01732 759725
36
VOX POP
and not from the authorised channel
then it should be treated as suspect and
avoided.”
Mark Ash:
“Resellers should educate
their customers on how to spot counterfeit
products and the detrimental effect
they can have. They should encourage
the sharing of information with their
customers, so that any intelligence on
suspected fake supplies can be relayed to
the manufacturer and appropriate action
taken.”
It’s widely accepted that counterfeit
products are hard to spot, so what
should customers look out for
and how can they verify suspect
products?
Andrew Hall:
“With effect from October
2015, OKI Europe’s consumables division
introduced new security measures to
assist customers in identifying counterfeit
imaging supplies. Individual product
packaging for OKI’s original toner
cartridges and ribbons incorporates a new
hologram label so that users can check the
authenticity of their consumables.
“The key visual security features are a
series of alternating images designed to
meet specific criteria when the hologram
label is rotated. If the images do not meet
the criteria, the user can seek further
assistance on OKI Europe’s website by
entering a unique 12-digit code which is
incorporated into the hologram label to
confirm the authenticity of the product.”
Nigel Allen:
“Tell-tale signs include the
lack of a hologram on the toner cartridge;
serial numbers that are inconsistent; badly
printed packaging; as well as a price that’s
too good to be true.”
Kevin Weaver:
“As with resellers,
customers should only buy through OEM
authorised resellers/routes. Xerox supplies
include an authentication label, which the
customer can check for authenticity.
“If there is any doubt that the product is
genuine it should be returned to the reseller
for a replacement and contact made with
Xerox identifying the product and reseller
details. We also provide a video explaining
the challenges of identifying counterfeits,
the risks associated with these products
and how to avoid them
.
com/printer-supplies/avoid_counterfeit_
supplies_jan2015_video/enus.html).”
Mark Ash:
“It depends on the
manufacturer, but our customers can verify
genuine products by checking the label
on the cartridge box. Label colours should
change when seen from different angles,
and the embossed characters have a
distinctive texture.”
Deyon Antoine:
“Counterfeit products
are becoming ever harder to spot.
We’re continually trying to ensure that
users receive genuine Toshiba products.
Consumables for our new e-BRIDGE
Next devices and barcode and label
printers are now chipped to help with the
prevention of counterfeit materials. These
chips enable a device to validate that the
consumable is genuine Toshiba product.
Further information, such as the location
of manufacture and the properties of the
consumable, can be shared, enabling a
more accurate and effective use of that
consumable.
“Toshiba devices now identify when
non-official consumables have been
inserted and inform the user through an on-
screen notification. This can help eradicate
the use of counterfeit products that can
ultimately damage a user’s device.”
...continued
VOW partners with
KYOCERA to tackle
rise in counterfeit
products
VOW is supporting KYOCERA’s
recently launched campaign to
educate customers and partners
on the risks incurred by buying
counterfeit consumables.
Stuart Bleese, Category Manager
for Technology at VOW, said: “These
counterfeit products are made to
replicate all aspects of the original
products, from the branding to the
packaging, which makes it extremely
difficult for people to spot ‘fakes’.
Moreover, they’re sold at temptingly
low prices, making them an attractive
alternative to genuine products.”
He added: “However, the
consequences of using counterfeit
products, either in error or knowingly as
a cost saving, can be hugely detrimental
to quality and output. Simply put, it’s
dangerous to use, or for resellers to sell
to their customers, as there is no way
of knowing what’s inside a product.
The only way to be sure that you are
purchasing a genuine product is to do so
from an official KYOCERA partner such as
VOW.”
ICCE launches
informative video
On June 8, World Anti-Counterfeiting
Day, ICCE launched a short video
giving consumers simple tips on
how to avoid buying fake imaging
products, including toner and ink
cartridges and ribbons.
With as much as 5% of the goods
imported into the EU thought to be
counterfeit and the value of imported
fake goods worldwide reaching $461
billion (
Trade in Counterfeit and Pirated
Goods: Mapping the Economic Impact
,
Organisation for Economic Cooperation
& Development, OECD, and the EU
Intellectual Property Office, EUIPO, April
2016), consumers need to feel confident
that they are buying genuine goods and
understand the risks associated with
buying counterfeit ones.
Featuring insight from Interpol and
the Chartered Trading Standards Institute,
the video aims to raise awareness of the
growing issue of counterfeit imaging
supplies and inform consumers how to
spot a fake and report their suspicions.
Deyon Antoine,
Product Manager,
Toshiba
Resellers
should
educate their
customers on
how to spot
counterfeit
products
and the
detrimental
effect they
can have
