Last year, Brandon Lee King, a prominent online influencer from Birmingham, England, received an unexpected surprise just in time for Christmas. An eagerly awaited delivery of luxury items, seemingly high-end Nike shoes, a Goyard messenger bag, a Dior T-shirt, and more, arrived from Pandabuy, a Chinese eCommerce site offering “designer” fashions at a fraction of the cost.
Excited to showcase his haul, Brandon shared a video on TikTok, showcasing his acquisitions, which quickly garnered nearly two million views. Despite the apparent authenticity of the items, Brandon subtly acknowledged their dubious origin, noting that although they resembled the real deal, they were distinguishable upon closer inspection.
However, the festivities were short-lived. Earlier this month, Chinese authorities conducted a raid on Pandabuy’s offices and warehouses, seizing goods amid allegations of distributing massive quantities of counterfeit shoes, clothing, and accessories.
While the raid may be a temporary victory for retailers combating counterfeit trade, it sent shockwaves through the digital sphere of influencers and their followers, who eagerly sought similar products.
Brandon, who claimed to have received the items for promotional purposes, directed his followers to Pandabuy listings and provided tips on searching for designer goods through photos. Despite requests for comment from Bloomberg News, Brandon remained silent.
Operating as a “shopping agent,” Pandabuy serves as a middleman for independent Chinese vendors, offering a platform for sales and ancillary services like photography and shipping. However, a UK police investigation, aided by anti-piracy advisory firm Corsearch, revealed that none of the products sold on Pandabuy were legitimate.
While purchasing counterfeit goods isn’t illegal for UK consumers, selling or manufacturing them is. The raid on Pandabuy highlights the ongoing battle between counterfeiters and copyright holders, underscoring the challenges faced by law enforcement in curbing the trade of knockoff products.
As other shopping agent sites, including Sugargoo, CSSBuy, and Wegobuy, remain silent on the matter, the raid on Pandabuy serves as a significant development in the fight against counterfeit trade.