Web site to protect shoppers from rogue retailers to launch in UK
08 Jun 2011
In the UK a new website called Brand-i is being launched to help shoppers beat cheats who retail branded goods online.
The site will function as a search engine where buyers looking for brands like Adidas or GHD would be able to find retailers approved by the companies.
According to Andy Foster of the Trading Standards Institute, the site would protect shoppers from rogue retailers.
He said users could search for particular brands and the site would provide a list authorised distributors.
He added one could search for a category like handbags, shoes or sunglasses and find a list of brands that sold that type of thing.
According to Foster, the site was just "one check that you can make" and shoppers should not conclude that if a site is not listed it is dodgy.
The Trading Standards Institute has partnered with the likes of the BPI, which represents the British music industry and brands like Chanel, UGG, Adidas, GHD, Hollister and Liverpool FC.
In 2010, the UK Border Agency seized over five million counterfeit items, 1.5 million more than in 2009.
Deckers, the company that owns UGG Australia, a large footwear company, has, so far this year, shut down 4,783 sites for selling fake boots.
According to Alistair Campbell, the UK brand manager of the company, Brand-i would prove "invaluable" in protecting customers.
