Recent changes in the U.S. patent system have made it easier for companies with deep pockets to combat claims. Shipping & Transit has turned its sights on scores of small online retailers and logistics startups. It typically demands licensing fees of $25,000 to $45,000, amounts just small enough to discourage a legal battle, yet painful for businesses with only a few employees.

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Despite hundreds of lawsuits filed by Shipping & Transit and its predecessor, a court has never ruled on the merits of its patent claims, according to Lex Machina. CD Universe, of Wallingford, Ct., settled last month on confidential terms. “To fight it would have cost more than settling,” Mr. Nastri said.

Amazon.com has started allowing Chinese suppliers to sell direct on the site. This has created a problem with counterfeit products, which can be dangerous.

This post suggests that counterfeit physical products are one result of failure to protect intellectual property rights on the Internet. (It looks like a good site for arguments supporting intellectual property rights. It has a podcast.)

Intellectual property law is not a strong motivation in the creation of art, science -- or even business. It tends to hinder progress more than it promotes progress.

The Eureka Myth: Creators, Innovators, and Everyday Intellectual Property<br> Prof. Jessica Silbey