A moral blind spot? This is why counterfeit products are desirable for some consumers

(Image by Feng Yu from Shutterstock)

Bethlehem, pen. – A $1.4 billion counterfeit luxury market thriving in the US with fake designer bags, watches and accessories sold on street corners from New York to Los Angeles. While most shoppers know that these items are not authentic, new research reveals surprising insights into who is most likely to buy them.

A study published in the Journal of the Association for Consumer Research shows that people who don’t know much about fashion or luxury brands are actually more attracted to counterfeit products than those who consider fashion experts. . This finding helps explain why the counterfeit market continues to grow despite the widespread perception that buying fake products is illegal.

The study found that when people don’t know much about the history, craftsmanship and heritage of luxury brands, they are more likely to convince themselves that buying counterfeit goods is acceptable. They often justify their purchase by saying that the real items are too expensive or that buying a fake doesn’t really harm anyone.

“Moral Separation” promotes counterfeit purchases

The study, led by Lehigh University’s assistant professor of marketing, Ludovica Sesaleo, and Columbia University’s associate professor of business, Sylvia Beretza, how does it affect people with different levels of fashion knowledge to counterfeiting? I focused on crab. The researchers collaborated with around 1,000 participants in one four study, including both everyday consumers and members of the university’s fashion club. They discovered that fashion expertise dramatically changed how people viewed fake luxury goods.

At the heart of this research is a psychological concept called moral separation. The mental exercises that people use to justify behaviours they know are completely incorrect. Researchers found that shoppers with less knowledge of fashion are more likely to morally release their counterfeit products. They feel more accepting of interest in fakes by telling them things like, “I’ll buy the real thing one day” or “everyone else will do that.”

Cesareo told StudyFinds editor-in-chief Steve Fink that people are prone to moral departures when it comes to spending money. “People may find it easier to morally release through financial transactions, as they can streamline their actions through legitimacy such as affordability, harmlessness, and social norms,” ​​she explains. I will. “In addition, if products like counterfeit products are widely available, consumers may feel the spread of responsibility, which may make it easier to ignore ethical considerations.”

Knowledge is power

This moral separation manifested in three major ways in research. First, people will justify buying counterfeit goods by pointing out situational factors, such as being students with limited money. Secondly, they spread the blame by saying that it wasn’t too bad because many people buy fakes. Third, they downplay the outcome and are confident that buying counterfeit products will not really harm luxury brands.

Meanwhile, fashion experts are much less likely to use these mental shortcuts. Their deeper knowledge of the industry made them more aware of how counterfeiting affects everything from brand heritage to worker status. They understood that fake goods often fund criminal enterprises and exploit workers on unsafe conditions. This knowledge has made it difficult to morally release from the real effects of forgery.

During one experiment, researchers gave participants a scenario where they owned a genuine, luxurious item and encountered a counterfeit version for sale on the streets. People with little knowledge of fashion often expressed interest in fake items. However, more knowledgeable participants have a strong negative response to counterfeiting, viewing the value of genuine brands as cheaper.

The study also revealed interesting patterns of how people talk about luxury brands on social media. Consumers with little knowledge that encountered counterfeit products were more likely to actually post about real brands online. This suggests that even if you are considering fake versions, you may be using social media to verify your connections with luxury brands.

How Brands Win the Fake War

For luxury brands, these findings point to new strategies in combating counterfeiting. Instead of focusing solely on legal enforcement and counter-fighting technology, brands can be more successful by targeting consumer knowledge. Local governments should also invest more effort to bring the reality behind counterfeiting into light.

“There’s a role that plays both the brand and the government,” says Sesaleo. “Brands need to educate consumers through targeted campaigns that emphasize product authenticity and craftsmanship, but governments need to strengthen regulations and enforcement against counterfeiting, as run by crime prevention agencies. Public awareness campaigns will also help reduce the demand for counterfeit products from consumers.”

Many gorgeous homes are already moving in this direction, creating museums, exhibitions and educational programs that showcase history and expertise.

Louis Vuitton, for example, recently launched a traveling exhibition featuring 200 editions of the iconic trunk, showing the evolution of craftsmanship over two centuries. Gucci has opened a museum in Florence. It traces the brand’s history, from its establishment as a leather goods shop to its current status as a global fashion powerhouse. These initiatives help consumers understand the value behind authentic luxury goods.

This study suggests that this educational approach may be particularly effective for young consumers who are just beginning to develop fashion knowledge. By helping companies understand the artistry and tradition behind luxury brands, they may prevent them from viewing counterfeit products as an acceptable alternative.

The relationship between knowledge and moral reasoning certainly applies to fashion. Researchers suggest that expertise in any field can help people adapt to the ethical issues of the field. Just as fashion experts look at the issue of counterfeiting more clearly, music lovers may be more concerned about pirated content and food experts who are more troubled by fake ingredients.

With online shopping making luxury items more accessible than ever, brands communicate value to consumers who may visit physical stores or interact with knowledgeable sales staff We face new challenges. Digital platforms may need to find new ways to convey the heritage and craftsmanship that justifies luxury prices.

“We hope that consumers will be more aware of their moral departure when purchasing counterfeit products,” Cesareo says. “Consumers actively question the legitimacy of purchasing counterfeit goods and educate themselves about negative consequences, including organized crime, poor working conditions, and economic harm to the original brand. You can do it.”