The short answer
Selecting every class is not a reliable substitute for an appropriate protection strategy. A trademark protects specific goods and services, not every business idea. A broad list brings additional fees and should match intended use. Filing widely does not avoid later non-use questions either.
Classes organise offerings rather than reserve an entire industry
The Nice Classification has 45 classes. What matters remains the goods and services actually claimed. Even a class heading does not necessarily cover every offering classified there. A very long list can therefore still describe important products imprecisely or omit them despite its length.
Start with the business model: which goods carry your sign, which services do you provide yourself and which extensions are concretely planned? Write these points clearly. Then choose suitable terms and classes, rather than copying other trademarks' lists without assessing their relevance to your business.
Sources: IPI: Scope of the goods list
Breadth can increase fees and assessment work
The official basic fee includes up to three classes; each class from the fourth currently adds CHF 100. Consider what genuinely needed protection each addition provides. An unused business area does not become commercially relevant simply because you have paid for a class covering it.
More offerings also mean more areas in which earlier rights need assessment. Different class numbers do not automatically exclude confusion. Align the search with the goods and services claimed. A broader list is not an official assurance that it is compatible with every competitor's rights.
Sources: IPI: Filing and class fees · IPI: Conflicts with earlier signs
Consider later use as well
A trademark can become vulnerable after five consecutive years without use that maintains its rights. The exact period and any proper reasons for non-use require separate assessment. A broad application therefore does not create a permanently unchallengeable reserve for offerings you may never launch under this brand.
Connect each planned area with a tangible stage of development. After launch, review which products are actually sold and retain evidence of use. Those records will help more later than merely remembering that you selected as many classes as possible as a precaution when filing.
Sources: IPI: Using your trademark
What you can do now
- Separate real offerings and concrete extensions from tentative ideas.
- Assess value and fees for every additional class.
- Document use and the associated products after launch.
Frequently asked questions
Does choosing a class protect everything within it?
No. The specific list is decisive. Even general class terms may omit certain goods or services that need to be identified separately.
Sources: IPI: Scope of the goods list
Can I simply secure unused classes through renewal?
Renewal does not replace rights-maintaining use or automatically start a fresh grace period. Assess use separately from payment of the renewal fee.
Sources: IPI: Using your trademark