Counterfeit goods have become more and more popular over the years, especially for middle and lower class consumers who cannot afford authentic luxury goods. You can find just about anything being sold as counterfeit, from handbags, watches, scarves, clothes, and even shoes. For instance, it’s quite hard to tell the difference between the Nike shoes replica from the original ones.  

Before you get into the market and choose to buy counterfeit instead of original, you should know exactly what you are getting. First of all, most of these things belong in the grey market, not the black market. They may not be from the original manufacturers, but they are not illegal either. Here are the pros and cons of buying the products.

Pros

Lower Prices– Most of these products and goods are sourced from VAT free countries such as Thailand, China, and Singapore. This makes the price for each unit lower compared to the original goods. When merchants buy the products in bulk, they get even higher profit margins, and they sell the products at a cheaper price.

Convenience– These replica products are easily available online from various merchants, which make access very convenient. When shopping online, you have the options of secure payment methods such as Visa Cards, and the good are usually delivered right where you are.

Reliability- Most of these gray market replica goods comes from Southeast Asia countries and shipping is not usually much of a hassle. The work well with local carriers meaning that they are a reliable source.

Cons

Warranty– Gray market retailers do not get their products from the original manufacturers, and they don’t have the right warranty provided for the products. Most of these replica goods come with store warranty, which is not usually as good as a manufacturer warranty. If you get any problems with your products, don’t expect fast repairs or replacements. As a matter of fact, sometimes its best not to expect anything at all.

Economical– The problems with some replica problems is that some merchants feel the need to smuggle the goods to avoid taxes. In return, this means that the government loses a lot of money in duties and uncollected taxes. This means that the economy suffers a great deal from these losses.

These are the pros and cons of purchasing counterfeit merchandise from the grey market. At the end of the day, they are advantageous because a lot of people who cannot afford the luxury items get a taste at a fraction of the price. The market for replica goods is actually larger than that of the original goods, which is understandable given the inflated prices these original products come with.

Apart from the price, they are also convenient, and everyone loves convenience. However, you should also know that certain risks are involved, such as reliability and the lack of customer support for these goods. There is always a potential for fraud as well since you have no idea how the merchants got the goods. On top of that, in the end, the government suffers losses. If you intend to buy counterfeit, you should always do it at your own risk.