Perhaps it's the public's
insatiable desire for convenience that has spurred the recent
overflow of ecommerce sites. It could be the lure of big holiday
money. Either way, large marketing budgets have ensured
awareness of these otherwise unknown sites. The question is, are
people really taking the time to determine the reliability of
these sites and the products they're purveying?
Maybe consumers should take a closer look. A recent study
conducted by Cyveillance (www.cyveillance.com) indicates
that 4 to 8 percent of websites selling high-end brands such as
Gucci, Rolex and Mont Blanc are actually
selling fakes this holiday season. The research found in
Cyveillance's Holiday Cyber Scams Study shows that today
there are approximately 7,000 sites selling the three brands
studied. Cyveillance projects that the number of sites selling
counterfeit luxury goods is keeping pace roughly with the growth
of online commerce. Further estimates that the number of sites
selling all types luxury goods, ranging from designer apparel to
fine jewelry and accessories, has more than doubled over last
year, rising from 20,000-25,000 sites in 1998 to more than
50,000 sites today.
In addition, according to Forrester Research, 8.6
million U.S. households will spend $4 billion shopping online
during the five weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year's, up
from $2 billion in 1998.
"With record numbers of shoppers buying online this holiday,
the potential revenue impact of counterfeiting on luxury
goods-makers is staggering," said Brandy Thomas, CEO and
chairman of Cyveillance. "If online sales were to represent just
5 percent of the $150 billion market for luxury goods, losing
even two percent of that total means hundreds of millions in
lost revenue for these luxury brand companies. Not only that,
widespread sales of imitation luxury products ultimately
devalues those brands."
Tips for Tremulous Shoppers
As the number and sophistication of websites continues to
grow, it will become increasingly difficult to differentiate
between sites selling knock-offs and sites selling the real
thing. There are no guarantees — scams can hide anywhere.
Order from reputable sites with solid privacy policies.
If the price looks too good to be true, it probably is.
Make sure the site has an adequate return policy and relies
on a reputable shipping company.
On the ordering page, look for the prefix "https" at the
beginning of the URL, which indicates that you have entered a
secure server area.
Check for a disclaimer near the order form indicating that
the site uses a Secure Socket Layer (SSL).
