"Bought Because It Was Cheap, But All Counterfeits? Overseas Direct Purchase Slippers and Sandals Flooded with Fake Products"

The Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) has confirmed that all sample slippers purchased from overseas direct purchase platforms from Company A are counterfeit products. These slippers are popular items, and consumers are advised to be cautious as products bought at prices lower than the market value through overseas direct purchases are likely not genuine.

On the 13th, KIPO urged consumers to be cautious after a recent ‘Counterfeit Product Sample Purchase Monitoring’ of the famous Company A brand products revealed that all purchased items were counterfeit.

The monitoring involved selecting suspected counterfeit slippers and sandals from Company A on overseas direct purchase platforms, purchasing samples directly, and verifying trademark infringement. Sixteen sellers offering products at 40% or less of the regular price were identified as suspicious, and one product from each seller was purchased as a sample to determine if they were counterfeit.

Provided by the Korean Intellectual Property Office

The sellers detected did not use the term “counterfeit product” but used genuine logos and images, making it difficult for consumers to identify counterfeit products from online product descriptions. Unlike typical counterfeit products sold online that use terms such as “fake,” “grade S,” or “st” to indicate counterfeit status, the sellers identified in this case did not display any such terms.

In particular, sellers using the name “Company A Official Store” were confirmed not to be official stores. KIPO emphasized that products sold by these sellers were also found to be counterfeit, raising concerns about consumer harm.

There are differences in quality between genuine and counterfeit products in terms of materials, shape, and finishing. However, unless consumers purchase genuine products alongside counterfeit ones for direct comparison, it is difficult to distinguish between them. Therefore, KIPO advises consumers to keep in mind that products priced at 40% or less of the normal price are highly likely to be counterfeit and to exercise caution.

One effective method to objectively verify suspected counterfeit products is to compare the product logo with the trademark registered with KIPO. Registered trademarks can be checked through KIPO’s ‘KIPRIS Patent Information Search Service.’

To prevent consumer damage, KIPO has requested the platform to take action against sellers confirmed to be selling counterfeit products and plans to expand the range of monitored items and platforms in the future. Starting this year, artificial intelligence monitoring will be introduced, which KIPO expects will significantly enhance the effectiveness of blocking counterfeit products.

Consumers who suspect a product is counterfeit can contact the seller to request a return and refund. If the seller denies the product is counterfeit and refuses the return, consumers can report the issue to the customer service center of the platform where the purchase was made or to KIPO’s ‘Intellectual Property Infringement One-Stop Reporting and Counseling Center.’

Shin Sang-gon, Director of the Industrial Property Protection Cooperation Bureau at KIPO, stated, “To prevent consumer damage from counterfeit products, it is important for consumers to distinguish between genuine and counterfeit products and to pay a fair price for genuine products. KIPO will strive to provide accurate information about trademarks and counterfeit products so that consumers can make informed choices and avoid harm.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.