UGG counterfeiters sued by Deckers

The UGG brand has been the target for counterfeiters on a number of occasions.

US-based UGG brand owner Deckers has filed a trademark complaint against online counterfeiters in China. The lawsuit alleges that a ‘counterfeit network’ has made a number of online stores in order to sell fake UGG boots.

According to Deckers, these online stores have been made to appear as authorised UGG sellers, and unsuspecting consumers are ordering counterfeit boots. The websites are all said to have been identified as being part of one network by their design elements, as well as the use of incorrect grammar and misspelled words.

The criminal websites reportedly offer customer service as well as security checks during the payment process, which add to the appearance that they are bona fide authorised sellers of UGG branded footwear. The counterfeiters are also claimed to be using unauthorised search engine optimisation and social media spamming in order to appear in search results and so attract customers.

Although conceding that it is ‘virtually impossible’ to identify the companies involved due to how they conceal their identities, Deckers is seeking an injunction against the perpetrators, in addition to $2 million for each fraudulent use of the UGG trademark.

Publishing Data

This article was originally published on page 3 of the February 2019 issue of SATRA Bulletin.

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