eBay Counterfeit Products a Problem for Holiday Shoppers
$700 Billion in counterfeit products flood websites
November 12, 2013, Los Angeles, CA – With 91% of holiday shoppers planning to go online to buy gifts this holiday season, the web is a haven for scam artists selling counterfeit merchandise, and eBay® is no exception. Consumers are most vulnerable when they are seeking gifts for loved ones and unfortunately the best known websites sell counterfeit goods.
Consumers need to be aware and cautious of the proliferation of counterfeit products offered on eBay and Amazon. It may seem like basic advice, but the sale of counterfeit products to unsuspecting consumers on eBay is so rampant that eBay has received criticism and lawsuits from brand manufacturers for allowing counterfeit sales.
Unsuspecting consumers, looking for a "good deal" fall prey to sophisticated counterfeiters and re-sellers offering counterfeit products that are almost visually identical to the authentic products says Craig Crosby, publisher of The Counterfeit Report® website (www.TheCounterfeitReport.com), a popular consumer protection website helping consumers identify counterfeit products. Is everything on eBay counterfeit? "Absolutely not" says Crosby, there are plenty of honest sellers selling genuine items, but beware, many sellers are knowingly or unknowingly selling counterfeit products.
It doesn't take any sleuthing to find counterfeit products on eBay; The Counterfeit Report buys counterfeit products from eBay and Amazon for its published Counterfeit Product Alert photos. "It's really quite simple for us to find counterfeit products, and we have yet to receive an authentic product when we purchase a suspected fake." says Crosby
These counterfeit products are just some of the purchases.
(photo credit: TheCounterfeitReport.com) photo link
And, the problem is big, dangerous and widespread;
These and other counterfeit products are often listed on eBay as "100% Genuine" or "Authentic" and many use the manufacturer's stock product photo to fool unsuspecting buyers. You just can't identify a counterfeit product from a stock photo. Products are given as gifts or often go undiscovered by deceived consumers until they break, or are retuned for warranty claims.
With eBay having millions of listings on its site at any given time, sales of counterfeit goods are common. This isn’t something that eBay and its Trust and Safety team (or its sellers) like to discuss. But, the fact is that a percentage of the goods on eBay (and a larger percentage of the goods in a few highly susceptible categories) are significantly underpriced and often counterfeit. Common counterfeits include fragrances, DVD's, razorblades, batteries, electronics, flash drives, knives, clothing and footwear.
The Counterfeit Report website offers hundreds of product photos showing consumers that just about any item manufactured will have a counterfeit counterpart, and you will likely find it on eBay or Amazon. Still, even careful buyers may from time to time find themselves in receipt of fake or counterfeit goods. When the buyer complains, the dishonest seller may be gone, or simply tell the buyer to return the counterfeit item for a refund so they can sell it to another unsuspecting buyer. The buyer, happy to get a refund, provides a positive feedback for the seller, allowing the dishonest seller to continue their counterfeit dealings unchecked. Complaints and inquiries from The Counterfeit Report have gone unanswered by eBay.
Consumers need to be very cautious and do their research says Crosby. Dishonest and unscrupulous sellers are offering consumers many "too good to be true" deals. The Counterfeit Report website provides consumers a visual product guide to the ever-present $700 Billion avalanche of deceptive counterfeits and fake products. "If you don't do your research, you are going to get burned."
Website: www.theCounterfeitReport.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Counterfeit-Report/131568053660579
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