WOLFF'S FLEA MARKET EDITORIAL RESPONSE TO CRAIN'S CHICAGO ARTICLE ABOUT COUNTERFEITING
Wolff's Flea Market response is to Brian Dukerschein’s April 13
article, "Counterfeit Luxury Goods Invade Chicago".
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20130413/ISSUE01/304139986?template=mobile&X-IgnoreUserAgent=1 (In order to read the full Crain's article, you will need to register for free at chicagobusiness.com)
My name is Sharon Wolff. I am Creative Media
and Merchandise Consultant for Wolff’s Flea Market, Chicago area. Our
family-owned outdoor market has operated at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont since
1991. We also operate an indoor market in Palatine.
I am writing to several Crain's staff in
response to the aforementioned article with the intent that this message be
read and understood by many in the Chicago community.
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| Wolff's Counterfeit Cartoon |
I have personally addressed and educated other
flea market owners at the National Flea Market Association Conference regarding
the issues of counterfeiting. Opinions stated in this commentary reflect the
views of Wolff’s Flea Market. We are not legal experts. Ongoing product
research is an independent venture that has resulted in the development of
working procedures to combat counterfeiting at Wolff’s flea Markets.
Please refer our website, rules and several Wolff's Flea
Market Blog articles written by me that attest to the fact
that we take this issue very seriously.
Wolff’s Flea Market is wholly aware that categorical
counterfeiting is a worldwide problem. We imagine an infinite amount of
imported and locally manufactured counterfeit products that cycle the economy
after bypassing numerous checkpoints (customs, ports, websites, alleged
licensed wholesalers, a guy, etc.) along the way before trickling down to
potential all-you-can eat buffets at local flea markets. We recognize that there
are many agencies and authorities assigned to this task. In reality, not
everything is intercepted or seized. It then becomes our
responsibility to look for it at the flea market...
For us, as soon as we know, it must go. We
closely monitor merchandise, and enforce strict procedures for our
“Prevention-Identification
& Intervention-Education-Research-Counterfeits-Everywhere”
(PIERCE) Program. Research is an ongoing race and parameters of
analysis are ever changing as counterfeiters attempt to “improve” upon their
never-ending chain of products. I study current trends, commonly counterfeited
brands, seizures, arrests, read books, subscribe to brand name news and
counterfeit alerts. I consult designers, investigators, experts and visit
retail stores, wholesalers, online sites and more. I write informative detailed
reports. We have a growing list of specific brands that are never allowed to be
sold at our markets.
It is critically important to realize what I
encounter during “Research Trips” to privately owned “authorized” stores,
wholesalers, kiosks and pop-up stores at malls. These ventures activate my
“Merchandise Patrol” mentality. Sadly, while intending to study legitimate
products, I CONSISTENTLY FIND COUNTERFEITS ALONGSIDE THE REAL ITEMS. Wolff’s
recognizes that counterfeits are prevalent and unchecked in a variety of the
above places. Even big box stores are not immune to the problem of counterfeiting or the occasional presence of unlicensed product.
At our flea market, we do our best to keep
counterfeit merchandise out. However, as long as it enters the country, as long
as fakes are created and re-created, as long as it is accessible, our job will not
end. Nor will the jobs of any authorities on all levels. We get it, we are with
you in this battle, so please do not generalize that all flea markets are havens for counterfeit merchandise.
Beyond the fight, one of our primary goals is
to educate our vendors. As a special education teacher for 8 years I understand
that people acquire information in different ways. I teach our full-time
merchandise patrol staff and vendors using a combination of written materials,
sample merchandise (real and counterfeit), and many photo examples. Once
educated, we hope to believe that vendors will be able to make appropriate
decisions regarding their sources and products. 99% of our vendors are agreeable
and open to frank, honest learning and communication. They must learn the
realistic legal dangers to themselves for selling counterfeits. I also create
and distribute pictorial educational reports and news articles of arrests. If a
vendor purposely chooses to bring counterfeit products to the market at a
future time, then he or she is immediately and permanently ejected.
Pounding the pavement, fighting counterfeits,
one item at a time.
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