British clothes-maker fights pirates with online campaign

Post by Steven Cox on 14th February 2012
 in E-commerce, PPC, Retail

A manufacturer of prestige clothing in the north-east of England is using the internet to fight back against criminals who sell fake copies of its goods online.

Outdoor clothing manufacturer Barbour has enlisted a team of internet security experts to try to find and shut down the factories which are making illegal copies of its goods, and the online traders who are selling them.

The company says that its recent launch of a new fashion range has brought about increased reports of goods being counterfeited.

Group finance director for Barbour, Brenda Readman-Bell, told the Shields Gazette newspaper, based in the town where the company has its main factory, that she did not know how much sales of fake clothing cost the company, but added: "It is very important to us that our customers are protected".

Barbour has posted a page on its website which contains details of 60 sites which are known to sell fake copies of its items around the world.

And the company is also investing in an online advertising campaign, using Google's paid search service, to alert people to the existence of the fakes, and the dangers of buying them.