Featured
Brand Protection

How Test Purchases Are a Brand’s Secret Weapon Against Counterfeiters

Contents

How Test Purchases Are a Brand’s Secret Weapon Against Counterfeiters

Test purchases have emerged as a new secret weapon against infringers, and they are proving to be an effective tool in the fight against counterfeits.

In this post, we’ll provide real examples of how brands can leverage test purchases to make a lasting impact against infringers. 

What Is a Test Purchase?

A test purchase is the act of buying a product from a seller to further investigate the product and ultimately determine if it is authentic or not. By doing so, a brand can identify the presence of infringing products in the market and take action to remove them. They also help IP owners by providing concrete evidence of the sale of counterfeit products online.

How Marketplaces Use Test Purchases to Stop Counterfeiters

Test purchases have a wide range of benefits and applications for brands of any size and in any industry. One of the most impactful benefits of conducting test purchases is that they provide brands with concrete evidence of infringement.

Under policies passed by marketplaces like Coupang and Naver SmartStore, this evidence can be used to take powerful and permanent action against counterfeiters. 

Coupang has implemented new strict account suspension rules based on test purchase results to combat the sale of counterfeit products on its site. Under their account suspension rules, if a seller is found to be selling counterfeit products, the infringing seller’s account and connected storefronts will be suspended or even terminated. 

Naver SmartStore has strict rules regarding account suspension for sellers who engage in prohibited activities, such as selling counterfeit products. If a test purchase reveals that a Naver SmartStore listing is counterfeit, Naver will close the entire store down (not limited to a single listing takedown) and based on the seller’s business registration number, prevent them from opening a new store on Naver in the future.

Further, this same test purchase evidence can be used in legal proceedings, which can lead to the removal of infringing products from circulation and the broader market.

How Test Purchases Help Safeguard Your Reputation

Counterfeit products have a massive impact on the reputation of legitimate brands. When fake products are sold online, unwitting customers receive shoddy knock-off items and blame the actual brand for the products' low quality. When this is left unchecked, these opinions can permeate the market and cause a major shift in consumer perspective of the brand.

72% of brands report that the most significant impact of counterfeiting was damage to their reputation
2023 State of Brand Protection Report

Test purchases are highly effective when used as part of brand protection actions against more egregious sellers. Over recent years, counterfeiters have become adept at dodging brand protection efforts. In particular, counterfeiters can quickly make new accounts when theirs is closed.

By using test purchases, brands can open the door to more impactful actions against their biggest counterfeiters. Brands can use the evidence collected from a test purchase and have the account owner permanently banned from opening stores in online marketplaces. They can take things even further with legal action against counterfeiters, resulting in revenue recovery.

Additionally, test purchases can help brands identify the sources of infringing products and target their enforcement efforts accordingly. Counterfeit sellers can easily disguise or hide their information, especially when using informal channels like social media. But with the help of a test purchase, brand owners can access further information about the seller, such as their name, sending address, or return address, which functions as an initial source of information for investigation and enforcement.

Test purchases are a powerful tool for brands looking to protect their reputation and revenue from infringers. By providing concrete evidence of infringement and helping brands assess the quality of infringing products, test purchases can help brands stay ahead of the curve and take a proactive approach to brand protection.

As the ecommerce world continues to grow, it is essential for brands to consider adopting test purchases as a new way of stopping counterfeiters in their tracks.

Learn how our brand protection and test purchase services can help your brand make a lasting impact against infringers. 

This is some text inside of a div block.
Text Link
Banner 3D Shapes Light Blue

Discover the latest trends and challenges in IP protection

Download Report
White Balls and Blue Background

Take Control of Your Trademarks with MARQ Folio

Discover MARQ Folio
White Balls and Blue Background

Renew and Manage Your Trademarks Easily With MARQ Folio

Discover MARQ Folio

Subscribe to our newsletter

Stay up to date on the latest IP Protection content from MarqVision.