eCommerce Sites Aren’t Fully Fake Proof

It is a problem on the internet, where fake sites and fake products can be found. It affects any industry, and eCommerce isn’t any exception. While most sellers and retailers can be trusted, there will always be some who will still be out there and take advantage of people.

This has been the conclusion of a joint investigative reporting by CNN and India’s News 18. It is hardly news though, since there will always be some counterfeit product or site out there that will try and earn a dishonest profit.

The fake problem on eCommerce sites

These sellers try to take advantage of a loophole in the system, such as one found in the Information Technology Act. This will be an issue that always come up time and again. The investigation has found, for instance, that over 60 percent of sporting goods items found online are fake.

Counterfeit goods being sold in sites might dampen the mood of shoppers, since for one they cannot inspect the goods being sold before buying it. Most still have to rely on the testimony of the seller, and that can be unreliable especially if the seller might somehow be suspicious.

“Customers have to be watchful about the kind of seller they are buying from…They must be able to see if the product meets a certain degree of standards and if they think it cannot, then they must return it.” Anil Kumar, CEO of RedSeer Management

With many sellers coming on to such sites as Amazon and eBay, looking out for who might be selling genuine products from fake ones might become even harder. With the ease with which to simply buy the product online, it might be too late for a customer to realise he bought a fake one.

The best thing is still to buy from reliable sellers. That is why product and site reviews help, though reviews aren’t exactly totally reliable either. What do you think should be done in order to prevent more counterfeits from being sold online? Let us know down below.

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