1 in 3 Americans Bought Something Counterfeit in the Past Year

Counterfeiting is a major issue across the globe, and the rise of e-commerce in recent years has further fueled growth in this industry. engage™ has created a survey to see how aware U.S. citizens are when it comes to counterfeiting.

The counterfeiting industry has experienced massive growth in the U.S. in recent years, fueled by the e-commerce boom. The researchers at engage™, a digital solutions company that allows its users to get crucial information regarding their products, created a survey to see how aware are U.S. citizens when it comes to counterfeiting. The survey asked Americans about their online and in-store shopping habits, as well as their awareness of the dangers of counterfeiting.

43% of American respondents shop online more than once a week

When it comes to online shopping, 43% of respondents said they shopped online more than once a week, while 28% do it once a week, and 18% once or twice a month. Just 9% of respondents said they enjoyed online shopping less than once a month, and 2% said they don’t shop online.

When it comes to shopping at physical stores, 33% of respondents said they enjoyed this activity once a week, 29% said they do it more than once a week, while 27% said they do it once or twice a month. 8% of respondents said they shopped in-store less than once a month, while 3% said they don’t usually go shopping in physical stores.

52% of respondents are ‘very aware’ of the dangers of counterfeiting, while 9% had no idea it was so widespread 

52% of respondents said they are very aware of the magnitude of the counterfeiting problem at a global level, and 40% said they were somewhat aware. 9% of respondents were unaware of how widespread counterfeiting is at a global level, and they admitted they had no idea how big of an issue it really is. 

53% of respondents might have bought something fake in the past 12 months

One of the biggest problems when it comes to fake products is that counterfeiters have become so good at what they do, that sometimes it’s hard to differentiate the original product from the replica. Consequently, many shoppers end up buying fake items without even realizing it. 

When asked whether they purchased something in the past 12 months that turned out to be fake, 47% of respondents said they did not, and 35% said that they did. Counterfeit items are now of such high quality that people might not even realize that their product is not authentic. 

The survey participants were asked if they ever reported a purchase that turned out to be counterfeit. More than 46% of respondents said they did not report such a purchase, while 23% said they’d never been in such a situation. However, 31% of respondents said they did report a counterfeit purchase, which is encouraging news. 

Close to 60% of respondents would lose trust in a brand if they bought a replica of one of their products

Counterfeiting is not only a threat to consumers, their health and wellbeing, but also to brands. Counterfeiting can significantly impact a brand’s profit margin, not to mention its reputation. Case in point: 56% of the survey respondents said they would lose trust in a brand if they bought a replica of one of their products, even if they did so unknowingly. 

72% of respondents believe the fashion industry is the most affected by counterfeiting; following close are electronics and cosmetics

Participants were also asked if they thought counterfeiting was more common online or in physical stores. 77% of respondents said they believe counterfeiting was more common online, while 12% believe it is a more pressing issue in physical stores.

 

72% of respondents believe the fashion industry is the most affected by counterfeiting. Electronics and cosmetics are two other industries that were chosen by most of the respondents as some of the most affected by counterfeits. Other industries that respondents chose include sports goods and equipment, automotive, and over-the-counter drugs and supplements.

75% of respondents would be willing to use a mobile app to scan products and verify their authenticity

40% of respondents said that if such an app existed, they would definitely use it, while 35% said they would probably use it. 19% of respondents were skeptical, and just 1% said they would not use such a solution if it were available to them.

More than 35% of respondents said they would use such an app all the time, if they could, while 31% said they would use it most of the time. This is encouraging news, emphasizing the fact that consumers are open to emerging technologies that can help them steer clear of counterfeit items.

Media Contact
Company Name: Engage
Contact Person: Norbert Zahui
Email: Send Email
Country: Romania
Website: https://engage.link


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