Saturday, August 20, 2011

Counterfeiters are Good, You Can Be Better


            Counterfeiters of goods are becoming more savvy.  It is no longer the case that you can tell a genuine product from a fake by the quality of the material.   Nor is it any longer necessarily true that if the price seems too low, it must be a fake.  Many counterfeiters have raised their counterfeiting game. They use higher quality materials, make better copies of the original, and charge a price that reflects the use of these more expensive techniques.  In fact, the stories abound of a person believing they purchased a genuine handbag (or other good) only to find out when presenting it to the manufacturer for repair or replacement that they were duped.    Many sophisticated shoppers fall victim to believing that these fakes are the real thing. 
            Thanks to online shopping, it is easier to set up legitimate looking websites and use another’s marks to fool even the smartest customers.  They also use keyword ads (e.g. Google’s AdWords) to rank higher than the “real” websites and lure shoppers seeking bargains to their websites.  One of the more common ways to dupe customers is through the second-hand market a la EBay.  While EBay has an aggressive policy to combat those who sell fake merchandise, it is a difficult task (and ask) of EBay. 
            So, as a consumer, how can you be sure you are getting the real thing?  The best way is to buy directly from the brand.  Ask for a list of authorized or approved sellers.  Another option is to buy from reputable sellers like the big department stores.  If you buy second hand, then ask to see the store’s sales policy, or carefully review the website’s sales policy to ensure that it guarantees a product’s authenticity.  If the item is more than 25% off the regular price, then be suspicious.  Luxury brands rarely deeply cut the prices of their products.  Scrutinize the website.  While counterfeiters have become more sophisticated in replicating a brand’s website or its product images, they will still likely contain misspellings or grammatical errors. 

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