Amazon Has a 'Notorious' Counterfeit Problem
It's a label some would interpret as a compliment. But when the American Apparel & Footwear Association included some e-commerce venues operated by Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN) on its "Notorious Markets" list for 2019, it wasn't meant in a good way. By "notorious," the AAFA is referring to a market's use for the sale of counterfeit goods.
The complaint isn't an unfamiliar one to investors, who have seen rivals like Alibaba (NYSE: BABA), eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY) and other consumer-facing outfits subjected to similar (and understandable) efforts. Indeed, given the wild West nature of the highly anonymous internet marketplace, counterfeits are often considered just another part of the landscape. Yet Amazon.com may be more liable in the matter than consumers and investors might presume.
"While we are happy to have seen increased engagement with Amazon on brand protection issues during the past year," said AAFA president Rick Helfenbein, "that engagement regrettably has not translated into a discernible decrease in counterfeits of our members' products on Amazon's marketplaces."
Source Fool.com
