Abidas or Adidas?
We Gucci or we Cucci?
When it comes to knock-off goods, I’m proud (or proud?) to say Asians really take it to the next level…for better or worse. Case in point, I remember back when Microsoft was preparing to release Windows 2000, and about a week before it launched, it was already available in China somehow. So… it looks like China beat Microsoft at their own game? Now, if you’re wondering how good the quality of the software was…couldn’t tell ya. It was probably either amazing or self-destructed within 2 months.
And that’s the thing because not all knock-offs/counterfeit/fake goods or whatever you decide to call them are bad quality. When my mom visited relatives in Hong Kong during the ‘90s, she came back with several Sega Genesis cartridges (The Lion King and Aladdin to be exact). Not only have those cartridges survived AND still work over 20 years later, but some of my original Sega cartridges have zapped out before the knock-offs.
Why is Asian culture so strongly associated with knock-off culture? I’ve got two theories. Firstly, we love money and we love a good deal. Asians love a good hustle to make money but also love maximizing value for money. When you factor these two in, it’s amazing that anything gets negotiated at a street market stall in Hong Kong.
As a second-generation Chinese Canadian, negotiating over the price of something is not an ability I am accustomed to. I’m used to looking at a price tag and paying that price. But for my parents who grew up doing this, it’s second nature. I once saw my dad somehow negotiate a joystick to be included with a computer purchase at a Futureshop (like a Walmart for electronics). Whereas the first time I tried doing that, I felt super uncomfortable, basically agreed to their second offer immediately, and ran off after purchasing my pair of “Nike” pants. Since then, I’ve fared slightly better, but it still feels weird doing it.
Secondly and more importantly, everything is already made in China. It would be relatively easy to access these factories and either obtain the products with defects (that are normally discarded) to sell them at a cheap price or even just grab (aka steal aka “fell off the truck”) the original ones and sell them at a cheaper price. Honestly, when shopping in street markets (like the famed Ladies’ Street in Hong Kong) you won’t know whether you’re buying fake or real anymore.
The one area where I used to dabble frequently were DVDs. I have boxes upon boxes of fake DVD’s purchased over the years. I don’t buy them now since streaming has taken over my life, but back then, the words “3 for $15” were sweetness to my ears.
The quality of the video however varied between straight garbage to actual DVD quality and everything in between. Usually, the really good quality ones had the words “For Your Consideration” flashing across the movie at various points, indicating that someone had likely obtained a screener copy for awards purposes and mass copied it to sell. The worst ones were those recorded via a video camera in the movie theatre itself…which were still watchable to a certain extent. The worst (or funniest) I’ve ever seen was when I was watching a cam version of Finding Dory being recorded at the movies. Halfway through the movie, the guy’s cellphone rings, he picks up and tells his friend he’s in the middle of recording a movie and will get back to him later. He’s honest I’ll give him that.
For the most part, these fake goods are generally harmless, like maybe the Versace pants you purchased for 100 dollars start to fall apart after the fourth wear, or the unwatchable DVD you attempt to return to the store a week later has mysteriously vanished. The real problem occurs when the consequences affect people’s health. In this case, fake food. There have been many documented cases of pork disguised as beef, fake chicken eggs, fake soups, etc. the list goes on. One case involved fake wine, where waiters would grab authentic empty used bottles of wine from hotels and fill them with cheap wine, then re-cork it. There have been so many stories with fake foods that people would buy their own groceries, then bring them into restaurants and have the chef prepare the dishes. They simply wouldn’t trust any ingredients unless they purchased it themselves.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve stopped purchasing knock-off goods as I once did. Although I still love great deals for the money, I find that there are more legitimate ways to get authentic things at a great deal without having to go the knock-off route. Further, it just feels good knowing that the Lacoste polo you purchased is real and the logo won’t fall off after one wash. I mean, that is, unless the deal was real good…
