The growth of sneaker culture in recent years has led to steady growth within the market not only for authentic sports shoes but also for counterfeit versions. Luxury goods tend to be viewed as status symbols; a sign that the wearer is wealthy and successful enough to be able to afford and wear high-end fashion brands.
Some argue the counterfeit industry enables those on more restrictive budgets to buy into the aesthetic (if not the experience) of luxury goods, yet behind the bargain price tag are questions surrounding the ethics and legitimacy of this practice. Counterfeit culture is booming, but at what cost?
How to Tell the Difference
Shoeboxes with unclear text, mismatched codes or misprinted labels can all be signs of a counterfeit sneaker. As for the shoe itself, unpleasant odors (signifying poor quality materials), uneven stitching or jagged edges around the sole can all be giveaways.
That said, it’s not always easy to tell whether an item is counterfeit at first glance. While there is currently no standardized resource for testing the authenticity of suspected counterfeit products at consumer level, which is where professional authentication services like legitgrails.com can come in useful.
Risks for the Consumer
At one time, a pair of fake Air Jordans were distinguishable by features such as an off-brand colorway, but due in part to tech and skill advancements of recent years, the difference is becoming harder to spot. This is especially true for the average customer, who may be less likely to notice the degradation of poor quality materials or flimsy construction until it is too late.
Emphasis on profit over quality also negates safety, in that poorly-made sneakers have also been known to cause injuries, although consumer concerns not only apply to quality but also to legal consequences. In the US it is not necessarily unlawful to buy or own counterfeit goods, although selling them can result in heavy fines and even lengthy jail sentences.
The Hidden Cost of Counterfeit Products
While the sportswear industry has come under scrutiny in the past for its use of sweatshop labor, labels including Puma and Adidas are taking steps to protect workers. While there is still considerable progress to be made in this area, the workers producing counterfeit goods are offered very little in the way of protection.
Counterfeit production not only undermines intellectual property of designers and innovators, it also promotes child labor, undermines worker health and safety, and contributes to the activities of criminal organizations including human trafficking. More broadly, counterfeiting also negatively impacts both local and global economies while failing to contribute taxes.
What Consumers Can Do
Another problem lies with shopping habits, which tend to mislead consumers into purchasing counterfeit products without realizing. While platforms like eBay and Amazon have made efforts to crack down on the sale of counterfeiting, the relatively newer medium of social media shopping is proving harder to regulate.
Counterfeit products can be difficult to identify online, especially since you cannot handle the item until it has been dispatched. If you suspect a fake, check the packaging and product. and enlist a professional authenticator to help you if you need any further confirmation. You can also report any negative experiences with counterfeit items to www.saferproducts.gov, who also hold a database of reported products to avoid.
