作用——以爱马仕诉梅森·罗斯柴尔德案为例

The Role of Consumers in the Identification of Commodity Similarity in Meta-Universe —Taking Hermès v. Mason Rothschild as an Example

元宇宙虚实杂糅的特点和NFT商品的虚拟性的特点使得原本客观标准和主观标准存在适用问题的类似商品判断更加困难。实际上回归到商标的本质,就会发现消费者在商标的识别、品质保障、品牌建造的功能发挥以及商品交易过程中发挥着不可替代的作用。爱马仕案重视消费者认知情况的做法为解决这一难题具有启示意义。重视消费者在商品类似性认定中的作用,采用在消费者调查主体范围、调查方法、调查问题上科学合理设计的消费者调查方法能够帮助法官更好的探知消费者对相关商品间类似性的认知情况,更加客观、全面地对元宇宙下商品间类似性进行认定。The characteristics of the meta-universe’s hybridization of reality and the virtual nature of NFT goods make it more difficult to judge similar goods, where the application of objective and subjective standards is originally problematic. In fact, if we return to the essence of trademarks, we will find that consumers play an irreplaceable role in the identification of trademarks, quality assurance, the function of brand building and the process of commodity transactions. The Hermes case is a revelation for solving this problem by emphasizing consumers’ cognitive situation. Attaching importance to the role of consumers in the determination of similarity of goods, and adopting a scientific and reasonable design of consumer survey methods in terms of the scope of consumer survey subjects, survey methods and survey questions can help the judge to better explore the consumer’s cognition of the similarity of related goods, and determine the similarity of goods under the meta-universe in a more objective and comprehensive manner.