Nowadays, fraudulent products are a true plague to society. They deceive consumers while fueling an underground economy and represents a dishonest competitor that destroys companies and jobs alike.
Counterfeiters use the new distribution channels offered by the Internet to develop their business. They take advantage of the services such as those provided by electronic commerce platforms in order to distribute their illicit merchandise. These actions infringe upon the public images of the e-commerce platforms and is destructive to customer confidence as well as online sales.
We therefore decided to restrain such fraudulent practices by offering an unprecedented service in order to protect customers from fraud as well as encourage the development of Internet commerce. The H Place is only for highest reputable Hermes worldwide resellers.
No High Hermes brand experience = Access denied
We are looking to working in tandem, to putting concrete methods on our platform in place and fighting against counterfeit in a tangible manner; this means a fight against false offers, refabricated products, or reproductions done without the legal title holder’s authorization.
We believe that the combat against counterfeit can be overcome by certain measures and specific exchanges of information. Associated member vendors are well aware that these particular actions are a result of organized experiments allowing for the measure of pertinence, as well as a constant adaptation in the face of counterfeit evolution. Members agree to put forth authentic products that have been scrupulously verified before being put up for any type of sale on our platform.
Our control measures against counterfeit products
Vendor information and consumer awareness
We inform our associated members on a regular basis of their obligation to guarantee the authenticity of their proposed products for sale as well as the sanctions they face - in terms of criminal law and the terms and conditions of service related to the platform - if they were to propose counterfeit articles. This information is diffused via an automatic messaging system at the time of composition of the respective advertisements. The corresponding company (Hermès) will be informed systematically both through official and legal channels in the event of non-compliance with these conditions.
Counterfeit detection methods
We are fully aware that online counterfeit offers may be presented in many different forms. Certain fake products may be detectable upon analysis of the article itself whereas others can be discerned through the general behaviour of the vendor and any related information such as their past sales experience, clients impressions and eventual complaints. Whatever the situation may be, immediate actions can be taken in order to analyze the pertinent information automatically.
For purchase made from individual sellers, when the buyer will receive the order, he/she must send to THE H PLACE, photos of product to check that he/she received the good product such as described in the listing.
Procedures of notification by the legal title-holders
We are committed to putting effective and efficient notification methods in place, easily accessible by electronic means. The procedure is easy to use, comprehensible, and strictly limited to the information pertinent to the clear identification of the declaring party and the announcement or vendor notified. We are able to indicate - through the notification procedure - the reasons for which we believe the products in question are counterfeit articles and which sanctions the vendor risks facing.
Handling of counterfeit product offers and fraudulent vendors
Our commitment is to detect fake products by using the methods described above and assuring that they not be posted online for sale. Our vast experience has given us the knowledge needed to immediately detect counterfeit articles based on a simple photograph. If a vendor does try to post an offer of a fake article on our platform, we will suspend all activity without delay, including all accounts belonging to the vendor, even those open under pseudonyms, with the suspension lasting for an undetermined period of time. We will take all action in our power to prevent the re-inscription of the vendor indefinitely. Finally, the legal service of the parent company as well as the vendor country’s authorities shall be notified immediately.
Recall that we are able to demand member sellers of their origin - whether they are based in the European Union or whether they propose products outside of this territory - the supply of parts being a key to deciphering the origin and authenticity of certain articles.
We shall remove any contentious offers if the vendor is unable to produce justifiable evidence of the origin and/or authenticity of the product being proposed.
Customer complaints
We encourage the reception of customer complaints, of those victim to counterfeit offers even if it concerns purchases made on other websites. For the sake of standardization and control against fraud, we solicit any and everyone to bring forth information regarding counterfeit vendors. In order to achieve this, we have made available a specific section that is easily visible and accessible, so that consumers can notify us of any offers related to counterfeit articles or fraudulent vendors.
We will forward all information to the Autorities in the event that the nature of the product requires particular attention. If the complaint is justified according to the terms and general conditions of use of the platform, we will transmit the complaints to the respective title-holders.
Offers issued by habitual vendors for products belonging to categories identified as being frequently counterfeit
We remind you that as a gesture of goodwill, we are able to ask our member vendors - at risk of having their accounts on our platform suspended - to provide us with justification of identity and address (for the French members: the Kbis or Identity card, SIREN/SIRET number, bank account number, etc.) so that we may be able to verify the information. We reserve the right to conserve the aforementioned identification and corresponding information for the entire duration of the account(s) operation and for five years following the account(s) closing.
The modalities related to the information demanded is clearly stated in the general conditions and terms of use of service.
Information exchange between The H Place and the legal title holders in the efforts against counterfeit products
Information concerning offers of sale and vendors
We are inclined to have certain information at our disposition - information allowing us to detect possible counterfeit product offers as well as vendors that are susceptible to sell fake items (information related to vendor identification, IP address, sales history, financial information, etc.)
We are committed to our contact with the legal title holders and to transmit any elements we might have that could contribute to the identification of counterfeit sales offers or the profiles of the fraudulent vendors.
Elaboration, adaptation and updating of counterfeit detection tools
Certain methods of elaboration, adaptation, and updating of counterfeit detection tools have been anticipated by The H Place platform, necessitating a periodic exchange of information between our services and the professional vendors and resellers, including the experts. The objective is to provide the most efficient service possible within the platform.
The detection criteria needs to be specifically adapted to each category of product concerned.
Confidentiality
We recall that all information collected is confidential.
We are committed to the respect and imposition of the most strict confidentiality concerning any information, and to take any necessary measures to preserve this rule of confidentiality, especially in regards to our personnel.
Paris, March 19th, 2016.
France
THE H PLACE, a M.I.L PARIS branch company
Registered at Paris License : 53307471200023