Poor quality and incorrect logos reveal counterfeit goods

Research shows that almost one-quarter of online consumers have unintentionally bought a product that turned out to be fake. That was revealed by a global survey by MarkMonitor looking at the online buying behaviors of consumers based on responses from consumers in nine countries — U.K., U.S., Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the Netherlands. The sample consisted of 3,432 adults over the age of 18 who were surveyed between November 8 to 14, 2016.

When asked how they discovered that the product was a fake, most consumers  indicated poor quality (52 percent), followed to a far lesser degree by incorrect logos (15 percent). These goods were purchased through various online channels, mostly on marketplaces (40%) . 18 % of the respondents said that they willingly bought a counterfeit product online. The research revealed that 37 percent of consumers bought between two and ten fake products in the last year. This was highest in Germany (52 percent), Italy (50 percent) and France (45 percent).

Of all shoppers surveyed, 78% stated they were worried about the security of their data and payment information when buying online. In 2015, 68% felt insecure, which indicates a rising tendency. However, respondents nevertheless said they planned to shop more online in the upcoming year. Online is a channel constantly growing in popularity.

Customers spend more money online around the holiday season:

Only 37 percent of those who increased their online shopping said they felt more secure. This figure was highest amongst respondents in Italy (67 percent) and Spain (52 percent), and in the 18 to 34 age group. Forty percent of the sample said they did not feel more secure and 24 percent said they did not know. The experts suggest: “This hesitation could point to the need for more education around the potential dangers of the Internet and how shoppers can protect themselves.”