Many consumers buy counterfeit goods, knowingly. Many consumers also buy counterfeit goods, unknowingly. There were more than $10 million in counterfeit goods confiscated this week in LA.
How bummed would you be if you bought one of these, thinking it was an iPod, only to get home to hook it up with your iTunes to find out that it didn't work? How bummed would you be if you were the "real" manufacturer of goods that were counterfeited? Or if you were the marketer or other employee who is now out of a job because counterfeiters have taken over your job? We'll spend a day later in the semester discussing this topic but this was too important to not post now.
Investigators said, "During searches of the locations, Port Police discovered counterfeit products with an estimated street value of more than $1.4 million; stolen electronics, toys and blankets worth about $2.5 million; and bank account receipts that indicate the operation generated more than $7 million in profits."
Counterfeit goods hurt everyone involved and the sales generally benefit terrorist organizations.
This is obviously highly unethical. It is extremely unfair to innocent consumers who think these items are real, and its also unfair to the true manufacturers of these products. Those who knowingly buy these counterfeit products are supporting an unworthy cause. People buy these type of products all the time because they can't afford the real thing. In the end, it does more harm than good.
ReplyDeleteIt is really crazy that counterfeiters have that much power. How is it that they can produce goods that look virtually identical to products we consume every day!? You have to admit they must be pretty smart if they can sell products to us and we as the consumer might not even think twice about if it is real before purchasing a counterfeit good. I have not experienced this personally and I would be pretty upset if it happened to me.
ReplyDeleteI feel that consumers do not realize the impact of counterfeits. However, it is a chain reaction. Since consumers bought counterfeit products in the first place, fake products continued to be produced. Although it is unethical, many consumers still buy counterfeit purses and wallets, but do not find it immoral. However, if it is an ipod, consumers are furious. What makes one product ethically acceptable to be counterfeit over another?
ReplyDeleteUntil reading this post, I honestly never imagined counterfeit goods could be a $10+ million business in Los Angeles alone. During my semester abroad in Florence, Italy, counterfeit goods are such an obvious problem that the government fines the buyer hundreds and even thousands of dollars if caught purchasing particular items. I would feel extremely cheated, and ignorant, if I bought one of these iPods. But I guess these counterfeiters are only getting better and better with their sets of skills.
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize that the counterfeit electronics market was so sophisticated or so vast. Hopefully this investigation will lead to the discovery of some of the major players in the market. I definitely think buyers who knowingly purchase counterfeit products need to be more responsible, and hopefully news like this will raise consumer awareness to the fact that the sale of counterfeit products often supports large criminal organizations. If more consumers stop knowingly buying fake products then the illegal market as a whole will be curtailed, and less people will be unknowingly victimized.
ReplyDeleteThis is insane. Just watched a story on Dateline or 60 Minutes about something similar. It's amazing how much money people can make off of this stuff. I think the show I watched was counterfeit new balances (the running shoes). Definitely not as cool as an Ipod or jewelry-- weird that people would make fake shoes.
ReplyDeleteI think it is very unfortunate that there is such a large counterfeit market. It is very tempting for buyers to be convinced these luxury products at such low prices. Consumers need to do their research though because it is not logical that a high priced good would sell for such low prices. The problem will only diminish if people stop willingly buying counterfeit products causing the market to go down. In addition the risk that honest buyers will be scammed into fake products will go down as well.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to believe that knock offs have become so trendy. Buying counterfeit items in big cities like New York is almost excepted. When I was in high school we went to the Big City and all the moms we were with would track down the guys that sold the fake purses. My mom and I tagged along one day and these men would make you stand in the shadows, away from the open eye so they would not get caught, we thought it was so funny. Now in hind sight it is very unfortunate. These companies work hard to establish a good name for themselves, for being high end, luxury products and when just any Joe Shmoe is walking down the street with their goods, fake goods at that, it diminishes at all their hard work. I think it is unethical and wrong.
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