By: Anne Robinson
The internet is a great thing, a couple of quick key strokes and the world is at our fingertips. We can look up directions, great restaurants, movies, news, and perhaps most convenient...we can shop...in our pajamas...while watching Conan. But, of course, there is a downside to this convenience. The internet is also a convenient place for sellers to sell counterfeit items. Which means, especially when buying designer items online, you need to beware of the fakes.
Take ebay for example, a great place to buy a designer item for less, right? Someone else bought it, used it, and now wants to make some 
money off it. Well, don't count on it being as authentic as it might say in the listing. An estimated 4 million counterfeit items are listed on ebay each year! Ebay is not held responsible for the sale of counterfeit items, and as it becomes more common, it is also becoming harder to stop and prosecute those involved in these illegal sales.
money off it. Well, don't count on it being as authentic as it might say in the listing. An estimated 4 million counterfeit items are listed on ebay each year! Ebay is not held responsible for the sale of counterfeit items, and as it becomes more common, it is also becoming harder to stop and prosecute those involved in these illegal sales.Business to business websites have proven to be an easy way for sellers to buy illegal items from illegal Chinese vendors. The knock-offs are cheap, so they arrive here and can be sold for quite a profit.
Counterfeit sales online are so prevalent because they ensure that the buyer pays for the item before being able to inspect it. Since you can't inspect the item before purchasing it online, there are some other things to be aware off to help you spot the fakes right off the bat.
For instance, some sites advertise selling designer bags at huge discounts. So, do a little research...(Ok, I'll help you get started) designers like Hermes and Louis Vuitton have corporate policies to never sell bags at discounted prices. Which means, the bags would either be fake or the sale illegal...neither option sounds very promising.
Watch out for clothes that say are "inspired by" another collection. In some cases, the "inspiration" is almost identical to the original. Forever 21 ran into this problem when they were sued by Design House Trovata because their shi
rts, which they claimed to be inspired by Trovata designs, looked identical to the originals. Check out the picture. The top shirts were found at Forever 21 and the bottom are the originals. I'm thinking that's a little more than inspiration.
rts, which they claimed to be inspired by Trovata designs, looked identical to the originals. Check out the picture. The top shirts were found at Forever 21 and the bottom are the originals. I'm thinking that's a little more than inspiration.Even though we love to pull out those credit cards and make instant transactions, it's important to be aware that the internet is fueling counterfeit sales. To be sure you don't get a fake, or scam your favorite designer out of their money, just keep to doing your online shopping directly on designer websites. There you are guaranteed an authentic item, great customer service, and a legal transaction.
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