Maine Merchandising License Agreement

• Category: Contracts - Merchandise
• State: Multi-State
• Control #: US-1031BG
• Format: Word; Rich Text

Description

A merchandise license agreement describes the terms through which the owner of intellectual property, notably in the form of a trademark, service mark or copyright, grants a party, called the licensee, the right to use the property for distribution, marketing, and sale. These agreements can vary in length and complexity and can be as broad or as limiting as the owner of the property desires. Among the issues addressed in a merchandising license agreement are the types of rights allowed, what products the license covers, the duration of the agreement, and compensation and payment terms. In most cases, the owner of the merchandise, identified in an agreement as the licensor, receives an advance payment at the time the agreement is signed and royalty payments based on a percentage of merchandise sales throughout the period the agreement is in effect. The agreement also addresses the obligations of the licensee. In addition to payment terms, these can include responsibility to make a good faith effort to sell the licensed products. Should the licensee fail to meet their obligations, the licensor has the right to terminate the agreement. This action is typically avoided at all costs, however, since the termination of a merchandising license agreement can result in a loss of income and missed opportunities to capitalize on the property by the licensor, and the waste of an often-substantial investment by the licensee.