Consumer Warning on Amazon and eBay Counterfeit Products
Consumers easily deceived by counterfeit products.
Los Angeles, CA, March 13, 2014 – 91% of consumers look to online websites for good deals on nationally branded products. Amazon® (AMZN) and eBay® (EBAY) reap billions in revenue from these savvy consumers who place their confidence in these global giants.
However, that confidence is often misplaced says The Counterfeit Report®, a popular consumer protection website that features information on the counterfeit products of over 200 global brands.
The Counterfeit Report website receives hundreds of complaints from consumers about counterfeit products on eBay and Amazon, which are then forwarded to the manufacturer, and the respective websites. The Counterfeit Report also purchases counterfeit products directly from both eBay sellers and Amazon with relative ease. “There is no special sleuthing needed to identify counterfeit products on either website, especially when original photos are used” says publisher Craig Crosby, and complaints about repeat purchases from the same sellers on each site go unanswered by both Amazon and eBay.
Could you identify these counterfeit products purchased on eBay and Amazon?
(photo credit: TheCounterfeitReport.com ) photo link
Shown: clockwise; Counterfeit: Novartis Lamisil OTC Marc Jacobs® Daisy Perfume, Sinclair® Cardsharp2 Folding Safety Knife, Intuit® Quickbooks Pro software, Streamlight® Nano Flashlight.
Scam artists recognize consumers are vulnerable and buyers place their confidence in the global giants to protect their interests, but that perception is not well founded. The sales technique is the same and simple; consumers shopping for "a good internet deal" often see listings displaying the manufacturer's (stock) catalog product photo of authentic everyday products; fragrances, phone chargers, sporting goods, DVD’s, batteries and much, much more. However, what the consumer may receive is an expertly crafted counterfeit; specifically designed, manufactured and packaged to deceive them – and they are.
Both eBay and Amazon have policies prohibiting counterfeit products, but manufacturers and industry experts complain that not enough is done to curb sales of counterfeit goods, and unfortunately the counterfeit sales continue. The US Circuit Court recently ruled in favor of the website giants, largely insulating them from liability by ruling that manufacturers are responsible for policing and verifying the authenticity of their own products. Feedback on the websites is of little help. Counterfeit peddlers often go undetected, or simply offer refunds to dissatisfied buyers in order to maintain a positive reputation – so, its buyer beware.
Counterfeit sellers can become quite large. For instance, last spring, Amazon.com moved to end its relationship with one of its biggest third-party sellers, identifying that the company had offered products that were illegal or otherwise prohibited, reported The Wall Street Journal. However a bankruptcy court delayed the decision and sales continued until late in the year.
Think you can spot a counterfeit? "Probably not" says Crosby who reviews hundreds of counterfeited products. "Serious problems and hazards await unsuspecting consumers who unknowingly use counterfeit products every day that are widely distributed over the internet. And, the counterfeit product industry is big, very big -- expected to top $1.5 Trillion globally by 2015. "Consumers looking for a bargain are handing over good money for bad products at near retail prices believing they are purchasing the real thing. Counterfeit products are very deceptive and consumers often unknowingly purchase hazardous or deadly products. It's the consumer who ultimately gets hurt" concluded Crosby.
Website: www.theCounterfeitReport.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Counterfeit-Report/131568053660579
###
 |
