Australian shoppers are turning to Chinese websites to buy fake branded products at a fraction of the price, with replicas so well made they can fool almost anyone.
High-quality copies of clothes, bags and shoes from luxury brands such as Hermès, Louis Vuitton and Chanel are available on platforms such as Sugargoo, Pandabuy and Taobao.
These websites act as middlemen, connecting customers with local Chinese sellers.
Many Australians use these sites to buy knock-offs of popular sports brands such as Nike and Adidas, often calling them ‘replicas’ or ‘reps’.
Benjamin Luke Giles makes money by making videos on his social media channels about the replica products he buys.
Giles, who has spent a total of $50,000 on counterfeit goods, admits he is ‘addicted to buying clothes’.
Buying counterfeit products helps feed his shopping addiction while still leaving him with money to pay rent and other living expenses, he explained.
“Some of my friends’ shoes can cost $50,000. For that same price I probably bought 300 pairs of shoes and 500 individual pieces of clothing. That’s the same price someone wasted on a PE [player-exclusive shoe].
Benjamin Luke Giles makes money by making videos on his social media channels about the replica products he buys and admits to spending $50,000 on counterfeit items
“I basically took that money and ran with it.”
In a video shared to his social media, Giles unpacked a huge amount of replicas, which cost him just $400.
Giles explained it took seven days for the 30kg package to be shipped from China to his home in Western Australia.
The counterfeit groceries included a Marc Jacobs tote bag, Prada sunglasses, a Dior wallet, a Cartier bracelet, a North Face puffer vest, Diesel bags and ten pairs of replica Nike sneakers.
Giles even gives advice to other customers on how to avoid having their parcels seized by customs.
“High-end designer items are the most likely products to be seized by customs,” he said.
‘Buy a maximum of four shoes, because they cost a lot of money and the volume increases, which entails much more risk. Do not ship under 2 kg and over 10 kg.’
Giles uses websites such as Sugargoo (pictured), Pandabuy and Taobao to purchase items from China. He also gives his TikTok followers advice on how to get counterfeit products through customs
There are even dedicated Reddit groups for Sugargoo, Pandabuy, and Taobao customers, who share photos of their purchases and detail the quality, as well as make recommendations to others looking to purchase the same item.
Buying cheap counterfeit products may seem harmless, but buying pirated or counterfeit goods is illegal as it breaches copyright and trademark laws, the Australian Border Force has warned.
“There may be a tendency to view these as innocent or victimless crimes, but this is misleading,” an ABF spokesperson said.
“Counterfeiting harms legitimate Australian industries by creating an unfair playing field for companies doing the right thing.”
The ABF explained that counterfeit goods also include pharmaceutical and beauty products, not just fake designer handbags, clothing and counterfeit shoes.
“Counterfeit goods also pose serious health and safety risks,” the ABF said.
Here you see a young woman from Sydney wearing a pair of genuine Nike sneakers
According to the Australian Border Force, it is illegal to purchase pirated and counterfeit goods as they are subject to copyright and trademark laws. (Stock image of a man having his luggage inspected at the airport upon arrival in Australia)
“Funds from counterfeit smuggling can fund other crime in our communities, including organized crime.
‘Criminal operations may also involve the exploitation of vulnerable workers, including victims of modern slavery, to produce counterfeit goods.’
The ABF works with intellectual property brand owners and policy bodies such as IP Australia and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, state and territory regulators and international agencies to tackle counterfeit shipments.
Luxury items are the most commonly seized counterfeit goods, along with mobile phones and accessories, car parts, clothing, shoes, watches and toys.
The government body is encouraging the public to help protect Australia’s border by reporting suspicious border-related behavior and trading activities through the special service known as Border Watch.