Zhen de, Jia de? (Real or fake?)

posted by Alan
*click on the pictures to see them full sized

Most people know that China is the counterfeit capitol of the world(unofficially). Everything from DVD's, sneakers, bags, watches, clothing, food and even Tylenol have been copied and sold here.

Now, I'm not here to debate the moral issue of using these goods (over here, sometimes there just is no alternative). In fact, the quality of the duplicates have gotten SO good, that oftentimes the only way to tell that they're fake at all is where you're buying them and how much you're getting them for. And even then, you wonder if they're real but just stolen or defective in some way.



Since coming here in April, i'd say the most faked brands have to be Crocs and UGG's. They are both EVERYWHERE. You can buy them in stores, at fake markets, off a blanket or a cart on the street in any style and color you could ever want on your feet. UGG's just started popping up because winter is coming, and Daisy and I were completely at a loss as to whether they were real or fake. Thats how good the quality is. There's actually debate about whether they're fake or are they somehow factory surplus or something. But it's clear that fake UGG's rule the Shanghai winter, while Crocs own the summer. UGG's can usually be bargained down to about $18 USD and Crocs could usually be had for about $3-$5 USD.

Now, because I've lived here before, many of my friends automatically assumed that things I was wearing or using were fake. I DO have some fakes, but I also lived in America for 90% of my life and occasionally purchased some genuine products over that time. But it actually amused me, having people ask "Is that real?" To keep people guessing, my usual response would be something along the lines of "If you have to ask, then it doesn't matter." For some reason, certain people pride themselves on being able to differentiate between real and fake goods. So, here's the contest. Check out the items below, listed by number and see if you can guess if they're real or fake.

1. Battlestar Galactica Season 4 Box Set (for nerdy Daisy)

2. a.k.a Frosted Flakes

3. in Chinese phonetics, this says "Kuh Kou Kuh La"

4. "Ow Li Ow (Oreo)

5. Croc slippers

6. North Fake?


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