Why are buyers attracted to shiny fakes (we are referring here especially to watches, leather goods, writing instruments), even though they know that they have neither the quality nor the real value of the original? There is an entire specialized literature on the market dedicated to the nefarious, almost irrational attraction of fakes associated with notorious brands, on the psyche and consumer behavior.
They highlight the strong desire to access a higher social status. We want to show at all costs that we have succeeded in life, we have been successful in business, etc. A luxury watch or a so-called “branded” handbag increases self-confidence, gives an aura of authority, confirms the individual. However, this cultural shortcut, of status, is done without paying the correct price, in fact, to the detriment of those who invest a lot of time, innovation and passion to give birth to such highly coveted objects. If the probability of being unmasked is small, the social benefit thus gained exceeds the associated moral risk. As a partial conclusion, the customer of the fake wants to benefit from success, everything that it brings on a social and relational level, but without actually having the real means of acquisition.
