IP Outreach Research > IP Crime
Reference
| Title: | Fakin' it: Counterfeiting and consumer contradictions |
| Author: | Lee Hoe [Glasgow Caledonian University], Gillian Hogg and Susan Hart [University of Strathclyde] |
| Source: | European Advances in Consumer Research 6: 60-67 |
| Year: | 2003 |
Details
| Subject/Type: | Counterfeiting |
| Focus: | Apparel and Shoes, Brands (non-deceptive counterfeits), Fashion Accessories |
| Country/Territory: | United Kingdom |
| Objective: | To address the role of fake fashion brands and their implications in the construction of consumer identity. |
| Sample: | 20 avid under-30-years-old fashion consumers |
| Methodology: | In-depth interviews |
Main Findings
Consumers who are not extremely familiar with the original good have problems identifying its counterfeit copy. For most respondents, the desire to own the brand (even through a fake copy) outweighed the desire to "do the right (legal) thing". The most frequently cited reason for purchasing a counterfeit fashion item was "to impress others"; therefore, it matters more that others cannot tell that the item is a fake, even if the owner is aware that it is not genuine. However, contradictions in perceptions were found when the same respondents indicated that they thought negatively of people who buy counterfeits and try to pass them off as real.
[Date Added: Aug 12, 2008 ]