74 Fakes and counterfeits are a real issue in the world of craft products. From mass-produced items that are passed off as handmade to intellectual property (IP) infringement and impersonation, domain threats and various online scams targeting both consumers and makers, it’s a huge industry. Five years ago, the global value of counterfeit products being sold already exceeded $1.8 trillion - and it will have grown substantially since then. According to research by MarkMonitor, almost half of brands are now losing sales to counterfeit goods (47 percent). The impact is not just on those immediate sales that are taken by a fake – it has a ripple effect, on future sales and on reputation. Damaged reputations then lose trust: The study revealed that when a customer had discovered they’d bought a fake online, 22 percent said their experience had spoiled their perception of the brand, 26 percent of them stopped buying the brand altogether, and 27 percent even warned their family and friends against the brand. We noticed the problem at SproutWorld a few years ago, but we’ve turned it around and actually joined forces with some of our imitators, to clean up the market and ensure only genuine products are distributed. SproutWorld makes the world’s only patented plantable pencils. Once your pencil is used, you pop the stub end into a planter, water and then watch a tree, herb, flower or vegetable grow. Great as gifts for crafters, children, artists and gardeners, they are hugely popular thanks to the simple and effective way that they communicate sustainability. A report from The Roundup last year revealed that 78 percent of consumers feel that sustainability is important, 62 percent of people say they “always or often” seek products to purchase because they are sustainable, 55 percent of consumers are willing to pay more for eco-friendly brands and a whopping 84 percent of customers say that poor environmental practices will alienate them from a brand or company. It’s particularly relevant to crafters, for several interconnected reasons: practical, ethical, creative, and even economic: Environmental impact Crafting involves various materials: textiles, paper, wood, plastics, dyes, and adhesives. It therefore naturally leads to waste so choosing sustainable options that are recycled, natural, responsibly sourced, or low-waste, helps reduce Michael Stausholm of SproutWorld explains how his company has saved a huge amount of money and time using an AI based tool to fight fakes. COMBATING CRAFT FAKES WITH AI
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