The other day a friend told me she is planning to buy a fake bag from a shady online store. I was kind of taken aback by this because I felt like buying such an obvious knockoff isn’t something my friend would do. So I asked her, “Is it illegal to buy a fake bag?” She shrugged her shoulders and told me she wasn’t sure but she suspected it probably is.
That got me thinking and I decided to look it up. Turns out, it really does depend on the country you live in and on their laws. For example, in the US, evidently, you can buy the bag and no one will take any issue with it. The only thing is you can’t sell a fake bag and people who run a business can be prosecuted for selling knockoffs.
I guess this makes a lot of sense. Whether it’s fake bags, clothes, or other stuff- people ought to be able to buy it, but it’s illegal if you try to profit from it illegally. But even though buying isn’t illegal, it does come with a moral quandary: What do you say if a friend notices and comments on the fact that the knockoff bag looks high-end?
It’s definitely a tricky situation and it requires you to be honest and upfront about it. Even though it may be embarrassing, it’s always best to be honest. Besides, would you really want to wear something on which you are not proud of? And, if it’s a fake bag, chances are the quality won’t be on par with the real version.
I’m sure we’ve all heard stories of someone buying something that seems too good to be true, only to find out it was a replica. This isn’t a great way to shop because what good would that do for you in the long run? It might be affordable right now, but in the end, you might end up being disappointed with the item.
In addition, you might be supporting an illegal business that rakes in money from selling knockoff items. I mean, it could be worse but it’s bad enough because you might be encouraging them to replicate items or promoting projects that are not up to the standards of quality.
I think it’s safe to say that the best thing to do is to be honest about what you are buying and not support any replicas or knockoffs. It’s true that it can be tempting, but at the end of the day, it’s better to buy the real deal. There are many opportunities available to save up money and buy the original.
Sometimes, you just need to give yourself a reality check and be mindful of which items you want to spend your money on. That way, you won’t be left with a fake bag that is of inferior quality and you can get the one you want and hope it would last you a long time.
The bigger picture is that it feels much better to possess something that is yours and you can be proud of it. Not only would it be of great quality, but it will also be a reflection of who you are. That means, getting the real thing is the way to go- no attempts of ripping off legally valid designs and no supporting of shady businesses.
My advice would be not to let yourself be taken advantage of by fake bag sellers. There is nothing wrong with buying yourself a great bag but make sure it’s the real deal and certified by the brand. After all, you deserve nothing less than the real thing.