Key Differences Between Product Trademarks and Service Trademarks:
(1) A product trademark is a symbol used to distinguish the goods of a producer or distributor from those of others, serving to identify the origin of the product and indicate its quality and characteristics. A service trademark is a symbol used to differentiate the services provided by a service provider from those of others, serving to identify the origin of the service and indicate its quality and characteristics.
(II) Goods trademarks appeared earlier, and the laws protecting goods trademarks were enacted sooner. China's first law to protect goods trademarks was the "Regulations for the Trial Implementation of Trademark Registration," promulgated by the Qing government in 1904. Service trademarks appeared later, and the laws protecting service trademarks were enacted later as well. China's first law to protect service trademarks was the revised "Trademark Law" in 1993 (effective as of July 1, 1993).
Under the principle of voluntary registration, certain special commodities, such as cigarettes, are subject to mandatory registration. Service trademarks, on the other hand, are all for voluntary registration and do not involve mandatory registration.
(4) Goods are tangible, with the use of brand trademarks applied specifically to tangible goods. Services are intangible, with service trademarks used in the provision of specific services.
