The holiday shopping season is here! Consumers will flood malls and websites to purchase products that spread the holiday cheer across the home, car, work (including office parties) – and everywhere in between. With Cyber Monday 2016 breaking $3.45B in sales, the popularity of this online shopping day is increasing every year among U.S. consumers. With the start of this shopping season, it’s time for consumers to pay special attention to one thing that can dampen the holiday spirit – counterfeit goods.
As one of the leaders in the global automotive and audio solutions marketplace, HARMAN is actively working with official authorities worldwide to take aggressive action to deter counterfeiters. Due to the increasing popularity of consumer electronics products during the holiday season, such as portable Bluetooth audio speakers, many great brands and buyers are deceived by individuals involved in counterfeiting products. Many phony products that are sold online do not meet the quality and safety standards established by leading brands. In reality, poorly made components in these mock products expose buyers to potential safety hazards even when not in use, leading to angry or dissatisfied customers that impact a brand’s reputation and revenues.
In the summer of 2017, thousands of fake HARMAN consumer and professional products were seized in a coordinated effort between investigators and law enforcement officials across Thailand, China and Brazil. Recently, HARMAN gained a huge victory in Brazil in a fight against counterfeit products, where about 1,600 counterfeit products were confiscated and sent to the State Criminal Institute for technical examination. In another raid in China, more than 50 fake products were seized. Authorities in Thailand also confiscated more than 250 counterfeit JBL Professional products and 175 counterfeit dbx® products from a retail outlet and two related warehouses and assembling units in Udon Thani. The fake products, including JBL Professional speakers and multiple dbx products, were offered for sale through an online website as well as a physical storefront. In two additional circumstances in Phuket, authorities impounded approximately 130 counterfeit JBL Professional speakers from 10 shops.
So how can shoppers avoid accidently purchasing counterfeit goods ahead of Cyber Monday?
- Inspect the packaging and logo placement/color of the product
- The package/product may be lightweight, smell of chemicals, or have chipped paint
- Research reputation of the seller and read customer comments
- If you have any questions, call or contact the brand’s customer service team
The bottom line is: shop smart. Trust your gut instincts and don’t purchase items from a website or buyer if you are uncomfortable with the security and credibility of the transaction. At HARMAN, we believe that when you buy authentic, you’re buying safe!
Checkout this video for more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DD920_fvJxY&feature=youtu.be