On Toner Cartridges and Gray Market Imports
The United States Supreme Court has made it easier for discount retailers and "off-brand" Amazon resellers to import and sell refurbished goods, which is good news for bargain seekers. First, a little background. Intellectual property rights like patents, trademarks, and copyrights are a deal that inventors, artists, and brand innovators make with the United States government. To promote the activity of these creative enterprises, the government grants a limited monopoly on the sale or exploitation of the work. That is why you can't make a copy of Star Wars Rogue One for 95 years, at which time it will fall into the public domain. Similarly, you can't start making your own version of the latest antibiotic because the company that put in the effort on research and development most likely owns the patent. But, the scope of intellectual property rights is limited. With respect to patents, the law give the patent holder the "right to exclude others from making, ...