4 mins

How to report a fake product on Pandabuy

Table of Contents:

Last updated on: May 14, 2024

Since its launch in 2019, Pandabuy has established itself as a prominent shopping agent for international consumers purchasing goods from China. While it simplifies the buying process, there is an increased risk of counterfeit goods entering the supply chain. With annual global losses due to counterfeiting estimated to be in the billions, it’s an issue for businesses, legal teams, and consumers alike.

In this article, we will explore Pandabuy’s role in brand protection, and the scale of counterfeiting, and provide practical steps for addressing counterfeit products through this platform.

What’s Pandabuy?

Unlike typical ecommerce platforms, Pandabuy does not sell products directly. It acts as an intermediary, assisting buyers in purchasing from various Chinese e-commerce platforms, including Taobao, Tmall, and JD.com. This role is crucial in simplifying the transaction process for international consumers.

Pandabuy’s popularity and competition

The platform’s rising popularity underscores its increasing responsibility to safeguard the authenticity of transactions. As Pandabuy contends with giants like AliExpress, it must enforce rigorous quality checks and foster a trustworthy buying environment to retain consumer trust and market share. However, Pandabuy’s popularity largely stems from its ability to find products, especially counterfeit ones, that are only available on Chinese marketplaces which do not ship overseas. Social media influencers create videos on how to buy from Pandabuy, share ‘hauls’ of products they purchased through Pandabuy, and even create spreadsheets with direct links to items available on Pandabuy.

In March 2024, a leak in the Pandabuy platform confirmed that they have 1.3 million customers, significantly more than what is claimed on their website.

Counterfeits on Pandabuy

Counterfeit goods on Pandabuy span across various categories, from luxury items to consumer electronics. These fakes often mimic well-known brands, and their accuracy makes them extra appealing to customers looking for a bargain. And since fraudsters know that they can make high-profit margins from counterfeit sales, scam sellers use it as a platform for listing replica products that undermine brand trust and deceive consumers.

Identifying counterfeits on Pandabuy

Identifying counterfeit products on Pandabuy isn’t always easy. While some products are obviously a fake of a well-known item – like a designer bag or a games console – not all counterfeits are so easy to spot. This poses a significant challenge for brands, as the sheer volume of products sold through Pandabuy and the sophisticated tactics used by counterfeiters can make it hard to keep up with new listings.

Scam sellers often use deceptive imagery or vague descriptions which make it harder for both consumers and the platform’s enforcement algorithms to spot fakes. Regular updates and adjustments to these algorithms are important for Pandabuy to keep up with the evolving tactics of counterfeiters.

The easiest way to identify a counterfeit product is by its price. Any product offered at a significant discount is likely not original. For brands, this identification is more straightforward. If you do not actively sell on Chinese marketplaces such as Taobao, Tmall, or JD.com, any items listed on Pandabuy purporting to be your products are likely counterfeit and should be reported to the corresponding platform.

The Scale of the Issue

The scale of counterfeiting on Pandabuy is extensive, with estimates suggesting that a significant percentage of listings could be inauthentic. This impacts not only consumer confidence but also the revenues of legitimate manufacturers. The more counterfeits appear on the site, the worse it is for Pandabuy’s brand reputation and equity, and the brands that are being counterfeited. But it also poses legal and financial risks to the platform itself.

When it comes to addressing these challenges, platforms like Pandabuy say that they are continuously improving their detection and reporting mechanisms. The goal is to reduce the prevalence of counterfeit goods by making them harder to list, and faster to take down.

Risks and challenges

Financial losses are perhaps the most direct risk of counterfeit listings on Pandabuy. Brands lose billions every year to counterfeit sales that take profits away from legitimate products and can even disrupt market pricing structures.

Beyond the economic impact, counterfeit products can lead to identity theft and other forms of fraud, as consumers might unknowingly provide personal data to illegitimate sellers. The presence of counterfeit goods also breaks down consumer trust in both the brands affected and the platforms that host the sale of fake products.

How to report a fake product on Pandabuy: A step-by-step

Reporting counterfeit products on Pandabuy is an important step in protecting both consumers and brands. Here’s how to do it:

1. Identify the product

Make sure that the item is actually counterfeit by comparing it with the genuine product’s features listed on the official brand website.

2. Gather evidence

Have clear photos of the product, descriptions, and any correspondence with the seller that can help back your counterfeit claim.

3. Report the item

Currently, Pandabuy does not have a sophisticated reporting system like AliExpress or DHGate. The platform asks holders of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) to email report@pandabuy.com with the evidence listed above. Specify a timeframe in which you expect the report to be dealt with. Only IPR holders are able to report counterfeits on Pandabuy at this time.

4. Keep track of your report

If you don’t hear back from Pandabuy within your specified time frame. If necessary, consider taking legal action.

Another effective way to remove a fraudulent listing from Pandabuy is by removing it from the Chinese marketplace where it is promoted.

Follow these guides to learn how to report a counterfeit to:

How to protect your brand on Pandabuy

For brands, adopting advanced technologies like Red Points’ Brand Protection Software can provide the scalable solution they need. By constantly scanning the internet for counterfeit versions of your products, you can ensure that your intellectual property rights are protected, and your consumers can continue to shop your products with confidence.

To combat the growing issue of counterfeit products, the software includes:

Automated monitoring to continuously scan e-commerce platforms and online marketplaces for counterfeit listings that match your products.
Unlimited takedowns without analyst hours.
Advanced data analytics to identify patterns and trends that may suggest counterfeit activity.
Seller lists that provide information to start legal processes for pursuing offline legal action against offenders.

What’s next

As the ecommerce space continues to change, with more players popping up every day like Pandabuy, the need for brands to stay alert and proactive in managing counterfeit products is crucial. Using technologies for continuous monitoring, like those offered by Red Points, is one approach. It’s also beneficial for brands to work together with ecommerce platforms to improve detection and enforcement efforts. Educating consumers about how to spot counterfeit items can help prevent fraudulent purchases. Additionally, brands should prepare legal responses efficiently and seek feedback to continually adjust their anti-counterfeit strategies. This proactive approach is key to protecting intellectual property and maintaining the integrity of the market.

Request a demo from Red Points today and discover how our tech-driven approach can arm you with the tools you need to protect your brand against Pandabuy counterfeits.