For e-commerce founders, Amazon sellers, DTC brands, marketplace operators, and retail businesses.
Trademark Classes for Online Stores
Online stores often confuse the product class with the retail service class. If you sell coffee, the coffee itself may be Class 30. If you run an online retail store featuring coffee, the retail service can point to Class 35.
The right class set depends on whether your brand identifies the goods, the store experience, a marketplace service, or all of those together.
Primary classes
Classes to check first
These classes are common starting points for this business model. Use them as a structured review list, not as automatic filing instructions.
Class 35: Business and retail
Class 35 covers online retail store services, wholesale services, marketplaces, advertising, and commercial services.
Example wording
Online retail store services featuring clothing, home goods, cosmetics, and consumer accessories.
Watch out: Class 35 does not automatically cover the underlying products sold in the store.
Adjacent classes
Classes that often appear next to the core filing
Adjacent classes matter when the brand stretches across products, services, retail, education, software, or accessories.
Class 25: Clothing
Class 25 applies when the store sells clothing under its own brand.
Example wording
Clothing, namely, t-shirts, hoodies, jackets, and hats.
Class 3: Cosmetics and cleaning
Class 3 applies when the store sells cosmetics, skincare, fragrance, cleaning, or toiletry goods under its own brand.
Example wording
Non-medicated skincare preparations, cosmetics, body wash, and fragrances.
Class 21: Household goods
Class 21 can apply to kitchenware, household containers, drinkware, tableware, and cleaning tools.
Example wording
Reusable water bottles, mugs, kitchen utensils, and household containers.
Real-world patterns
Example class combinations
The same industry can produce different class combinations depending on what customers actually buy.
Store selling its own candle brand
Class 4 and Class 35
Candles are Class 4. Online retail store services featuring candles can be Class 35.
Marketplace where third-party sellers list products
Class 35, sometimes Class 42
Marketplace services often point to Class 35. If the platform software itself is a SaaS product, Class 42 can also matter.
DTC brand selling skincare and accessories
Class 3, Class 21, and Class 35
Skincare is Class 3, household accessories may be Class 21, and the online store can be Class 35.
Filing mistakes
Common mistakes to avoid
Want a class list for your exact business?
Use the class finder to map your products, services, retail channels, and planned launches.