How do they get away with it?

Canonfan

First time poster here, so please be nice.

I live in town city centre, everyday I see people selling fake LV, Gucci bags near Ilac centre. And today I saw a big stand full of fake LV bags opposite of the Trinity college main entrance and right beside the tourist office.

How do the sellers get away with it? Even in China nowadays, LV is taking legal actions.

PS. LV = LOUIS VUITTON

bb1234567

Canonfan wrote: »

First time poster here, so please be nice.

I live in town, everyday I see people selling fake LV, Gucci bags near Ilac centre. And today I saw a big stand full of fake LV bags opposite of the Trinity college main entrance and right beside the tourist office.

How do the sellers get away with it? Even in China nowadays, LV is taking legal actions.

PS. LV = LOUIS VUITTON

Maybe they werent fake? ya never know..

Sauve

They're probably just within the acceptable limits for copies.

The King of Moo

Maybe no-one in the Guards really cares that Louis Vuitton might lose a little money from people not buying his stupendously overpriced bags.

Deus Ex Machina

eh probly just cos people know everyon is strugling at the minute with the recesion so people just let them off so they have work and people can get a cheap bag if they want to look good and feel abit happier

Nodin

I doubt people who buy fake designer stuff would buy real designer stuff as its just out of the price range, or that those who buy the real gear would buy a knock off.

Sauve

The King of Moo wrote: »

Maybe no-one in the Guards really cares that Louis Vuitton might lose a little money from people not buying his stupendously overpriced bags.

But they're made from REALLY soft leather. They're TOTALLY worth €1500. Totally.

Boscoirl

I blame the plastic bag tax, makes shopping too expensive these days

mattjack

I saw some fake Gardai in town today too..

Birneybau

Canonfan wrote: »

First time poster here, so please be nice.

I live in town, everyday I see people selling fake LV, Gucci bags near Ilac centre. And today I saw a big stand full of fake LV bags opposite of the Trinity college main entrance and right beside the tourist office.

How do the sellers get away with it? Even in China nowadays, LV is taking legal actions.

PS. LV = LOUIS VUITTON

P.s., TOWN=WHERE?

akura

Them people have Balls of Steel

Nodin

mattjack wrote: »

I saw some fake Gardai in town today too..

Theres a funny plasticy smell off the fake ones when its warm.

Birneybau

mattjack wrote: »

I saw some fake Gardai in town today too..

I cant believe it's not bacon...

mattjack

Nodin wrote: »

Theres a funny plasticy smell off the fake ones when its warm.

There is , you can't put them in washing machine either.

My name is URL

In all seriousness, would you expect the Gardai to give two shites unless told to do so? If the labels actually cared themselves then they'd do something about it. The few Jacinthas and British grandmothers that buy that tat aren't going to cause space/time to collapse in on itself.

In short, nobody gives a fiddle.

Archeron

As long as they dont have a giant PB in giant red letters emblazoned on their massive oversized velour clad arses, I have no objections to peoples brand piracy related shenanigans.

Washington Irving

Just last week, the guards pulled some fellas up on this in my town

The King of Moo

Sauve wrote: »

But they're made from REALLY soft leather. They're TOTALLY worth €1500. Totally.

I still can't believe those prices. Having said that, I have no understanding of style and fashion, and would probably happily carry my things around in one of those old purple and blue plastic bags if I didn't have my rucksack and laptop bag.

Apparently the only noticeable difference to the untrained eye like mine is that on the fake bags, the LV symbol crosses the stitching, whereas it's always intact on the real bags. Now I don't think most people would notice that if they weren't looking for it, and I don't think it makes the bag look worse.

My ex had a fake one bought on an Italian beach, and I compared it directly with the real thing in Brown Thomas. I couldn't see the difference. While I'm sure a leather connoisseur would see the difference, I can't imagine the difference would be worth €1460, and that someone wouldn't have better things to spend that money on.

*adjusts rope belt*

lazygal

I used to work for a company who's products were widely counterfeited and still are. We reported those sellers week in and week out to the Garda and only once was a seller prosecuted, and that was only because the counterfeiting charges were part of a larger prosecution. I don't know how many times I reported this but it must have been over 100 incidents. It was worst at Christmas when Henry St was end to end with counterfeit rubbish, but the Garda would only check the stall holders had a license, and didn't bother asking about the fake cr@p on sale. Still annoys me when I see cheap knock offs being openly sold.

mattjack

I bought a counterfeit fish once, when I put it in water , it changed colour.

My name is URL

The King of Moo wrote: »

I still can't believe those prices. Having said that, I have no understanding of style and fashion, and would probably happily carry my things around in one of those old purple and blue plastic bags

Angelos?

stovelid

lazygal wrote: »

I used to work for a company who's products were widely counterfeited and still are. We reported those sellers week in and week out to the Garda and only once was a seller prosecuted, and that was only because the counterfeiting charges were part of a larger prosecution. I don't know how many times I reported this but it must have been over 100 incidents. It was worst at Christmas when Henry St was end to end with counterfeit rubbish, but the Garda would only check the stall holders had a license, and didn't bother asking about the fake cr@p on sale. Still annoys me when I see cheap knock offs being openly sold.

You're easily annoyed.

Mance Rayder

Another fine example of the Gardai not doing their jobs. The bottom line is they simpy don't care/couldn't be arsed.

Great bunch of lads.

The King of Moo

My name is URL wrote: »

Angelos?

I wish! At least he wears a tie...

Pottler

They're not fakes, they're Tribute bags. Louis Vuittonesque.

Sunnyisland

There is a price we all pay if we buy these goods as the people selling these items are just the last in a very big criminal chain, Behind them are the big criminal and organised gangs who make these goods on a huge scale and of course the profits generated go on towards other major criminal activities.

My name is URL

realies wrote: »

There is a price we all pay if we buy these goods as the people selling these items are just the last in a very big criminal chain, Behind them are the big criminal and organised gangs who make these goods on a huge scale and of course the profits generated go on towards other major criminal activities.

.. and then there's the counterfeiters =p

Pottler

realies wrote: »

There is a price we all pay if we buy these goods as the people selling these items are just the last in a very big criminal chain, Behind them are the big criminal and organised gangs who make these goods on a huge scale and of course the profits generated go on towards other major criminal activities.

So your calling Louis out as the Godfather of Godfathers? I thought as much, he has my missus well in his grasp -lured her in with his purses he did, only to get her hooked - now she is a street walker selling her soul to get enough for his latest clasp bag..... Jasus no, not street walker, I meant sweet talker, sweet talker love, honest, here, have some cash for some luggage..

Sunnyisland

I meant to say the counterfeiters :o

Meh, cant remember the last time I've had "real" brand clothing or that.. Met a few Western guys in the business of exporting this stuff out of Vietnam and China and they were sayin that alot of the gear is either made in a sister factory next door or made in the same factory as the real stuff at night.

Theyhave the exports setup so the clothes get sold in real stores. Ya cant trust it's real anywhere. And anyways, the only thing more real than the fakes is the copyright holder getting his cut.

I'd love to get exporting stuff myself if I could and if fake clothing was the opportunity, I'd happily do it.

Apelles

CiscoStudent wrote: »

Another fine example of the Gardai not doing their jobs. The bottom line is they simpy don't care/couldn't be arsed.

Great bunch of lads.

You can't simply blame the gardai, they've got much more important things to be doing . . Like eating & stuff.

Pottler

Personally, I want to start importing Imaginary clothing, none of your Real muck - if I can only persuade enough people to buy it, I'm elected. I reckon the production and shipping costs would be very low - Nike Air max for €2 is my target. Easy to store and hide too.

little swift

real leather -1
fake leather + 1

fake leather saves the anamils from been slaughtered and been used as handbags.

Pottler

little swift wrote: »

real leather -1
fake leather + 1

fake leather saves the anamils from been slaughtered and been used as handbags.

+1. I prefer Fur anyday over leather, much softer. But sadly, you are conveniently ignoring the plight of the millions of fake cows and replica Crocodiles being raised in inhumane conditions in factory farms all over Asia, just to feed the Counterfeit trade.

Apelles

Apelles wrote: »

You can't simply blame the gardai, they've got much more important things to be doing . . Like eating & stuff.

Do we really want our guards wasting time protecting some copyright holders in France or Italy?

It's not an industry as severe as drugs.. Buying a fake bag doesn't have blood on it so if people want to buy it, let them at it. It's not like they'd ever be able to afford the real thing anyway.. Same as people with 60k songs on their computer.

When an industry counts their losses for the media, they assume everybody would have bought the real thing if they hadn't got it cheap/free.

DonQuay1

Deleted User wrote: »

Do we really want our guards wasting time protecting some copyright holders in France or Italy?

It's not an industry as severe as drugs.. Buying a fake bag doesn't have blood on it so if people want to buy it, let them at it. It's not like they'd ever be able to afford the real thing anyway.. Same as people with 60k songs on their computer.

When an industry counts their losses for the media, they assume everybody would have bought the real thing if they hadn't got it cheap/free.

I'd agree with you to a certain extent .....

..... but ....

It's a law. It maybe only an itty bitty law - but if it's a law and that law is being broken - it should be enforced. Otherwise - why the hell are we ratifying foreign laws (or writing our own laws) and then not enforcing them?? To keep the pillocks in the Dail busy?

If we don't want them enforced - repeal them. Otherwise lazy Gardai (if that's what they are ..... lazy - not Gardai!) should enforce the law!!

I mean - there's LOADS of laws out there that are not properly enforced by dolled up, 5 foot nothing, blonde, made up Gardai (and that's just the fellahs!) chatting to boyfriends on their mobile 'phones while Sh* te goes' on in front of them!

On a different note - I don't particularly like LV crap or the knockoffs that it inspires ...

You need these law to be in place for society to work.. But with limited resources, some are alot less important than others.

Copper_pipe

I bought a counterfeit jersey recently online, the Authentic was 60 euros in stores and in other online stores, Got the fake for 20 and couldn't tell the difference between the two. If there is money to be saved then I'll take the fake route.

CastorTroy

I remember when I was in Rome, you'd see a bunch of big guys running down the street with a loada handbags any time they saw the police.

girl in the striped socks

I could be wrong here but do the guards not already have enough to do?
Seriously if ye saw a guard arresting or fining someone over this then there would be another thread calling for heads to roll because of all the murderers, rapists, drug dealers, burglars left to roam the streets.

Production of these counterfeit goods provides jobs for thousands of children in third world countries.
Without these 18 hour shifts, these kids would be out on the street playing and stuff.
Buy a bag and keep the kids in jobs and off the streets.

Pottler

Deleted User wrote: »

Production of these counterfeit goods provides jobs for thousands of children in third world countries.
Without these 18 hour shifts, these kids would be out on the street playing and stuff.
Buy a bag and keep the kids in jobs and off the streets.

Shh, FG will see this and try and offer this as an alternative to Jobsbridge. I can hear Enda now - "We will become a hub for the Schnide economy, this will create 450,000 quality jobs for our youths, feck that Smart Economy sh1te I was pushing last year"

DonQuay1

Deleted User wrote: »

You need these law to be in place for society to work.. But with limited resources, some are alot less important than others.

We don't need to enforce fake LV knock-off laws to anchor our society. Seriously. We don't. Repeal them if we can't enforce them - save some money!!

girl in the striped socks wrote: »

I could be wrong here but do the guards not already have enough to do?
Seriously if ye saw a guard arresting or fining someone over this then there would be another thread calling for heads to roll because of all the murderers, rapists, drug dealers, burglars left to roam the streets.

" ... do the guards not already have enough to do?".

No.

That was the point of my pretty pointed argument. Every day the Gardai are swanning around doing nowt. What - they're IGNORING ILLEGAL itty bitty crimess .... so they can hold themselves in readiness for a significant crime to solve? Most crime is mundane and NOT significant. That's why there are small specialist units to handle un-mundane and significant crimes.
The average Garda in the street is SUPPOSED to enforce the itty bitty laws. Why else are they out wandering the streets and hanging around street corners for hours on end!!??

Cantona's Collars

little swift wrote: »

real leather -1
fake leather + 1

fake leather saves the anamils from been slaughtered and been used as handbags.

Very hard to eat burgers with the hide still on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0W2IVzRYMgs

DoneDL

Wel,l we have got fake Bankers and fake politicians so a few fake handbags probably doesn`t raise any eyebrows with the Guards.

DonQuay1

DonQuay1 wrote: »

We don't need to enforce fake LV knock-off laws to anchor our society. Seriously. We don't. Repeal them if we can't enforce them - save some money!!

I mean that companies would abandon Ireland as a legitimate place to do business and sell goods if we didn't have copyright laws in place. It costs nothing to have them there and it stops opportunists like me who could ship home a container next week if it were legal.

B.A._Baracus

Canonfan wrote: »

How do the sellers get away with it? Even in China nowadays, LV is taking legal actions.

You'd be suprised with whats going on in full-view, op. Alot of nixers going on out there.

But it absolutely annoys me when a person says they didnt know something was a nixer. Theres no magical veil covering things.

Pottler

Deleted User wrote: »

I mean that companies would abandon Ireland as a legitimate place to do business and sell goods if we didn't have copyright laws in place. It costs nothing to have them there and it stops opportunists like me who could ship home a container next week if it were legal.

Ahem, may I refer you to the OP?:D

B.A._Baracus

Heres a good question ...

Is there really anything wrong with selling fake fashion goods?
Dog eat dog, every man for themselves, world aint fair etc etc.

mikemac1

Bought an NFL football jersey
The full deal, straight from the offical website

Cost me $130, straight from the sweatshops of Honduras according to the label


If the official sellers are going to use third world countries and then charge me lots I may as well go the fake route

Probably the same factory making both the fake and the officals

Deleted User wrote: »

Met a few Western guys in the business of exporting this stuff out of Vietnam and China and they were sayin that alot of the gear is either made in a sister factory next door or made in the same factory as the real stuff at night.

AngryHippie

Its one of those situations where the people who know don't care and the people who care don't know.
What are the chances of anyone from BT or BT2 hanging around the Ilac centre:rolleyes:
I agree with both sides of the argument,
It could result in job losses and a lack of quality goods coming into the country
If the goods are being made in the same sweatshops anyway, is it morally wrong?

The clincher for me is that I couldn't give a sh1te what it says on my shirt, shoes, glasses pants, jocks or socks as long as it lasts and looks okay then I'm happy as a consumer. Do I give a toss if it was made by LV or CK or any other particular designer....Nope. Do I care about how they feel if someone is making an equally good product and piggybacking their ridiculous advertising budget in order to flog it at knockdown prices....Nope
Will I buy it if its cheap nasty and prone to falling apart or shrinking...Nope