FREAKONOMICS: 'Why Knockoffs Can Help Build a Strong Brand'
A two-and-one-half year study by Renee Gosline of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology looked at people who purchase counterfeit luxury items, like handbags and sunglasses, and found that counterfeits do not hurt the sales of luxury brands so long as consumers can distinguish between them. Indeed, Gosline found that counterfeits are often used as trial versions of the high-end genuine branded item, with over 40% of counterfeit handbag consumers ultimately purchasing the real brand.
http://freakonomics.com/2012/09/05/why-knockoffs-can-help-a-strong-brand/
Notice the bold: SO LONG AS CONSUMERS CAN DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THEM
This is the problem for the knife industry.. It is very difficult for consumers (especially inexperienced with the particular product) to distinguish between the real thing and the fake.. and the problem will continue to get worse so long as Makers do not implement some kind of system which helps consumers distinguish.
PROPOSED SOLUTION
Here is a possible implementation of a serial number and ownership registry system using the example of the Sebenza:
A. each Sebenza gets a serial number stamped on the handle and/or blade
B. the box contains the birth card and includes the serial # and a authentication #.. And says 'Go to ChrisReeve.com to verify the authenticity of this knife.. You go to ChrisReeve.com and it asks for the serial#, authentication #, birthday, and your email address.. Since only Chris Reeve knows which serial# is tied to which authentication#.. they can immediately verify that the knife is authentic
C. so let's say you want to sell the knife.. You would reenter all the information (including your email address which ties the knife to you).. And have the option to email the authenticity of the knife to any other email address.. so the potential buyer would get an email (from Chris Reeve) with the serial # only and confirmation that the knife is authentic.
D. when you complete the sale you follow a similar process to transfer the knife to a different email address.
The big ordeal would be, how do you retroactively provide authentication for all the existing knives that currently do not have a serial#?.. a possible solution is for Chris Reeve to apply a serial# when people send them in for a Spa treatment... which a lot of sellers do when they want to resell the knife.. buyers would likely pay a premium for an authenticated knife which would provide an incentive for sellers to send them in.
Interested in feedback and suggestions from CRK owners.. believe the knife community should be concerned about this as the quality of the Counterfeits increase, the value of collections diminishes because buyers will start to price in the risk of ending up with a knockoff.
A two-and-one-half year study by Renee Gosline of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology looked at people who purchase counterfeit luxury items, like handbags and sunglasses, and found that counterfeits do not hurt the sales of luxury brands so long as consumers can distinguish between them. Indeed, Gosline found that counterfeits are often used as trial versions of the high-end genuine branded item, with over 40% of counterfeit handbag consumers ultimately purchasing the real brand.
http://freakonomics.com/2012/09/05/why-knockoffs-can-help-a-strong-brand/
Notice the bold: SO LONG AS CONSUMERS CAN DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THEM
This is the problem for the knife industry.. It is very difficult for consumers (especially inexperienced with the particular product) to distinguish between the real thing and the fake.. and the problem will continue to get worse so long as Makers do not implement some kind of system which helps consumers distinguish.
PROPOSED SOLUTION
Here is a possible implementation of a serial number and ownership registry system using the example of the Sebenza:
A. each Sebenza gets a serial number stamped on the handle and/or blade
B. the box contains the birth card and includes the serial # and a authentication #.. And says 'Go to ChrisReeve.com to verify the authenticity of this knife.. You go to ChrisReeve.com and it asks for the serial#, authentication #, birthday, and your email address.. Since only Chris Reeve knows which serial# is tied to which authentication#.. they can immediately verify that the knife is authentic
C. so let's say you want to sell the knife.. You would reenter all the information (including your email address which ties the knife to you).. And have the option to email the authenticity of the knife to any other email address.. so the potential buyer would get an email (from Chris Reeve) with the serial # only and confirmation that the knife is authentic.
D. when you complete the sale you follow a similar process to transfer the knife to a different email address.
The big ordeal would be, how do you retroactively provide authentication for all the existing knives that currently do not have a serial#?.. a possible solution is for Chris Reeve to apply a serial# when people send them in for a Spa treatment... which a lot of sellers do when they want to resell the knife.. buyers would likely pay a premium for an authenticated knife which would provide an incentive for sellers to send them in.
Interested in feedback and suggestions from CRK owners.. believe the knife community should be concerned about this as the quality of the Counterfeits increase, the value of collections diminishes because buyers will start to price in the risk of ending up with a knockoff.
