June 06, 2008 (USA)
A growing number of U.S. and European court cases regarding the sale of counterfeit luxury products has brought attention to the very real problem consumers face when purchasing online.
Portero.com, one of the only online auction marketplaces that authenticates branded luxury products, estimates that as much as $15 billion, or ten percent of the branded luxury goods sold globally, are counterfeit.
The verdict handed down by a French court ruled that eBay sold counterfeit items and is therefore liable for damages to French luxury group Hermes.
This is the first verdict in a series of lawsuits brought against eBay by such iconic brands as Christian Dior Couture, Louis Vuitton and Tiffany & Co.
"Every luxury brand has an obligation to protect consumers against counterfeits of its merchandise, and consumers should make every effort to ensure that the branded luxury goods they purchase online or through any other distribution channel are legitimate," says Milton Pedraza of the Luxury Institute.
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