Crawford market is one of the most vibrant and lively markets located in the South of Mumbai city. It is among the popular and sought after spot for every tourist who would want to explore the Indian local markets. This market is also a favorite shopping destination for the locals in Mumbai. The hustle and bustle in the market is mainly due to the wholesale rates and the versatility in the products that are available to the purchasers.
Crawford market was named after Sir Arthur Crawford who was the Municipal Commissioner of the city but it was renamed as Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Mandai. The former name still persists to be the most commonly used and addressed form of indicator even among the locals while referring to this market. This market is unique in itself not just for its architecture, wholesale rates or the versatility in the products but also for various imported goods that are available at a throw away price.
Gucci, Armani, Hugo, Nina Ricci perfumes available for a price in hundred’s would be any purchasers dream come true! Crawford market is a place of paradise for every purchaser because this is the place where such desirable rates are not just an illusion but a reality. The brand ZARA being available as Zahra with the same packaging like the original brand would anytime confuse even the most brand conscious person on just having a glance at the product. The green color packaging of Brut is what a consumer identifies the brand with but when a similar packaging has the word Britt mentioned on it then only ‘Caveat Emptor’ and the asymmetric information is what vendor would hurl at the buyer.
These are some products that have deceptively similar packaging, logo, name, color etc. of a brand in the market. The comparison of smell, consistency, aesthetic look etc. of the original and counterfeit products would help one decipher the difference between the original and counterfeit brands. This too is a process driven by time and familiarity. Not all are cheated but many are when it comes to counterfeit brands.
This indeed is the market where brands meet their real competitors. It is in this market that the original brand is confused with the duplicate because of the efficacy and perfection in which the counterfeits are projected to be original. This is the market where the expensive brands meet their cheaper versions. This is the market which puts brand familiarity to test and only the ones who are familiar with brands can have a narrow escape.
There are many elements that contribute towards brand loyalty but at times even the rival brands would miss the race because sometimes the competition is with the brand itself which is counterfeited resulting into a major drop in the revenue model of the brands. Competing with rival brands in the market is quite manageable through various marketing strategies but the real competition is with the silent market player who could be the game changer. This silent market player is a major threat and competitor to the brands because its existence and permeation is untraceable. The counterfeit of a particular brand is one of the major competitors within the IP realm which needs to be aptly tackled.
