WHY WE AUTHENTICATE
You might be asking yourself, should we even care if we find vendors online that sell fake designer items? What’s so wrong with buying counterfeit designer goods? Does it even matter if you buy a fake designer purse or pair of shoes? The short answer is yes, absolutely, yes. So why do we authenticate? Producing and selling counterfeit merchandise is illegal because it violates trademark and copyright law in the United States. Current trademark law in the U.S. and many other countries around the globe prohibits trademark dilution and trademark infringement.
HOW CAN REGISTERED TRADEMARKS HELP IDENTIFY COUNTERFEITS
Trademarks allow the public to distinguish one company’s products from another. Registered trademarks often include business or product names, key phrases, designs, or marks. These special markers help identify the source and manufacturers of products to enable the public to identify merchandise sources. Obtaining a federal registration from the Patent and Trademark Office makes it illegal for another to use that same registered trademark. Each state also has its own trademark laws, as do most countries outside of the United States. Infringements are based on the “likelihood of confusion” standard.
IS IT OKAY TO BRAG ABOUT BUYING FAKE BAGS ONLINE?
Reflecting back a few years, buying fake items and using them was a dirty little secret. Everyone knew it was wrong and had a certain amount of shame for it. You wouldn’t know that today while scrolling through the comments on #fakebags TikTok posts. There is not only a lack of outrage but the comments are filled with outpouring support. Gone are the days where saving for that special designer purchase is treasured and celebrated. Instant gratification and bragging about it have replaced the specialness of owning a beautiful, designer bag for the first time.
Knowingly buying a fake and being accidentally tricked into buying a fake are two completely different things. Yet, buying fakes, regardless of intention, still negatively impacts society the same. First, we need to address the people who see scoring a counterfeit bag online as a badge of honor. Then we need to empower everyone to avoid being a victim by unintentionally supporting scammers and criminals.
WHY COUNTERFEITS ARE TERRIBLE FOR SOCIETY
Purchasing counterfeit items are often linked to crimes such as helping fund terrorism acts and encourages the following activities to help meet demands: human trafficking and child labor. Purchasing counterfeit designer handbags, wallets, and sunglasses is also linked to gang activity and drug smuggling. Not only are counterfeit items linked to crimes, but they can also ruin the reputation of luxury fashion brands. Imagine the following scenario: a counterfeit Chanel handbag purchased by someone on Amazon or eBay could have been stitched by a young child kidnapped from their family, then the money used from the sale funds criminal activities such as human trafficking, purchasing weapons, or drugs, etc. Negative impacts of counterfeiting in 2017 were projected to drain $4.2 trillion from the global economy, and at least $70 million came from counterfeit handbag purchases. Further, the production of counterfeit goods operates in complete disregard to any environmental regulations, often subjecting their workers and surrounding communities, not to mention the end product consumer, with heightened environmental and health risks. Those knockoff Yeezy sneakers you just bought your toddler probably contain more toxic lead paint than you’d ever find present on a garment produced under standard government regulations. If you have ever received a product in the mail that smells of gasoline or plastic chemicals, you’ve likely received a counterfeit good that could leave detrimental effects on your personal health.
HARMFUL EFFECTS OF THE COUNTERFEITING INDUSTRY
– Impacts the economy (local and global)
– Jeopardizes the job market
– Supports child labor
– Promotes organized crime
– Cheap quality products
– Undermines innovation
– Diminished designer brand value
– Negatively impacts the environment
– Hazardous to personal health
MAYBE YOU MISTAKENLY BOUGHT A FAKE BAG OR ITEM
“But they bought this directly from the boutique” is no longer enough an excuse to buy fake luxury brand handbags. Scammers return counterfeit goods to the original in-store, an online boutique, or even the outlet mall. And guess who gets stuck with the counterfeit bag? YOU…and you may not even realize it.
An unknowing, untrained shopper wouldn’t think twice about brand authenticity when purchasing directly from the brand itself. To make matters even more questionable, sales associates are not trained to detect high-quality fakes. Imagine the sales associate was hired just a few short months ago, and they are still new to the industry. Scammers even use insider employees to return the knowingly fake merchandise as well as advanced and human engineering to pass fake returns as real.
As we have seen far too many times before, counterfeiters know they can sneak by sales associates quite easily. Knockoff bags quality is getting better as the years have gone by, but so have other fashion categories such as jewelry, streetwear, and sneakers.
PROVIDE CONFIDENCE & PROTECT YOUR BUSINESS
Real Authentication helps individuals, dealers, and global brands buy and sell premium luxury brand goods by giving shoppers unparalleled confidence and peace of mind that the items that they buy and sell are indeed authentic, not counterfeits. We leverage our deep expertise and years of experience to deliver the most trusted and accurate luxury goods authentication service available.
As a business, when you invest in authenticating your luxury goods with Real Authentication, you not only save the buyer from having to authenticate the item themselves, but you also minimize buyer hesitancy by providing confidence around authenticity upfront. Third party authentication helps save your business and its reputation from being harmed by unknowingly selling counterfeit items. Not only does selling counterfeit goods tarnish your reputation and brand value, but it’s also illegal and could lead to serious legal trouble. See an example of what could happen, such as the Chanel vs WGACA case.
WHY CHOOSE REAL AUTHENTICATION?
Real Authentication was founded in 2016 to provide the market with access to highly skilled authentication experts from anywhere in the world. We offer services directly to the public as well as partner with top resellers and selling platforms alike to help verify brand authenticity.
Real Authentication offers expert luxury designer authentication services for handbags, watches, streetwear, eyewear, clothing, jewelry, shoes, scarves, hats, and home goods such as pillows, glassware, and blankets, from more than 170 brands. The quality of our services is documented in thousands of reviews and testimonials from luxury shoppers like entrepreneur and television star Bethenny Frankel.
HOW OUR PROCESS STANDS OUT
Our world renowned team of experts analyze every aspect of an item that is submitted, from general product information all the way down to the denier of a stitch. Each order is typically reviewed by two of our highly-trained authentication experts who apply their extensive hands-on experience in conjunction with the company’s proprietary archive of over 7 million reference images to analyze the fine details of every submission.
Our proprietary Smart Database Scan™ technology cross-checks numerous data points within our system and identifies potential red flags. The Real Authentication platform is now the world’s leading process to certify the authenticity of new and used luxury goods.
HUMAN AUTHENTICATION OVER AI
As counterfeit luxury items flood online and physical stores, shoppers are increasingly seeking professional authenticators to verify authenticity. While many authenticators are adopting AI technology, Real Authentication warns that AI lacks the human expertise needed to effectively detect counterfeits. AI struggles to keep up with evolving luxury brand styles and the rising quality of counterfeit goods, making it an unreliable verification tool. For further insights, read this blog post.
THE FOUNDER’S ADVANTAGE
The Real Authentication “Founder Advantage” is the result of Founders Anastacia Black and Jenna Padilla’s hard-won experience. They have extensive backgrounds in top-tier buying and authentication roles, and they understand the industry comprehensively. The Founders possess extensive industry knowledge beyond just shopping, unlike other service providers. Their extensive research and high volume of items reviewed both physically and virtually also sets them apart. Creation of brand guides and high-quality training materials further distinguishes Real Authentication’s service. Our team maintains high standards and utilizes cutting-edge technology.
GLOBAL ACCESSIBILITY
No additional devices required! Whether you’re in New York or Tokyo, one standout aspect of Real Authentication is the ability to tap into its expertise using just your Android or iPhone, no matter where you are in the world. This level of accessibility is unmatched in the industry, making it convenient for customers and sellers worldwide. Additionally, teams located across different regions can submit orders simultaneously and receive authentication results in real time.
EXTENSIVE BRAND COVERAGE
Real Authentication offers authentication services for a diverse array of items, including handbags, clothing, shoes, sneakers, jewelry, watches, eyewear, keychains, home goods, and more. With coverage spanning over 170 luxury brands across various product categories, Real Authentication’s expertise encompasses everything from iconic fashion houses to esteemed watchmakers. This ensures that you can confidently authenticate a wide variety of items.
DISCOUNT TIERS
Real Authentication empowers users to choose their own discount tiers, offering savings of up to 30%. This feature rewards frequent users and bulk submissions through our REAL+ program. Individuals and businesses can experience substantial cost savings without any hassle, making Real Authentication a smart choice for those dealing with luxury goods on a regular basis. Learn more here.
CUSTOM API SOLUTIONS
For businesses seeking a more cohesive solution for authentication at scale, Real Authentication provides a powerful custom API (Application Programming Interface) that can easily integrate into any existing workflow to ensure authenticity. This integrates seamlessly into your current systems, boosting both efficiency and reliability. In contrast to our competitors, we have a proven track record in this area and not only are able to upload existing inventory sets for 24hr authentication in bulk, but also able to offer buyer-facing upsell opportunities for our services and official documentation. Our technical development mapping team is highly skilled and well versed in the intricate nature of designing authentication solutions tailored to your company’s specific needs. We have navigated the unexpected challenges and loopholes that can arise with various authentication structures, and are now able to confidently and proactively prevent common processing mishaps before they ever occur. Learn more about our Enterprise Solutions.
Download the REAL AUTHENTICATION App from the Apple App store today.
We offer quick and easy authentication services for luxury designer handbags, shoes, clothing, jewelry, watches and accessories before and after you purchase.
