MarkMonitor Finds, Nearly Half of Brands Admit That Sales Are Lost to Counterfeiting

One-Third of Brands Surveyed Reported a Loss of More Than 10%

New research from MarkMonitor, the world leader in enterprise brand protection, has revealed that almost half (47%) of brands lose sales revenue to counterfeit or pirated goods, with one in three reporting a loss of more than 10%. The research also found that 58% of respondents agree that keeping a brand safe will become increasingly difficult over the next five years, with challenges coming from the areas of artificial intelligence, the dark web, and augmented reality.

In addition, 41% of brands indicate they are already experiencing an increase in brand infringement, while 38% believe they are more likely to be affected by lost sales due to counterfeit goods in the next five years.

Brand Protection Involves a Lot More Than Taking Care of the Brand Itself

Chrissie Jamieson, VP Marketing, MarkMonitor, said, “The issue of brand protection has always been a challenge for businesses and it’s an area that is growing significantly based on the increasing threats of counterfeiting, piracy, cybersquatting, and other brand abuse.”

Chrissie added, “According to the research, brand protection will continue to grow in complexity and as a result, it’s vital that organizations adapt their approaches accordingly. Brand protection involves a lot more than taking care of the brand itself.”

Further, Chrissie explained, “Critically, it’s about maintaining customer trust and protecting consumers from the dangers posed by counterfeiters and online criminals. Our research reflected this notion, showing that the overriding objective of brand protection strategies is to ensure that their customers are safe.”

Research Methodology

The study was conducted, in November 2017, on behalf of MarkMonitor by independent market-research firm Vitreous World. This goal of the study was to examine the attitudes and perceptions of marketing decision-makers about online brand protection, as well as their challenges and the state of the industry. Respondents from the UK, the US, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden were included in the study.