They say, ‘Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery’, but that is little consolation to businesses when cheap “knock off” products flood their markets, steal their customers and harm the reputation of their brands.

Counterfeit goods are becoming more readily available in New Zealand and, to most consumers, hard to tell from the genuine article.  This is a problem for consumers and brand owners alike.

For brand owners it is not just loss of revenue, but also loss of reputation. Loss of goodwill and reputation in a brand can be critical to a company’s well-being and balance sheet.

When a much sought-after product doesn’t work as it should, it is not the counterfeiter’s reputation that is damaged but that of the brand owner. However unfair, however unwarranted, it is the company’s reputation that suffers. The company is the one on the ground in New Zealand while the counterfeiter is often thousands of miles away.

CreateIP can help businesses take steps to prevent the importation into New Zealand of counterfeit product through the implementation of simple yet effective measures such as lodging border protection copyright and trade marks notices with New Zealand Customs. These notices allow New Zealand Customs to intercept counterfeit items before they reach the marketplace.  We also work with Australian Customs and Chinese IP lawyers who can lodge equivalent notices with the Chinese Customs authorities.  These notices stop the counterfeit product being exported from China.

We can also help you monitor counterfeiters’ activities through internet and retail surveillance and investigations, and taking enforcement measures against infringing online auctions to shut them down and obtain the vendor’s details.