Super Illegal Import Practices Grab at Super Bowl Profit
If you're like millions of Americans, you have plans this Sunday. I know I'll be racing out of church to a friend's house where I'll enjoy an annual tradition of watching giant men violently smash into each other. It's Super Bowl Sunday! But what does this sports spectacle have to do with international shipping or importing and exporting?
This time of year, as the Super Bowl draws closer and closer, the temptation to become an illegal shipper and import knock-off NFL jerseys overtakes many.
There are some that get duped into importing illegal jerseys and other imitation NFL gear, not realizing their import is illegitimate. Somehow, I doubt this is the case for most.
The enticement to import illegal jerseys is not hard to understand.
According to an article from The Online Seller by its assistant editor Olga Munoz, "An estimated 173 million Americans will watch the big game, and shoppers will spend an average of $63.87 on team apparel, snacks and other goodies... Super Bowl spending should total $11 billion."
That's a big market. It's no surprise people would come up with schemes to have cheap knock-off jerseys imported from China and other big manufacturing countries to sell at a profit here.
It's even easy to imagine the justifications people probably make. I'm not hurting anyone. It isn't like I'm importing and selling drugs. The NFL makes billions, who's going to worry about cheap knock-offs being imported by me?
The U.S. Customs and Border Control is.
According to a short blog from American Shipper, since the beginning of the NFL's regular season U.S. Customs and Border Control "has impounded 304 parcels containing 10,710 fake NFL jerseys at Los Angeles International Airport and nearby Ontario airport."
Whether people import by air or import by ocean freight, U.S. Customs and Border Control is on the lookout for counterfeit NFL gear at the approach of the biggest U.S. sporting event.
While some counterfeit items are bound to get through, international shippers would be wise to stick to products they have licenses for when it comes to importing and exporting than breaking trademark regulations.
If you have a copyrighted or trademarked product that is imported to the U.S., it is a good idea to protect your investment by registering it with the U.S. Customs and Border Control.