Since the very earliest days of craft and manufacturing, people have always worked hard to ensure that their work stands out from that of other people. Marks would be used on ancient metalwork, brands have long labelled their goods, and companies work tirelessly to make sure that they are recognised for their work. Of course, though, when it comes to the consumer, do authentic products really matter? To help you to answer this question, this post will be exploring some of the factors which play into this, giving you the chance to decide whether you care about authenticity or the benefits which can come with a fake.
The Good
One of the primary reasons a lot of people will buy fake products is because of the price. The items which are made like this won’t have been produced using the highest standards or best materials, and will demand a much lower price than their counterparts. Along with this, a lot of them will be made, making it easy to get your hands on them, with real examples often being impossible to find. People often buy items like this when they can’t afford the real thing, but still want to convey the look of luxury which comes with them, and this has seen large communities form around the web which help one another to find convincing fakes.
The Bad
A lot of people assume that the only bad side of this is felt on the part of the brands whose products are faked. A pair for fake sunglasses can lose the original designer money, while also impacting their reputation, as counterfeit products are usually far lower quality than the real thing. Of course, this also impacts the customer, as they won’t have something which lasts as long, and it may even be possible to tell that the item is fake based on the fit and finish of it. Fakes can often hurt the markets they are part of, taking money away from those putting the time and effort into creating unique designs.
Should You Buy Fakes?
Finally, as the last part of this, it’s time to consider, based on the information above, whether or not you should be buying fakes. There are a number of different angles which you can take with this, with one of the most popular justifications being that large brands don’t need more money, and shouldn’t be charging so much for their work in the first place. Alongside this, though, some would argue that regardless of price, brands should be able to get recognition for their work, and authentic sales form a large part of this. Whichever side you sit on, it’s easy to see that fakes send massive ripples through the industries which they call home.
A lot of people wear fake clothing or carry counterfeit devices, and this is something which a lot of brands are fighting hard against. In reality, though, this can only influence the industry if people buy into fake goods, and this makes it easy to have no part in it.
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