Alibaba makes a bold move to fight fake goods

Alibaba is championing the fight against counterfeit merchandise.



In a new alliance with international brands including Louis Vuitton, Samsung and Mars, Alibaba has created an anti-counterfeiting group. Called the Alibaba Big Data Anti-Alliance, the 20-member consortium of industry and technical leaders is working to keep pirated goods off of Alibaba’s e-commerce platform, according to the company’s website.



Efforts will be supported by a data and analytics platform from the Chinese e-commerce giant.



“The most powerful weapon against counterfeiting today is data and analytics, and the only way we can win this war is to unite,” Alibaba’s chief platform officer, Jessie Zheng, said. “With our robust data capabilities, we are confident the alliance will accelerate the digital transformation in our global fight against counterfeits.”



The platform, which uses algorithms, artificial intelligence and machine learning to crunch big data, has already made strides in the anti-counterfeiting movement. In December, Alibaba and Chinese law enforcement leveraged the platform to assist in shutting down 417 production rackets, arresting 332 suspects and seizing fake goods valued at $207.2 million between April and July last year, the site said.



Going forward, the Alibaba Big Data Anti-Counterfeiting Alliance will focus on raising awareness of Internet Protocol (IP) enforcement best practices and consumer education. It also welcomes more members to join the team, as it explores more innovative ways to better protect supply chains from counterfeit goods, the site said.