Steve Suddell, inventor of the “Neck Hammock,” raised just over $200k on Kickstarter. He was on cloud nine – for about a minute. A week later, he began receiving angry emails from backers stating that his product was being sold for 50% less on other websites. After some investigation, he found websites featuring all of his images, videos, and content, advertising the Neck Hammock at half the price. He was concerned that Kickstarter would take his project down (as was the case with another product campaign, C-Rest), because the listings violated their policy of “not being able to sell the product anywhere else as long as the campaign is active.” The problem was, his product was not being sold elsewhere; rather, it had been copied and counterfeited. This has become very common with Kickstarter projects, and while Kickstarter is aware of the problem, it has not taken any steps to help the creators/inventors on its platform.

Yekutiel Sherman also knows all too well what it’s like to become a victim of China’s lightning-speed copycats. After he launched his Kickstarter campaign (but prior to manufacturing his first unit) of the “Stikbox,” a smartphone case that turns into a selfie stick, a cheap knockoff version of the product was being sold on AliExpress at half the price.

Unfortunately, these experiences are not uncommon. Crowdfunding platforms, Amazon and sites like Taobao have become feeders for knock-off artists to source other people’s new gadgets. These companies are deep-pocketed, and can get a product manufactured and sold well before the inventor’s campaign is fully funded. This just goes to show that your brilliant idea – even if it is patented or trademarked – could be on sale through Chinese distributors or other bootleggers even before you’ve gotten your project funded.

If you are an inventor who is considering using a crowdfunding site to fund your new idea, be diligent in protecting your proprietary information. There are strategies you can employ that describe the features, advantages, benefits and objectives of your invention without disclosing key details that would enable someone else to rip you off. Consider scheduling a consultation with an experienced intellectual property attorney who can provide you with some affordable strategies to protect your product, such as working with U.S. Customs and Border Control.

Cybersecurity firm, RiskIQ, reported that Black Friday scams have been on the rise significantly since 2016. Not only do consumers and product marketers need to be wary of the usual suspects (i.e. Amazon, Alibaba, eBay), but fake mobile applications are also a serious concern. According to tests run by RiskIQ, a search of popular retail brand names in conjunction with the term “Black Friday,” resulted in over 200 malicious apps. The firm’s full assessment revealed over 6,600 mobile apps were illegitimate; offering holiday shopping deals that were in reality, a scam.

Additionally, last year nearly a quarter of counterfeits purchased by millennials were done via social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram; thus, monitoring these platforms is essential to brand protection and a successful holiday shopping season.

Whether you are a shopper or a seller, here are some keys to identifying counterfeits online:

Deep discounts. A deal that is too good to be true is likely just that. If you can purchase a big    brand product like MAC lipstick or BEATS by DRE at a deep discount, the product is likely a fake.

Shipping from China. Products shipping directly from China can be a red flag, as most (not all) legitimate U.S. products are shipped from U.S. distribution/fulfillment centers.

Unverified third-party sellers. Most reputable online sellers also have their own product websites (e.g. snuggiestore.com). Do a web search prior to purchase to find out whether the seller is the same as the one listed on Amazon, and whether there is a major price difference in the products.

Typically, you won’t know if you purchased a fake until you have received your shipment. Signs to look for are:

Packaging that is flimsy or has misspelled words.

Electronics that do not have the UL (Underwriters Laboratory). This is particularly concerning as counterfeit electronics can be a safety hazard.

No country of origin or manufacturer contact information on either the packaging or the product itself.

Policing the sale of goods online can be a daunting and time-consuming task for product marketers – especially if a product is being heavily counterfeited. It also doesn’t help that each marketplace has a different system (some more user-friendly than others) for reporting and ultimately removing counterfeit goods and storefronts.

Ensure that you can take advantage of this season’s millennial impulse buying extravaganza by making certain consumers are purchasing authentic products from you or your authorized distributors, so that buyers and product owners, not counterfeiters and scammers, can benefit from holiday season spending.

The World Trade Organization stipulates that tariffs can only be imposed when there is material injury to the domestic industry, such as the detrimental effects of currency manipulation. However, in the U.S. Treasury’s most recent semi-annual report, China was not found to be maintaining an artificially low Yuan. However, if the Treasury Department did designate China a currency manipulator, a one-year mandatory negotiation period would be required to attempt to resolve the problem. If unresolved, the U.S. could then retaliate by, among other actions, implementing the 45-percent tariff proposed by the Trump administration. However, given the current administration’s unconventional approach, tariffs could be levied – theoretically – without congressional approval.

The news media has been bombarding us with information on how this tariff will affect the auto industry, in particular, but what do increased tariffs mean for others – such as the consumer product industry? As it is commonplace for such products to be manufactured in China, if a product marketer chose to continue to manufacture in China after the implementation of a tariff, that $19.99 retail price could be pushed up to $28.99. Alternatively, rather than continuing to manufacture in China (and be subject to the threat of higher tariffs), the product marketer can choose to move its manufacturing to the U.S. or elsewhere.

There is no dispute that manufacturing is costlier in the U.S. than in China; that is why most manufacturing occurs overseas. However, in addition to current (underutilized) incentives, such as the Domestic Productions Activities Deduction, and export incentives including the Interest Charge Domestic Sales Corporation (IC-DISC), President Trump is promising to cut regulations and lower corporate taxes. This could, theoretically, make U.S. manufacturing a viable option. Further, should this tariff become a reality and manufacturing jobs do come home, it could significantly reduce the number of counterfeit products entering the country. This, perhaps, may be the biggest advantage to manufacturing in the U.S. or other countries that are not on the counterfeit watch list, such as Bangladesh or Vietnam.

As the product industry is fully aware, China is severely lagging in intellectual property protections. Product leaks (sometimes by the manufacturer or its employees) and subsequent infringement are rampant. A winning product is likely to be knocked off and/or counterfeited and selling on Alibaba and Amazon before it even hits the shelves.

The Commission on the Theft of American Intellectual Property reported that China is responsible for as much as 80 percent of counterfeit goods globally. It is unquestionably the largest source of counterfeits in the United States. Global imports of counterfeit and pirated goods are worth nearly half a trillion dollars per year, with 20 percent of that affecting U.S. intellectual property and product owners. In 2013 alone, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (USCBP) seized $1.3 billion in counterfeit goods – and that’s just what was detected. Pulling manufacturing out of China would significantly reduce the ever-growing influx of counterfeit items into the country and around the world.

An organization’s ability to change and innovate quickly is a key competitive advantage. Similarly, its ability to anticipate and deal with change in a challenging environment is tantamount to survival. Any prudent business owner will need to do an analysis of alternative sources of supply, or renegotiate with suppliers for better pricing to offset increased tariffs and then decide the best course of action. Contact a knowledgeable attorney and seek professional accounting advice to conduct due diligence on the best options for your business.