How to Distinguish a Fake from the Original

A common question asked at nearly every exhibition, especially when it comes to measuring instruments and other complex technical products, is how to tell a cheap counterfeit from a high-quality original.

Challenges in Identifying Fakes

In today’s market, replicating the external appearance of a device or tool is relatively easy. Unauthorized manufacturers often produce counterfeit versions of well-known brands that look almost identical to the original.

The key difference between a fake and an original lies in the quality of materials and components used. These variations significantly affect the product’s lifespan, accuracy, and reliability.

The Rule of 3 P’s

There’s a simple rule that applies not only to complex technical products but to many other goods as well:

1. Price

• Original products are always more expensive because they are made with higher-quality and more costly components.
• Counterfeits are cheaper because the manufacturers’ primary goal is to sell as much as possible, as quickly as possible.

2. Packing

• Unauthorized manufacturers may closely mimic the look of the product itself, but they often overlook the quality of the packaging due to limited resources and attention to detail.
• High-quality packaging can be identified by the quality of the box, cardboard, and printing. Authorized manufacturers invest in packaging to ensure that products look presentable on a distributor's shelf and are well-protected during transportation.

It’s also common to encounter counterfeit products specifically made for certain markets, such as the Chinese market. These can be identified by the presence of Chinese characters on the packaging and product documentation, which is often provided only in Chinese.

3. Place of Purchase

• The best way to ensure authenticity is to buy complex technical products from an official representative or partner with certification, such as this:

Authorized distributors typically display manufacturer certificates on their websites, in product descriptions, or provide them upon request.

Additional Signs of an Original Product

1. Warranty

• Genuine products typically come with a warranty of at least one year. In contrast, counterfeit products are often covered by a seller’s guarantee of no more than two weeks.
• When purchasing from an official store, each product unit comes with a warranty card specifying the place of purchase, warranty period, date of sale, and the seller’s stamp.

2. Materials

• Pay attention to the materials used. Cheap rubber parts, brittle plastic, and PVC wires instead of silicone ones are clear signs of a counterfeit product.

Conclusion

When selecting a supplier for complex technical products such as instruments and tools, we recommend that procurement and supply specialists follow the principles outlined above. Using counterfeit or non-original instruments, tools, and accessories can lead to malfunctions, downtime, and ultimately a decline in the overall quality of work.

Based on materials from TOO Test Instruments and the online portal Pribor.kz (https://pribor.kz/), an authorized distributor of BOSCH, ERSA, ELSPEC, Mastech, UNI-T, Pro’sKit, and many others.