It’s that very wonderful time of the year again and the pressure of Christmas shopping is upon us. Our little girls want the newest Barbie® dolls and our boys want the coolest Lego® toys. Your wife has been eyeing those Christian Louboutin shoes and your husband has been drooling over that new gadget he saw in that tech magazine. Whatever the case may be, these gifts would certainly put a huge smile on their faces this Christmas. It is important that, when planning your shopping for these gifts, you are aware that Christmas time is also the best time for counterfeiters. Counterfeit Christmas gifts are pushed into the market more aggressively and at more affordable rates under the guise of providing amazing discounts to you, the unsuspecting consumer.

These counterfeiters prey on the emotions of consumers and the economic climate in a country. Consumers are always looking for the best discounts on products to shop for Christmas gifts for their loved ones. As a result, they end up with substandard goods that sometimes cause more harm than good.

Some things to keep in mind to avoid buying some of these counterfeit Christmas gifts are:

Price: If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is. Research the actual prices of these items online and see if the company itself is offering a discount to its customers. If a product just launched and is priced at $100 and you are able to get it for $50, it is likely a substandard good. Be wary of deep discounts.

Source of item: If the person that sold that item to you is selling it to you out of the trunk of their car and they are luring you to their car in a dodgy manner, that is a clear indication that the product is not real. Be wary of flea markets as well. When using online retailers, look at reviews of the products to see if there are any red flags or other warning signs.

Branded website: Most companies are aware that their goods have been counterfeited and have provided tips on their website on how to identify counterfeit products. Before you make that purchase, check out the company’s website for more information.

What are 5 popular counterfeit Christmas gifts?

• Luxury shoes, bags and leather goods
• Smartphones, tablets and other electronics
• Luxury Watches and Jewelry
• Sunglasses
• Perfume

If you are a company in any of these industries, it is not too late to contact Sproxil to protect your products before the holidays. As a consumer, ensure you do your research before purchasing some of these gift items and scratch to verify whenever you can. Even Michelle Obama agrees.