Online Sale of Counterfeit Goods

The president of the FNEM launches an alert on the online sale of counterfeit goods. A victim of its growing success, the online business in Morocco has become the target of counterfeiters. Counterfeiting is the price of a certain glory, the professionalism of online commerce and the rising confidence of e-consumers. The Federation is also concerned to see these counterfeit items overshadow the genuine products sold on the market.

Luxury Handbags Michael Kors 100 Dh, a Rolex Diamond Dh 70, a Dolce & Gabbana perfume Dh 69… Prices that are unbeatable for counterfeit products bearing the name brands sold online. False defective products and especially with some peril to the health of consumers.

Mobilised tirelessly since its establishment in the fight against counterfeiting, the National Federation of the Moroccan Digital Economy (FNEM) launches a warning against this scourge, which recently gangrene online trading.

While educating consumers about the dangers of these fake products because counterfeiters do not respect hygiene and safety standard, the Federation denounces such fraudulent practices, illegal and unfair and calls some online retailers shamelessly members and non-members the Federation, to renounce this illicit trade that undermines the sector’s reputation.

The Federation also draws attention to the Chinese marketing shoddy products whose components are harmful to health. Bought cheaply, these items sold overpriced, are presented as luxury items.

A victim of its growing success, the online business has become the target of counterfeiters. Counterfeiting can appear as the ransom of a certain glory, the professionalism of online commerce and the rising consumer confidence.

The Federation is also concerned to see these counterfeit items overshadow the genuine products sold on the market.

Need we recall that the impact of counterfeiting on the Moroccan economy is unfortunate. The latest survey by the National Committee for Industrial Property and Counterfeiting gives a precise inventory.

In 2012, nearly 1.2 million counterfeit items were seized by Moroccan customs in 2012. That’s almost 3300 items seized daily. The total value of these counterfeit items of 33.4 million dirhams.

For tax purposes, the scourge lose in Morocco made 1 billion annually and over 30,000 jobs.

Counterfeiting substantial development and generates negative economic and social consequences both on the macroeconomic level and at individual level (image, reputation, loss of opportunity, loss of competitiveness of the productive systems, job destruction, undermine consumer safety…).

If some imitations are coarse, like a misspelled labels or whimsical names, of years or localisation errors, other fraudsters put on the market of counterfeits which make allusions, fooling the consumer and sometimes even the greatest experts.

Hence the need for regular and careful monitoring to ensure the traceability of products sold online.

For all these reasons, the Federation sends warning to e-merchants who want to continue down this illegal way, meaning they it will take all necessary legal measures to enforce the e-consumer’s right to a quality product and fight against any of which is likely to harm the image of the FNEM and its members