Counterfeit Products at eCommerce sites -Addl Inputs

Thank you to all the members who have shared inputs on counterfeit or replica products received via ecommerce sites. As we embark on the festive sales, we would be keen to receive your inputs on issues you observe.

The objective is to understand all issues possible and then work with ecommerce companies to put together comprehensive interventions and safeguards such that this is greatly minimised.

We look forward to your inputs on issues as well as solutions! Below are your inputs from 2017!

Counterfeit Products - Key Solutions outlined by Consumers

1.The liability for selling counterfeit products must reside with the eCommerce platform and not the seller
2.Ecommerce sites need to operate in pro-active mode instead of reactive mode
3.Ecommerce sites should put in extra filters to identify counterfeit product sellers
4.If an eCommerce site is found to be engaged in promoting counterfeit products and sellers by advertising them as genuine products, they should be charged with fraud
5.If a counterfeit product is reported by a customer, the ecommerce site should immediately ban the seller indefinitely from its site
6.eCommerce sites should do backend analytics where things are flagged when a product is selling at artificially low price with investigation thereafter
7.A big mismatch in the price of the same product should immediately be flagged by the ecommerce sites
8.These sites can also put a ‘how to ensure your product is original’ checklist on their website
9.Refunds in case of counterfeit products should be done straight to the card/account and not store credits
10.The products sold on sites should have a quality mark
11.Strict laws should be made against selling counterfeit products
12.The inspectors of state weights & measures department should be on the look out for counterfeit products when inspecting eCommerce warehouses
13.The time consumed during the litigation of such cases should be reduced
14.A system should be introduced where the platform selling counterfeit must refund full amount charged and a penalty cashback.

Counterfeit Products - Key Issues outlined by Consumers

1.Replica products are showcased on ecommerce sites and then huge discounts are offered on them
2.No warranty card is sent with such products
3.Many times customers buy some products thinking they are of a good brand but when they visit a service centre, they are told it’s a fake
4.Counterfeit products are sold with the same name and same picture
5.Pictures of original products are used and hence it becomes impossible for a consumer to know that it’s a fake till they have the product in their hands
6.Sometimes consumer does not even realizes that he has bought a duplicate product
7.In case a customer asks for a refund on such products, either it never happens or it take months to get processed
8.Many replicas of high end watches which look exactly the same as an original are sold online at a fraction of a price. more