According to a survey, one in every five products sold on e-commerce platforms is fake. The list is even higher in the cosmetics and skincare range. Flipkart and Amazon are global platforms for selling the top brands online. Being in a market for years, they have gained immense popularity by serving potential brands and customers worldwide. They act like a commonplace for sellers and buyers to interact, but it has also dwelled the way for the counterfeiters to supply the fake products. Local Circles in their study has revealed that there are 22% of fake products on Flipkart and 20% on Amazon as per the respondents.
Counterfeited products are turning into a major challenge for highly renowned e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Flipkart. In a hoard of competition to be the top online platform, they are ignoring the morals of supplying authentic products. The problem of fakes is going beyond measure. The counterfeiters are unethically leveraging these sites to earn their huge profit and fool the consumers. A huge pattern of systemic inflow of fake goods is taking place through “shell sellers” who are not easily caught. Also, they are diluting the authenticity and uniqueness of successful brands. As a consumer, keep these factors in mind to identify whether the product on these sites are fake or not:
- Check the reviews
It is the most common rule that you should follow to identify the authenticity of the products on Amazon and Flipkart. They’ll give an idea by telling you about the experiences of the other customers. Although, some advanced counterfeiters also mend the reviews as well. Therefore, you must check the review on the vendor. These e-commerce websites have to follow the policy to send a review request to their buyers and get their experience. If most of the product reviews on a single vendor are negative, it implies that the product is not real. The company is allowed to take legal action against them as well.
Talking about Flipkart and Amazon, many trusty vendors supply the company’s wholesale products as they are not third-party vendors. Don’t be fooled by the tactics of the counterfeiters. If something like “Fulfilled by Amazon” or Flipkart Assured” is written on the product display page. It doesn’t mean that the product is genuine. It’s the guarantee from the logistics side of these e-commerce platforms. The third-party vendor uses their company transport, package, and other facilities. It has nothing to do with the genuineness of the product.
- Check Return Policy
This is another important aspect that helps you in identifying the fake products on these e-commerce platforms. The return policy of every product varies depending upon its type. Some products have a small return policy. From the day you purchased the product, make sure you are returning the product within that bracket. If it stops functioning a day later or the last day and you are applying for a return, the e-commerce website will not be liable even if the product has a 1-year replacement warranty.
You can contact the brand for a replacement under warranty claims. But, the brand will not be able to do anything if the product is found fake. The counterfeiters are insanely smart in tactics. They misuse situations like these and make a good amount of money by supplying fake products. They know consumers, brands, and even these sites will not be able to do anything even if the product is fake.
- Big discounts are a warning signal
Have you checked and wondered about the huge sale of the high-end brands on Amazon and Flipkart? It’s one of the best tactics to catch the attention of consumers, especially those who are not well aware of how these e-commerce platforms work. These “big” sales are always present on these sites. Beware, these discounts are not a gain every time! These products look very much like the original products while actually, they are not. A new model released by the brand available at a heavy discount may be just an imitation of the original. Do your research before falling for an attractive deal.
- Buy only from an authorized sellers
Many companies often suggest their customer’s purchase products from an authorized seller. So it’s important to check if the seller is authorized by the Company or not before making a purchase. To check, simply visit the Company website or call their customer care.
LetsVeriFy offers anti-counterfeiting solutions, digitized warranty, Product Traceability Solutions to put an end to these emerging problems. These are the best solutions for every brand and e-commerce platform that wants to take care of product authenticity while competing in the market.