This is a rhetorical question. However, a quick search of Google for a ‘Gucci Belt’, ‘Prada Belt’, ‘Dolce & Gabanna Belt’ or any other designer belt you care to consider and you will be presented with page after page of online stores offering heavily discounted designer belts. But, on closer scrutiny, it is self-evident, that many of these stores are offering copy or replica designer belts.
To be fair, most of these online stores do not claim that the belts are authentic or genuine, instead, they rely on ambiguous terminology, or they state nothing at all. In other words, it is left to the potential customer to determine if the designer belt is genuine or not. That said, many dare not include a contact number or address and this can be a good indicator of a business that is possibly selling replica products.
There are, of course, online shops that offer genuine discounted designer belts, but these are often in limited numbers and sizes. These belts are invariably sourced from wholesalers who, in turn, have purchased excess stock, or end of line inventory from reputable High Street stores. Therefore it is quite possible to obtain a genuine designer belt with a substantial saving. That notwithstanding, it is clearly a case of “Caveat Emptor” (Buyer Beware)!
To return to the headline, is it worth paying extra for designer brands?
Let’s be honest, when we pay for a branded belt, we are seeking something that is fashionable, stylish and exclusive. Designers have to invest in new designs to ensure that the product remains fresh and in demand, but they also have to maintain prices and control distribution to ensure that the product retains its exclusivity and is worth the substantial premium demanded. However, if copy products are available and, at a glance, are indistinguishable from the genuine belt, what has the brand conscious buyer gained?…Not very much!
The bottom line is that brand owners have, at the very least, a moral obligation to deal robustly with those that seek to trade off their designs or brand. Failure by the brand owners to act quickly and decisively will inevitably lead to a loss of custom as loyal, brand conscious customers realise that exclusivity is a marketing term and not a reality. Therefore the question must be what are the brand owners doing to curtail the activities of those that would seek to trade off their names and designs?
Of course, it is not illegal in every country to sell replica or copy products, but in many countries it is. Yet, it appears that the brand owners are either impotent or perhaps just unwilling to take meaningful action against the resellers of copy or replica goods. Yes, there have been one or two notable examples of brand owners taking action against the likes of EBay, for allegedly allowing fake goods to be sold on the auction site, but the reality is, it just isn’t enough. What is needed is a coordinated action.
It is also necessary to prioritise this action. Yes, the first priority has to be to try and prevent the manufacture of fake, copy or replica products, but this is often under the radar and the most difficult aspect to tackle. That said, the first priority must be to take action against resellers who attempt to ‘pass off’ counterfeit goods as genuine. These have to be the worst offenders given their sole intention is to deceive and defraud unsuspecting customers. These types of activities have the most victims; given the only winners are the resellers. Moreover, in most countries, such action of deliberate deception is likely to be regarded a serious criminal offence.
The next tier must be those that are ambiguous in their descriptions, neither stating that the product is authentic or that it is a copy, fake or replica. Then there are those that openly advertise their goods as fakes, copies or replicas. Clearly the latter are the easiest to identify, but they are arguably the least dishonest, even if they are supplying counterfeit goods.
Where there are quality branded goods such as designer belts offered for sale, there will always be a secondary market for those seeking a bargain. It is the nature of commerce, that there will inevitably be excess supplies, end of line products and slow moving goods and as a consequence these products will find themselves in the secondary market, where they are offered with substantial discounts. The brand owners may not like this, but it is a fact of life and, short of brand owners offering to buy excess or unwanted products from their approved retailers, the secondary market will continue to flourish. In fact, with the secondary market, everyone is a winner, the end user gets a discounted branded item, the secondary retailer is able to sell a quality brand and gain additional sales, the wholesaler of the branded goods wins, the High Street stores with excess stocks win and, believe it or not, so do the brand owners, because stock is not being returned. Therefore, even if the brand owners dislike the secondary market, the fact remains that they and their supply channel actually benefits from it, albeit indirectly.
The real losers are those duped into buying counterfeit goods which have been passed off as genuine and those people that have bought into the brand, only to find it devalued with the plethora of copy products being marketed. Ultimately, the responsibility must remain with those who seek to profit by seeking to manufacture or sell counterfeit products, but the responsibility for policing such activities must remain with the brand owners who expect and indeed demand, that their customers pay a premium for a quality branded product which, for all intents and purposes, is supposed to be exclusive.
