Dallas, TX asked in Business Formation, Business Law and Copyright for Texas

Q: can I sell keychains coming from china with celebrities images at my e-commerce store online?

I'm looking to sell some stuff online at my store and it came to my mind some funny keychains with some celebrities images on it and just wondering about laws, copyright and I'm pretty sure I can't do that but doing some research like Etsy, Ebay and other e-commerce stores selling things like that and wondering If they can also get in trouble.

1 Lawyer Answer
Steve Charles Vondran
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Answered
  • Intellectual Property Lawyer
  • San Francisco, CA

A: Though keychains featuring celebrities may be fun to collect, it is important to remember that it is not legal to sell these items without permission from the celebrity or their representatives. Doing so can infringe on copyright, trademark and right of publicity protections that are granted to individuals regardless of whether they are a public figure or not. It is imperative for anyone considering manufacturing, selling, or distributing keychains with images of celebrities to get proper authorization first in order to avoid copyright infringement. Best of Luck - Attorney Steve®

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