On May 13, 2024, Joe Vagnone & his co-host James Smith interviewed Tamara Rabenold, owner of Vaudra International, on News Talk WSIC’s Local Biz Now radio show. The interview showcased Vaudra’s diverse experience & strategic approach to supporting brand owners amidst the proliferation of counterfeit goods. From supporting business owners and their counsel to evaluate the scale of infringement to helping brand owners understand where suspect products are available online, Tamara spoke to their range of services to protect clients’ intellectual property (IP) in our on-demand world.
Between Joe’s wife’s online purchase of a fake NFL jersey to James’ childhood memory of walking into the barber shop to buy a cheap bootleg DVD of the latest movies, it is clear that counterfeit goods pop up in a variety of ways. With the convenience of online shopping and products from around the world reaching a consumers’ doorsteps within days, consumer demand drives the engine for an opportunistic environment bad actors are quick to capitalize on.
As the interview progressed, Joe mentioned his son’s new business endeavor as a third-party (3P) seller on Walmart & Amazon. Until our interview, he had not considered the potential risk of selling counterfeit goods based on the source of his son’s store inventory. With this in mind, Joe asked how the general public could better protect themselves from counterfeit products. Tamara raised the importance of learning more about the product origin & mentioned the increased seller transparency on platforms like Walmart & Amazon to give consumers an opportunity to know from whom they are buying. Although not a perfect solution as Vaudra’s team has seen sellers using fraudulent information, it is still a step in the right direction.
Tamara also mentioned her involvement in INTA’s Unreal Campaign, a consumer education initiative to teach young consumers (ages 13 – 23) about the importance of intellectual property and why not to buy counterfeit goods through a free 30-60 minute presentation. Anyone interested in learning more about this program or bringing it to a school near them, please let her know!
From talking about addressing products coming out of China to illegal streaming services leaving you vulnerable to malware, the conversation was lively & varied.
Click below to see the recorded stream of the interview. Tamara’s interview begins around the 30-minute mark.
