IP Outreach Research > IP Crime
Reference
| Title: | Profiling Buyers of Pirated Products in China: The Case of Wuhan |
| Author: | Wah-Leung Cheung and Gerard Prendergast [Hong Kong Baptist University] |
| Source: | BRC Working Paper no. 200404 |
| Year: | 2004 |
Details
| Subject/Type: | Counterfeiting, Piracy |
| Focus: | Apparel and Shoes, Brands (non-deceptive counterfeits), Fashion Accessories, Film |
| Country/Territory: | China |
| Objective: | To profile light and heavy buyers of pirated products in Wuhan according to their purchasing behaviour and demographical characteristics. |
| Sample: | 350 consumers of pirated goods |
| Methodology: | Focus group followed by mall-intercept questionnaire |
Main Findings
Consumers identify pirated goods by their lower price and the buying location. Pirated goods are purchased either for personal use or for family members. Concern with loss of face may explain the small percentage of pirated goods bought as gifts. Younger, more educated males were the main buyers of pirated VCDs (note that pirated VCDs are often in English). Women were prominent among the heavy buyers of clothing/accessories.
Highlight the need for campaigns educating consumers about the risks of counterfeits and the need for easy and reliable identification of authorised distributors (through the publication and dissemination of lists of genuine distributors and retailers, and by means of "genuine" logos exhibited in authorised shops; to avoid confusion, there should be no distribution of original products in "fake districts").
[Date Added: Aug 12, 2008 ]