Lucy Wyndham
Auckland, June 8, 2019
It is estimated that New Zealand customs came across about NZ $1.135 million worth in counterfeit goods between 2016 and 2017, proving that counterfeit goods have become a serious problem.
While you don’t have to worry if you purchased your brand items straight from the source, you might be in possession of a counterfeit item if you recently bought anything from an illegitimate source online or in person.
No matter who you are, anyone from a hardworking student to a successful businessman can fall for buying counterfeit goods, as it is not always easy to tell what is real and what is not.
Fake vs. Real
When you go shopping, you might run into a street vendor selling “name brand” clothing, purses, shoes, or virtually anything else for a super cheap price.
These are often discovered to be knock-offs, or counterfeit goods.
In other words, these items appear to be the real deal, but upon closer inspection are often slightly altered, and missing key components that identify them as the true brand.
Illegal traders
Vendors who sell counterfeit goods are doing so illegally, and are deceiving you by making you think you’re getting the true product.
The vendors often use sneaky sales tactics, such as talking the product up by over-using words like 100% real or authentic, in the hope that you will eventually take their word for it and hand over the cash.
A closer inspection can reveal a lot.
Identifying dupes
When it comes to clothes, there are many ways to tell whether you are looking at a counterfeit or not. One dead giveaway is the quality of the fabric. A real designer product has fabric that feels of quality; it’s durable and the workmanship is impeccable.
Another giveaway of a false designer clothing item is the logo. Logos on counterfeit clothing can take some close inspection to deduce whether or not it’s the real deal, as they may appear realistic on the first, or even second glance.
Misspelled words on an article of clothing also let buyers know that what they’re looking at isn’t quite right. Luckily for us, many well-known brands have specific ways to differentiate between real and fake, and there are many ways to avoid buying something illegitimate.
Knockoffs everywhere
Fake goods can be found just about anywhere, from the streets of New York City to markets in the Philippines.
For New Zealand, as an island nation, this means the majority of fake goods are found by customs at the border.
Just about anything can be falsely duplicated, from makeup to electronics, and even designer handbags. While counterfeiting is illegal, it doesn’t stop people from doing it.
Rock bottom prices often draw attention from innocent customers, but one thing is for certain: you’ll always get what you pay for. Counterfeit goods are famously known for paint chipping, logos falling off, fabric ripping with ease, or the entire item falling apart shortly after purchase or gentle use.
The reality
The sheer volume of counterfeit goods out there just goes to show how many people are willing to use name brands to make quick money and the staggering amount of people falling victim to buying a lie.
The counterfeit market hurts the legitimate businesses trying to make an honest earning, and will continue to do so until more people are educated on the facts regarding the dark truth.
Lucy Wyndham is Content Editor for a Survey and Review Site based in New Zealand. Pictures for this article were sourced by Indian Newslink.
