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Are you original? - #OriginalCopy Experience




Original iPhone 5 - Rs. 40,000
Duplicate iPhone 5 - Rs. 12,000

Authentic Nike Dunk High Black Sneakers - Rs. 3999
Duplicate Nike Dunk High Black Sneakers - Rs.499

Original Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 - Rs. 19500
Fake Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 - Rs. 4500

The list goes on and on and on. Every original product you come process has got a duplicate replica of it in grey market. This situation is not just with the products. It extends to Fake Educational Institutions, Fake Companies, Fake Professionals and the list is endless. I've always wanted to write about this topic. Thanks to the presentation shown by Mr. Bharath (Category Manager - HP India Supplies) & The Indiblogger Team at the event #OriginalCopy held at ITC Fortune JP Celestial Hotel, Bangalore. 

Why do you prefer Duplicate (Fake) Products? 
I'm sure most of them would answer 'Its cheaper'.

Why is it cheaper? 
Because the raw materials used to manufacture the product is cheaper. 

What kind of raw materials would be cheaper? 
Poor & Low Quality raw materials would come for a cheaper price.

What would be the output, if raw materials of poor quality is used to make a product?
Obviously, a product of poor quality. 

You can't expect a duplicate product to perform as that of an original Product. To be very precise, duplicate cannot become original just because of its look and feel. As Bharath rightly pointed out, no one would be willing to fill in their expensive four-wheeler with a cheaper fuel just because it is cheap. Would your prefer a duplicate medicine for your illness just because it is cheap? Would your prefer an unqualified employee to do the job in your company just because he comes for a lesser salary? Would you prefer a duplicate face-cream just  because it's cheap?



When you prefer a duplicate product, you tend not-to-pay the original creator. Do you think that's fair? Say for example, you pay Rs. 30 for a pirated movie DVD. Does that benefit the producer and director of the movie in any way, who has worked days and nights to deliver a movie?

Benefits of Using an Original Product Over a Duplicate Product:
  • Lasts longer
  • Guarantee/Warranty
  • Better Performance
  • Unique Value & Enhancements
Out of everything, you respect the creator when you buy the original product. The one who sowed the seeds has to reap the benefits, not everyone who came across the farm.

I would like to give an example here. Suppose you are buying a duplicate iPhone for Rs. 10,000. If the phone is facing serious service issues in two months (Of Course it will face because it's duplicate), what will you do? You can't go back to the seller, as this duplicate product does not cover any warranty. So you end up buying a new duplicate iPhone. You face the issue again and you buy a new one again. If my calculation is right, you will end up spending Rs. 40,000 over a period of 6-10 months, for choosing a duplicate product over an original product which would have costed you the same Rs. 40,000 but would've lasted for more than one year at least. 

How to find if the product is an original or a duplicate?

Every brand has got its unique ways to help the consumers figure out the originality of the product. It could be a serial number, a bar code, a QR code or could be a hologram. HP Products being the personal favorite of mine, I would like to explain the concept with the help of a HP Cartridge. 

Look out for a Security Label in the HP Cartridge. The new security label of HP has got an unique QR Code and an image shifting hologram as well. 



You can check the authenticity of the product by reading the QR code in the product with the help of a QR code reader app in your smartphone. You can also visit  www.hp.com/go/ok  and validate the product by entering the serial number of the product. 

If you are not sure about how to check the authenticity of the product, you can always contact the customer care of the brand and they will brief you with the details. 

The impact of counterfeiting (duplication) is huge. As per a report by Cambridge Consultants, the act of counterfeiting impacts around $200 Billion - $700 Billion on world trade. When you buy an original product, you help grow the country's economy along with the benefits of being a proud owner of a genuine product.

What will you do, when some one tries to sell you the duplicate product?



BE ORIGINAL. BUY ORIGINAL. 

 Thanks to the entire Indiblogger Team, Hewlett-Packard, Harper Collins and the Entire Bangalore Blogger Fraternity for an epic evening in the name of #OriginalCopy . As they said, original blogs are happy blogs. Original product owners are happy owners :-)

Image Courtesy: HP

Deepan 10:55 , , , , , ,