Genuflect to Counterfeit’s Accidental Appeal

According to brand protection firm MarkMonitor, most of your shoppers who look at counterfeit versions of what you sell don’t realize the items are fakes. Because counterfeit goods are usually of inferior quality, you’ll be doing a service by helping those shoppers question whether they’re being fooled. Acknowledge the compelling appeal of counterfeits which seem genuine, then present the advantages of buying the real deal.
     The MarkMonitor study analyzed almost five million online shopping inquiries from more than 300,000 consumers in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, the UK, and the U.S. The researchers found that shoppers are likely to end up on a site selling counterfeit goods if the shoppers include in their search query words such as fake, knockoff, or replica, but also if the search terms include words like cheap, clearance, discount, outlet, or wholesale. Of those guided to a site featuring fakes, roughly four times as many had been searching for a bargain than for knockoffs. That indicates that many people considering whether to purchase counterfeit goods don’t realize the goods aren’t legitimate.
     This is useful for you to know when the shopper comes into your store and presents the price of the item as a comparison point to what you are charging. Because it’s common for online prices to be lower than in-store prices, you might assume that the price you’re quoted is for an equivalent item. If it’s counterfeit, it isn’t equivalent.
     The MarkMonitor report of findings also says the prices for counterfeits might, in reality, not be dramatically better than what you can offer. The so-called discounts shown on the 8,000 rogue sites monitored were often in the range of 25% to 50%—like your special promotion sales.
     About 16% of the sessions ended in a purchase when on a site selling counterfeit items. This 16% conversion rate was the same whether the shopper had been searching for a bargain or a fake. You could warn these shoppers in your ads and social media channels, since they might not come into your store. However, purchasers of counterfeit goods do often end up disappointed and irritated, so they could come to talk with you post-purchase.
     Don’t shame your shopper who’s been suckered. Consumers who identify with individually oriented cultures, like the U.S., Australia, and Great Britain, are especially sensitive to that. Frame your questions and cautions as doing a service for a valued customer.

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Prefer Obligation to Shame