A Saskatoon man named Derek Chambers has recently expressed concerns about the increasing presence of knockoff clothing items in second-hand stores. Chambers believes that staff at these stores should receive better training to identify fake products. Chambers’s worries stem from two incidents he experienced while browsing at a local Value Village. On one occasion, he discovered clothes that appeared to be fake and alerted the staff. While they acknowledged the issue, they also pointed out the difficulty in catching every counterfeit item due to the large volumes they process. On another occasion, Chambers came across a suspicious Canada Goose jacket with an incorrect price tag, indicating that it may be fake. When he inquired about the refund policy for a counterfeit purchase, he was informed that he would only receive an in-store credit, which he found to be an unfair resolution for a significant amount of money spent in a second-hand store.
In response to Chambers’s concerns, a spokesperson for Value Village’s parent company, Savers, encouraged customers to raise any suspicions they have with staff or through their customer care team. The spokesperson emphasized that corrections would be made when appropriate. Chambers wonders if staff at these stores receive proper training to identify counterfeit items before assigning them high price tags. He questions whether they can accurately discern the nuances of counterfeit products and if they are given the opportunity for education in this area.
Jocelyn Malcolm, the owner of a local second-hand store called Style Encore, acknowledges the challenge of identifying fake items. She ensures that her staff undergo additional training and spend extra time verifying the authenticity of items before placing them on the shelves. Malcolm notes that there are apps available to scan barcodes on designer bags to verify authenticity, but her staff is trained to evaluate items in various price ranges.
While Chambers believes that these incidents are isolated, he urges customers to be vigilant when shopping at thrift stores. With more people relying on these stores for their shopping needs, it is essential to be mindful of the authenticity of the items being purchased.
Sources:
– Value Village spokesperson
– Jocelyn Malcolm, owner of Style Encore