Knockoff Formal and Bridal Gowns on Internet Shopping Sites

Knockoff Formal and Bridal Gowns on Internet Shopping Sites


Submitted by Fashion Belle on Sat, 12/11/2010 - 12:20

Brides shopping online in preparation for spring weddings may want to be cautious of websites that appear to sell name brand dresses at a fraction of retail prices. These sites, many in China, are creating knockoffs, a topic addressed by this article, Cyber Monday Crackdown: 82 Sites Shut Down in Anti-Piracy Bust. This Huffington Post article refers to November 29, 2010, the Monday after Thanksgiving in the United States, which has become one of the biggest online shopping days of the year as companies have started a tradition of offering online coupons and discounts to garner an extra share of holiday sales at the end of the busy Thanksgiving shopping weekend.



Products of all types are counterfeited, and in the apparel and accessories categories, luxury brand handbags are a common target as are designer formal and bridal gowns. Formal and bridal dress industry expert Lynette Robinson, whose Gallery by Lynette is featured in the Fashion Belle reviews, has created a special Buyer Beware of Replica Gowns blog to showcase photos of original dresses compared to cheap copies of the same styles from companies selling counterfeits. In a phone interview, Robinson shared with the Fashion Belle Editor that because of the lack of copyright protection in China, manufacturers in that country will often take photos directly from a competitor's website, post it on their own site, and offer to make the dress for far less than the original dress sells at retail. Robinson, who produces her own original designs in partnership with factories in China and elsewhere, said that often the counterfeiters have never seen the original dresses. They refer to photos of popular dresses and cut copies based on measurements submitted by their online customers. The fabric and construction quality of the counterfeit dresses is usually far inferior to that of the original gowns.



Bridal and formal gowns can easily run into the hundreds or thousands of dollars, which is why shoppers would understandably be drawn to websites that appear to offer deep discounts on styles, especially modest styles which must be ordered online if the shopper does not have access to local stores that specialize in modest styles. However, be aware that not only are counterfeit goods illegal, the quality may be far below what is expected.



For the Cyber Monday crackdown, agents from the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) had been making purchases from suspected sites, and if the products shipped were confirmed to be counterfeit, the domains were seized. The following notice was placed on the closed sites, "This domain name has been seized by ICE - Homeland Security Investigations pursuant to a seizure warrant issued by a United States District Court . . . . Intentionally and knowingly trafficking in counterfeit goods is a federal crime that carries pentalties for first time offenders of up to ten years in federal prison, a $2,000,000 fine, forfeiture and restitution . . . ."



Special agent John Chakwin is quoted on the ICE website regarding the importance of stopping illegal imports, "These counterfeits cause legitimate U.S. industries to lose billions in revenue annually which deny Americans good-paying jobs. Counterfeits may be funded by criminal organizations, and they deliver shoddy and sometimes dangerous goods into commerce." The ICE encourages the public to report information on counterfeiting and trademark violations at the Intellectual Property Rights toll-free hotline, (866) IPR-2060

Source