about Chinatown fakes

[JohnMichaels20]

I ask not how specifically to do illegal stuff, but to inquire about how chinatown works. I wonder this because they sell phony stuff right out in the open, even sometimes with police nearby, and I wonder how they get away with it. I also wonder because i notice there are sometimes when good fakes are out, and times when they are not. When are the best times to go, and why does the quality of fake brands fluctuate?

[lofter1]

The difference in quality depends upon the level of work in the basement sweatshop which produces the counterfeit goods. Maybe depends if the girls have been sewing for 18 hours straight or if they've just thad 3 hours sleep or been given a 5 minute meal break.

Sometimes the cops are nearby and gathering info for a future bust.

Sometimes they're nearby and ... doing who knows what :confused: .

But illegal joints ar being busted downtown on a weekly basis.

Then others take over.

I'd think that a well publicized bust of a group of ladies from Illinois with fake Prada & Kate Spade bags under their arms would put a big dent in business on the street. But clearly the folks in charge don't want to disturb things that much.

Here's what was recently posted on a door in my nieghborhood:

***

[lofter1]

A whole slew of recent articles from the New York Times ...

Your search for CHINATOWN (NYC) in Counterfeit Merchandise returned 9 articles (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/c/counterfeit_merchandise/index.html?query=CHINATOWN%20(NYC)&field=geo&match=exact)

[lofter1]

Here's what one local business (http://www.katespade.com/helpdesk/index.jsp?display=corp&subdisplay=message) has to say about it ...

how can I tell if a kate spade bag is authentic?

the craftsmanship of kate spade handbags, as well as the quality materials used for all products, is never paralleled in non-authentic merchandise. specifically, a country of origin label within the bag, as well as a label that is sewn onto the front of the bag, are basic signs of a real kate spade handbag. in addition, you can be confident that your bag is real if it was purchased from an authorized kate spade retailer.

the kate spade trademark is a registered trademark throughout the world. use of the kate spade name without permission is considered counterfeiting and warrants legal action. authentic kate spade products are not sold at "purse parties," flea markets, by street vendors, in new york's chinatown neighborhood or santee alley in los angeles, in kiosks in malls, or on auction sites. if a kate spade product is purchased in any of these places, risk of being defrauded is highly likely. the sale and distribution of counterfeit product is a crime under federal and many state laws, and is punishable by imprisonment and fines. the manufacturers of counterfeit product do not pay taxes, do not pay fair wages or benefits to their employees, frequently utilize child labor, and have been known to fund terrorism and other serious crimes with the profits of counterfeiting.

please click here (http://www.katespade.com/corp/counterfeit.doc) to download our counterfeit reporting form.

completed documents can be sent via fax to 201-295-6469, or e-mail, trademark@liz.com (trademark@liz.com).

thank you for your concern regarding this serious matter.

http://ksp.imageg.net/images/ksp_logo.gif (http://www.katespade.com/home/index.jsp?clickid=topnav_logo_img)

[MidtownGuy]

What are you, getting paid by Kate and Andy or something?;)


Maybe depends if the girls have been sewing for 18 hours straight or if they've just thad 3 hours sleep or been given a 5 minute meal break.

Trouble is the "real" brands that sell for a lot more are also made in China or Indonesia under sweatshop conditions so what is the bloody difference? I don't know the case specifically with Kate Spade products(maybe they are made in USA by ladies making $25 an hour?), but are the people sewing authentic bags or shoes etc. making so much more than those making the counterfeits? The answer might be surprising. Proportional to the retail price of each, the answer is hell no. What is the real difference in quallty? Enough to justify hundreds more on a bag that is out of style in less than a year anyway? I think we've all heard the reports about companies like Nike.

Kate Spade has a racket, so do the ones coping her. They feed off of each other. It sure is good publicity when those ladies in Illinois, who might not afford a real one anyway, bring the knock-off home and carry it all around the hinterlands generating even more buzz and desire for the brand than would have ever existed otherwise.:rolleyes:

I find it hard to muster sypathy for Kate Spade, who probably has more personal wealth than some small countries. I have absolutely no problem with that, but I just don't see why I would be personally compelled to call any such number as has been posted above.

[MidtownGuy]

from that link:
have been known to fund terrorism and other serious crimes with the profits of counterfeiting

Oh brother.

[lofter1]

I've never bought a thing from Kate or Andy. Not my style. Or within my budget :cool: .

However I tip my hat to them for convincing (suckering?) so many folks into buying their stuff.

On a daily basis I walk around the slew of knock-offs of stuff from Spade and others -- which groups of hawkers spread across the sidewalks in my neighborhood. It's weird how nervous the hawkers get when they see my camera (hey, guys, I'm just taking pictures of the buildings :cool: ).

Another issue that the hawking of knock-offs / counterfeited goods raises is the one of creative copywrights. But that is a whole other thing.

[lofter1]

I find it hard to muster sypathy for Kate Spade, ... I just don't see why I would be personally compelled to call any such number as has been posted above.

Har ...

I didn't post the number so anyone would feel compelled to call / report ...

Just to show an example of what one company is doing to protect their "interests" from a bit of competition going on (literally) within a stones throw of their flagship store.