Luxurious bags at degrading prices? Taking advantage of the chaos from his trade war Donald Trumpin TiktokChinese sell luxury imitations.
Lately, in Tiktokvideo made viral accuses famous brands of being secretly manufacturing their products in Chinaafter the global confusion caused by the Donald Trump with duties.
But behind these pseudo -revelations lies a well -operated fake goods selling business, which blooms by exploiting the alalum around customs duties.
Presented as employees or luxury subcontractors, Chinese content creators argue that Chinese authorities have lifted confidentiality clauses that bind local subcontractors in response to a sharp increase in duties imposed by the US president.
This alleged Chinese decision, whose French News Agency has found no traces, authorizes subcontractors, according to this allegation, to reveal hidden backstage procedures of luxury species in China.
And in the next step, to encourage western consumers to buy directly from sites that sell themno logo, but with supposedly the same quality and design, at degrading low prices – e.g. For a branded bag of $ 38,000, $ 1,400.
Hermès, Chanel και Louis Vuitton
Brands, such as French Hermès, Chanel and Louis Vuittonwhich is produced in Europe or in the US, as companies say on their websites, refused to answer questions from the French News Agency on claims in these viral videos.
But for him Jacques Charlesfounding president of the luxury and creation center (Center for luxury and creation), The idea that big fashion houses are manufacturing their products in China is “irrational”. “This would be a suicide. If there were evidence – and they don’t exist – this would be their end, the brands are not joke, “the head of this think tank told the French agency.
While users Tiktok They emphasize the specialization of Chinese workers, presented as the hidden hands of the large luxury brands, “these falsification/imitation laboratories do not adhere to all stages of preparation in any way,” he said, citing the famous bag as an example. Birkin d’Hermèswhich requires “hundreds of hours of work”.
Online users that spread this kind of content, in fact seek to ‘Open a rift sowing doubts’ In order to “get rid of their stocks” of illegal products, Charles continues, speaking of “a campaign, spreading to social media” and “difficult to deal with”. The brands, however, remain silent and “treat it with contempt”, something wrong, according to him.
The accusation that luxury products officially manufactured in Europe is secretly produced in China “does not stand,” he says Michelle fanLuxury Marketing Professor of Emlyon Business School.
Just like the argument, spreading in Tiktokabout Chinese reaction to US tariff measures. “It makes no sense,” Fan said, because “the attack on European brands does not punish the US government in any way.”
“I’m pissed off, I bought it at the normal price!” ‘I am so sucker’they write some who fall on these viral posts.
Others ask in the comments the names of the “Large Luxury Cle endings” in China from which they can buy deduction products.
“Get – get …”
At the same time, Sales are organized on live broadcast in Tiktok by Chinese traderswith links to websites.
These live broadcasts can gather hundreds of views. Luxury product models are presented there, numbered, classified in shelves. “DHL tradition. Products identical to them in the store. The only difference: the price »sounds a voice that speaks to French, artificial intelligence.
Online users are invited to ‘scan’ a QR code or click on a link to complete their market via WhatsApp or PayPal.
The French agency has identified about twenty similar live broadcasts at the same time in English and French, which suggests that The main goals are Internet users from Europe and North America.
China is regularly referred to as the world’s leading country of falsification/imitation in the world. According to some estimates, 70 to 80% of counterfeit counterfeit products are manufactured there.
The sale of counterfeit products is prosecuted in the Member States of the European Union as well as in many foreign countries. In France, this criminal offense is punished with three years in prison and a fine of 300,000 euros. Customs can also seize the products and impose a fine equal to their value.
According to the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), Falsification/imitation costs European industry 16 billion euros a year. The most affected areas are clothing, cosmetics and toys.