Shopify has initiated a fresh copyright lawsuit against a purported competitor, accusing them of extensively copying its e-commerce system.
Filed in a New York federal court on May 14, Shopify alleges that Shopline Commerce Pte. Ltd. and related entities have imitated Shopify’s operations to compete unfairly.
The heart of the matter lies in Shopline’s alleged infringement of Shopify’s Dawn customizable e-commerce website template.
Central to Shopify’s operations is its Dawn computer program, facilitating merchants to swiftly establish a compelling online presence.
Shopline, headquartered in Singapore and expanding into the U.S. market, offers a similar service with its “Seed” offering.
However, Shopify claims Shopline replicated significant portions of its Dawn system, including file structure, layout, function names, and even icon codes.
Shopify contends that Shopline’s actions have led to indistinguishable online store appearances compared to those generated by Dawn, suggesting pervasive copying.
Allegedly, Shopline has distributed this copied version to its merchant customers, contributing to copyright infringement.
Summarizing the situation, Shopify asserts that Shopline resorted to theft to undercut its competitive advantage, duplicating Dawn to create the infringing Seed theme.
Shopify seeks injunctive relief to prevent further copyright infringement and monetary damages.
