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How Flea Market Dealers Find Counterfeit Merchandise
If you are a frequent or even a casual flea market visitor, you might have noticed that more than a few dealers of sundry merchandise feature popular brand name products that can be had at prices not normally found in the average retail environment. And, if you are considering purchasing such items, it can be hard to distinguish between what is the authentic article, or a false representation of the real thing. Some of the critical thinking skills I would employ is to question why, if such goods were the real deal, why would someone be selling them in the flea market environment? They would be have plenty of customers outside that arena, and not have to show up at the flea market, weekend, after weekend. The most likely scenario for most so called branded items being sold within this marketing europium, are counterfeit. Counterfeit favorites include replica Louis Vuitton handbags, Nike sneakers, professional sports clothing, fake Rolex watches, and golf clubs. While walking through the selling tables and indoor booths that solicit such products, you might also wonder how all these vendors find such a variety of faux products. Besides importing counterfeit merchandise directly from overseas suppliers, you might be surprised to learn that some of the flea market fakes are generated from just a few blocks within one of the largest cities in the United States. The knock-off and counterfeit merchandise that shows up on the tables and booths of America’s flea markets just might have been purchased wholesale from Chinatown in New York City. Chinatown’s bustling walkways feature a vast array of small shops, sidewalk stands, and backroom shopping venues that can supply you with a counterfeit version of just about any product that enjoys popular retail status here in the United States. I write this article not as an endorsement of purchasing counterfeit merchandise, but as a cautionary tale. The individuals and companies that are involved with supplying such illegal items are breaking the law, and, in some cases, maybe connected to a criminal enterprise. You might be of the mind as you stroll through your local flea market that some of the dealers reselling counterfeit merchandise are making a substantial profit. They show up at the venue week after week without suffering from any legal consequence. Just remember that anyone who sells counterfeit merchandise directly to the public in an such an open forum is destined to be visited by private investigators on behalf of the corporation being violated, or receive a visit by law enforcement, sooner, rather than later. When you sell counterfeit merchandise and knowingly violate a companies trademark the penalty is more than a slap on the wrist. In most cases, this is considered to be a violation of Federal law. In addition to a fine and seizure of merchandise, prison time can be in your future. Bottom line, any short term monetary gains that you think you can garner by participating in marketing this type of merchandise is not worth the long term legal hassles. Perform you due diligence and find your own product niche. Don’t try to piggyback off of someone else’s success.
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Contributor's Note
Things might have changed since I wrote this article, and Chinatown might not be the knockoff capital it once was. A Febuary 26, 2008, the city blocks in Chinatown that formed the counterfeit triangle were shut down and boarded up. See the full article: http://www.observer.com/2008/chinatown from the Observer.com While this is a significant raid, and closed down blocks of retail stores, it does not mean that the counterfeiters have gone away entirely. It just means that the sellers have been pushed further underground. Still, the message of this article is clear. Stay away from counterfeit merchandise!
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May, 2012
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