Internet shopping is a breeding ground for counterfeit products flooding trusted websites with low cost goods and fake branded products.
When it comes to internet shopping its quick, easy, often cheaper and delivered to your door but is the quality worth the compromise for the ease of online shopping.
It is estimated that the counterfeit product market is worth a whopping $416 billion worldwide and continually growing at breakneck speed.
The dangers of buying online-
I always say, “you wouldn’t buy your medicine online so don’t buy your skincare on there!”
The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed they confiscated $700,000 worth of knockoff products some of which tested positive for high levels of faeces and bacteria. (Refinery 29, 2017)
These products were only investigated when multiple customers complained about bumps and rashes from fake MAC, Urban Decay and Kylie products.
Those statistics are just in America so can you imagine the vast worldwide ‘industry’ and how much false products are getting through our borders.
By buying skincare online can put your health and skin at risk. It is also an ongoing challenge for Beauty Salons like ourselves to be able to offer safe treatments when we are unsure on what products a client may have used on their skin. This leads to us having to turn the client away to avoid an adverse reaction.
Using fake products will never give you the desired results on which the product advertises as the ingredients will not be true to the label which in turn creates a lack of confidence towards a reputable brand all because it was sold as a counterfeit good.
I understand the beauty industry is increasing in expense for clients due to higher quality and strength of ingredients, so consumers are often drawn to the discounted options to ensure they are able to keep up with their beauty regime however, to combat clients going elsewhere for a cheaper unsafe ‘deal’ on skincare we have introduced our VIP Skincare card which has been operating successfully in salon for over a year now. It is a purchased yearly membership at £29.95 to gain 20% off all skincare & makeup, 2 free skin scans to enable us to give accurate and professional advice and recommendations and free postage to receive your must have products to your door. We have introduced this solely to keep our client’s health & skin in the best condition without having to clean up the ‘aftermath’ of a counterfeit product!
The bottom line is there is no crime in wanting a good deal. But when it's your health at stake, keep in mind that paying full price on a product directly from the brand or a reputable retailer will always cost less than an unexpected trip to the A and E (Refinery 29, 2018).