There are three main ways to conduct a trademark search: self-service searching on the official search system of the CNIPA Trademark Office, third-party commercial search platforms, and commissioning a trademark agency to search and analyze on your behalf. All three draw their underlying data from the CNIPA database; they differ in search dimensions and professional analysis capability.
Official Self-Service Search
The "online trademark search" system on the CNIPA official website provides similarity search, comprehensive search, status search, and other functions free of charge. Its strengths are authority, zero cost, and first-hand data; its weaknesses are a fairly technical interface, the need to make similarity judgments yourself, and a high barrier for figurative-element searching.
Third-Party Search Platforms
Various trademark service platforms offer a friendlier search experience on top of the official data, usually supporting batch filtering by applicant and by class, and some also provide similarity hints and approval-rate assessment tools. They are suitable for quick preliminary screening, but in-depth analysis still requires human judgment.
Commissioning an Agency to Search
An agent will systematically screen for similarity in wording, pronunciation, meaning, and devices in light of the Classification of Similar Goods and Services and the examination and adjudication standards, and will issue a written risk opinion. This suits applicants whose marks are complex, whose layout spans many classes, and whose budgets are sufficient.
How to Choose
At the preliminary screening stage, self-service searching on the official system or a third-party platform is enough; once the candidate mark is locked in, a further professional search assessment is advisable for a core trademark. Whichever method you use, keep in mind that search results are subject to the blind period, and that "nothing found" does not equal "registrable."
If you encounter a similar situation, it is advisable to first consult a record-filed agent on MyTMBee to assess whether a trademark registration assessment is needed before deciding on the next step.