Luxury brands were slow to embrace e-commerce, insisting that the luxury consumer experience was inseparable from the sensory wonderland of the in-store experience. But today even luxury consumers view the convenience, flexibility, and selection of online shopping as an indispensable extension of a brand's customer service, because it allows them to select the seller whose offerings match best with their personal priorities. Price, size options, white-glove delivery… if they don’t find what they want, they click off to look elsewhere.
And therein lies the risk for brands, and brands in luxury most of all. Savvy modern counterfeiters are expert at creating the appearance of enticing, authentic options for consumers sourcing purchases online. In these scenarios, the brand name is bait for deceptive sales, payment fraud and identity theft, and the victims are brand fans and loyal consumers. Protecting them is a new and urgent priority for brands’ customer service teams, prompting luxury leaders like Versace and Armani to embrace exciting new methods for safer, risk-free shopping.
Here are 5 of the most common consumer protection strategies that luxury and premium brands are using today to protect consumers from counterfeiters: