Companies go above and beyond to protect the products and media they create. But even if you go through the necessary channels to establish your intellectual property rights, violations occur all the time. International trade is ripe with counterfeits, attempted infringements, and illegal shipments.

So, how can you protect your rights?

What are Intellectual Property Rights

First things first, let's define intellectual property rights. Intellectual property refers to anything created from the mind. It's the products you make, the artwork that goes along with it, and anything else your company designed from the ground up.

Intellectual property rights are how you keep your creations safe. It's what prevents copycats and counterfeits from flooding the market. There are many ways to obtain these rights. Generally, the go-to methods include copyrights, patents, trademarks, and trade names.

After registering products and obtaining those rights, you can record them with Customs and Border Protection.

Using Shipping Data for Intellectual Property Rights

Shipping data can help you enforce your intellectual property rights and prevent illegal shipments from getting into the country. Once you record your various trademarks and copyrights, you can use trade platforms to essentially screen shipments.

Use company names, keywords, and any other identifiers to scour bills of lading and find infringed works. Some services even allow you to set up alerts, ensuring that you spot illegal shipments as they come. If you need shipping data for intellectual property rights, visit this website.

Types of Infringement

Infringing upon your rights is a severe violation that comes with steep penalties. But how can other companies violate your intellectual property rights?

It all depends on what's protected. Some of the most common violations include counterfeit products, "confusingly similar'' items, and gray market imports that enter the country without the rights owners' consent. Violators can also infringe on copyrights through piracy or patents by making nearly identical goods.

Protecting Your Intellectual Property Rights

Staying on top of illegal shipments is paramount. Not only does it help you maintain your position in the market, but it protects your consumers from getting ripped off by counterfeit goods. With shipping data for intellectual property rights, you can set up safeguards and identify potential violators.

Read a similar article about Sri Lanka customs records here at this page.