# Counterfeit Store Fronts A Fake Apple Store Pops Up in Southwestern China By Omar Yusuf | Published 2011-07-21 | Tech Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fake-apple-store References: [gizmodo](http://gizmodo.com/5822918/fake-chinese-apple-store-looks-amazingly-real/gallery/1) & [ifoapplestore](http://www.ifoapplestore.com/db/2011/07/19/counterfeit-apple-stores-popping-up-in-china/) Browsing through the provided pictures, the Mac Store in question looks to be completely ordinary; yet, despite its convincing facade, this is an unlicensed, fake [Apple](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/battersea-power-station-1) store in Kunming, China. How could this be? While anyone (including the staff members, allegedly) might believe this place was the real mccoy, it's a counterfeit store front. According to the BBC, it's not clear who owns or operates this fake Apple store, but there are more like it in the relatively lenient south-central region of China. Mostly the result of China's lax intellectual property laws, this behavior isn't uncommon. If anything, this might be good news for [Chinese Mac](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/Metal-3D-Printing-System) customers -- they can probably pick up counterfeit [iPhones](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hardware-verifying) at a real discount. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 6.0/10 - Popularity: 79% | Activity: 92% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Tech](https://www.trendhunter.com/tech) > [Mobile](https://www.trendhunter.com/mobile) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Counterfeit Store Fronts:** The trend of counterfeit store fronts will increase and companies should implement innovative measures to prevent their brand from being exploited. - **Lax Intellectual Property Laws:** Strengthening of intellectual property laws will be necessary to tackle the increase in counterfeit products globally. - **Exploitation of Consumer Behavior:** As customers continue to favor cheaper prices, companies should continue to be vigilant against counterfeit products on the market. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Luxury Retail:** Luxury retailers should use technology to create unique and difficult to counterfeit product designs or engage in legal lobbying to protect brands. - **Consumer Electronics:** Consumer electronics industry should invest in innovative anti-counterfeit technologies to minimize availability of counterfeit products on the market. - **Fashion and Apparel:** Fashion and apparel companies must implement strategies that will deter counterfeiters from taking advantage of the brand. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Authentication Awareness Pop-Ups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-realreal-popup.md) - [Timber-Clad Mumbai Tech Stores](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/apple-bkc.md) - [Authentic Streetwear Stores](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/canal-street-wear.md) - [Updated Tech-Brand Store Locations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/battersea-power-station-1.md) - [Art Deco-Inspired Tech Retailers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/apple-miami-worldcenter.md) - [Futuristic Phone Accessories Stores](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/phone-accessories-store.md) - [Branded Electronics Boutiques](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/target1.md) - [Computer-Supported Artful Benches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mac-pro-bench.md) - [Low Cost E-Commerce Shops](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/amazon-lowcost-store.md)