Direct’s January cover story reported that Internet Retailer was planning a lawsuit against EmailAppenders for claiming to offer its e-mail list.
That suit, accusing EmailAppenders of trademark infringement and deceptive business practices, was filed soon after the issue went to press.
As stated in last month’s article, EmailAppenders sent e-mails to corporate inboxes last summer and fall claiming to offer Internet Retailer’s conference list. But that file is not available.
“The list being marketed is not a legitimate list of [our] attendees,” said Jack Love, president of Internet Retailer’s parent company Vertical Web Media. “We do not sell, rent or reveal that list to anyone. It’s our most valuable asset.”
Ian Cooper, president of new business development for EmailAppenders, countered that his firm never represented the list as the same one owned by Internet Retailer.
“We have the list because we sent one of our sales executives [to the conference],” he said. “Is there anything wrong with collecting business cards and selling the list? Who says they gave it to us? We never claimed that.”
A message left on Cooper’s voicemail asking for comment on the suit was not returned.
It may be difficult for Internet Retailer to locate anyone to serve with the papers. EmailAppenders lists its U.S. headquarters as 2753 Broadway, suite 178 in New York, a rented UPS mailbox.
When asked for our story where his company is based, Cooper said EmailAppenders is a “global marketing outsourcing firm,” He added that he was speaking from his home in a New York City suburb.
The case is on file with the U.S. District court for the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division.
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