The young population is inclined to fast fashion trends. They want to try and wear every fashion present on the Instagram reel or any other social media platform. With the boom of e-commerce platforms in recent times, accessing fashionable clothes online has become easier than ever! It doesn’t matter whether they are authentic or not, they should look original. Guess what? Counterfeiters are leveraging this opportunity and earning their share of profits that actually belong to the brands.
Let’s face the reality! Multiple surveys have stated that consumers are fooled by fake products countless times. According to a study, 1 in 5 customers receives fake products on e-commerce platforms. Millennials are more likely to be influenced by online sources such as social media or peer reviews than the older generations. Nearly 50% of millennials talked to their friends about the hyped product they bought online at low prices.
It’s not that challenging for the counterfeiters to exploit the GenZ audience as they give preference to fast fashion. Do they really care if the product is counterfeit? Whether it matters to them or not, they need to understand the damage caused by fake products.
The growing popularity of counterfeit products among young customers in concerning
Gen Z is far more interested in getting a good deal online rather than focusing on whether the product is authentic or not. They love to shop the latest trends online and are easily influenced by offerings that look catchy. Most of the young participants have agreed that they have bought a fake product. Some of them even bought counterfeit products knowingly, which is concerning.
With the rise of e-commerce platforms, the young generation is more prone to buying fakes online. Many youngsters love to scroll and shop the in-trend fashion whenever they get time. They call it “retail therapy,” which is actually not cool! Counterfeits know that most consumers prefer to shop online today. By duplicating the in-demand products, they win the trust of the uninformed audience. At the same time, they use direct communication to improve the overall experience of the young consumers and promote their fake stock.
No solid mechanism is available to customers for differentiating between original and fake products
One of the main reasons why GenZ is less focused on product authenticity is because there are no proper mechanisms available to them that can clearly differentiate between originals and fakes. It’s crucial to carry out online monitoring of fake products and online sales channels to protect the intellectual property of the brands. Keeping an eye on counterfeiters is necessary!
Fakes are easy to find online, especially for the digital-savvy. There is a lack of awareness of how the counterfeit industry directly contradicts the values and ethics of today’s youth. Brands should come out and take a stand against the rising counterfeiting practices, especially on online channels. Before the fake fashion industry grows further, advanced digital solutions need to be adopted to limit the supply of counterfeit products.
Educating young consumers about online fakes is the need of the hour
The quality of fakes is getting better with time. It creates challenges for the brands and consumers to differentiate between fake and real. Young consumers have a perception, “Why spend more when I can get the fake product that looks original?” This thinking needs to change.
The easy availability of counterfeit products at a lesser price catches the attention of young consumers. They need to be educated about the product authenticity that helps them make smarter and more informed choices. With proper education and awareness, the online presence of fake products can be limited up to a considerable extent.
It’s time to stop online product counterfeiting
The overall satisfaction of young consumers’ fake item purchases is high because of the lower price of fakes. Brands need to implement technology-advanced anti-counterfeiting solutions and continuously evaluate their relevance among the young demographic’s needs and values. It helps them avoid online product counterfeiting.
LetsVeriFy brand protection and anti-counterfeiting solutions work towards ensuring these motives only. Overcoming the issue of counterfeiting becomes easy with the implementation of our technologically-advanced solutions. Connect with us to know more about our offerings.