A new online service, CompareIP.com, has been launched that gives IP owners a quick, free and discreet means of comparing the charges of selected renewal payment service providers.
Anonymity
IP owners are verified by Patent Annuity Costs, the operators of the service, but their identities are not disclosed to suppliers. IP owners are only expected to share the number of registered IP rights they hold and, once they have received responses from suppliers, choose whether or not to make contact.
How it works
Users upload data from recent renewal notices or invoices (manually or using an Excel template) and choose the suppliers they would like to hear from. Suppliers upload their pricing, accompanied by a message and any supporting documents. Users can download a consolidated report and supporting documents.
Peter Rouse, director of Patent Annuity Costs said:
“CompareIP.com brings much needed transparency to the IP renewal sector and allows IP owners to make informed choices based on price and the added value services that suppliers have to offer.
We have a good mix of suppliers who have embraced the opportunity to participate and aren’t afraid of transparency. My hope is that others will also want to join in.”
The suppliers who are participating in CompareIP.com are: 42Patents; Allbright IP; Brandstock; and PAVIS.