Counterfeit Merchandise

“It was the owners’ unwillingness to comply with repeated attempts to get counterfeiting activity out of the buildings that made us decide to go against them in this aggressive action,” concludes the article in the New York Times...and so goes the reputation of street merchants and markets where thousands of people, old and young, new immigrants and native born, earn their living or seek economic mobility for their families. But, is illegal merchandise pervasive among merchants and in markets? No, indeed, the stores raided in NYC harbored counterfeit merchandise, but a careful look at most vendors reveals the typical merchant avoids the illegal and obtains legitimate merchandise by hard work and carefully cultivated connections.

Most markets and merchants sell produce, cheese and other foodstuffs, the product of farms, daires and other agricultural operations. Of the tens of thousands of other merchants, many make their own merchandise. Jewelry, art work, photography, the myraid of self-produced items that make a marketplace special come from the skills of the vendors themselves. Many merchants sell stylish clothing and other consumer goods, but a careful look at the merchandise reveals it is a season or more out of fashion, or perhaps of lesser quality then found in full-price retail stores. But not always, some merchants acquire first quality and new goods at auction and so pass the savings to the consumer. Other merchants work hard to cultivate relationships with suppliers of this merchandise so that they can resell it at deep discounts. Of course many more merchants sell used items.

Indeed, the casual consumer might think their purchase is counterfeit, but think again and consider the hard work that goes into acquiring, transporting and setting up the business and you'll realize most vendors do not want to risk their livelihood in illegal activities.