Anytime something is successful chances are there will be copycats following quickly behind. With Vibram Five Fingers the case is no different. Not only are other companies copying their trademarked style, but many of these companies (which happen to be Chinese in origin) are just outright pretending to be the Vibram! They are making their own fake versions; putting Vibram’s logos on them, using the same shoe names, and flooding the market with their Vibram FakeFinger shoes. That’s gutsy!
The problem is big enough that when you go to Vibram Five Fingers homepage that you are greeted with this warning letter.
If that is too small to read I’ll transcribe the main parts below:
To All Consumers,
We want to inform you about our efforts to fight the sale of counterfeit merchandise, a serious meance that has recently surfaced after the success of our authentically unique Vibram FiveFingers.
Fake merchandise and trademarks appear daily in the market, often sold from unauthorized or fraudulent Vibram or FiveFingers websites.
Purchasing only authentic Vibram FiveFingers ensures that you avoid wasting your money on poor quality product, or worse, having your personal and financial information compromised. In addition, insisting on authentic Vibram FiveFingers supports fair labor and ethical business practices, responsibilities counterfeiters flagrantly ignore.
…
If you have questions or concerns about suspicious websites, on-line discounted sales, or counterfeits of Vibram designs please contact us at www.vibramfivefingers.com/info/contact or info@vibramfivefingers.it
So there you have it. The problem has become big enough that Vibram has decided to address it head on. What are some ways you can prevent being duped from purchasing fake Vibram FiveFingers? Below are some tips:
- Check out the official list of Vibram FiveFinger retailers
- See if you can find a phone number, address, or any other contact info for the site selling FiveFingers (or possible FakeFingers)…most counterfeit sites won’t post any kind of contact info
- Check and see if the colors/styles are what are listed on the FiveFingers website. Often the fakers will offer shoes with colors that don’t exist
- Look at the price of the shoes. Most fake shoe makers are selling FiveFingers for more than 50% off the retail price. So if you see a pair of FiveFingers for $50 as opposed to $100 warning bells should go off. The old adage of “if it sounds too good to be true…than it probably isn’t” applies here…
Crunchgear has a compiled a list of confirmed online stores that are selling the fake versions of Vibram’s shoes. If you are looking to avoid being scammed into buying a fake version of FiveFingers you probably should avoid these stores.
Fake Vibram FiveFingers Websites and Stores
vibramfivesfingers.com (Note the “S”)
vibramofficial.com
vibramfivefingersstore.com
vibram-five-fingers.cc
vibramfootwear.com
topvibram.com
unshoessales.com
tefta.lot.my
dhgate.com
handbagsboots.com
pickmbtshoes.com
fivembt.com
jordans-cheap.com
eurluxury.com
tradevv.com
zhengshi-trading.com
tradetang.com
glauke.com
b2bsharing.com
timberlandshow.com
fbikey.com
martorder.com
sotobuy.com
mbtshoes-store.com
discountvibramfivefingers.com
If you guys know of anymore let us know and we’ll add it to this list.
We are curious to know however, if anyone has bought a pair of these fake FiveFinger shoes. If you have let us know in the comments how they are and what your experience was like. My experience with fake Chinese goods is that while it is much cheaper than the original the quality is sorely lacking. Case in point. Check out my “Burberry” wallet.
Well, you’ve been warned.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I bought a pair from China. Through Aliexpress.com (part of alibaba.com)the website is meant to connect China to the world but the sellers are the same people who are also on the above sites. I bought 2 pairs and they were delivered in about 10 days to India. I paid via CC.It cost me $110 for 2 pairs and free shipping.
But just like in the case of your wallet, my VFF KSO has also developed a small tear after only 3-4 days of use.
I truly believe that one pays for quality.
I wouldn’t advice anyone to buy these shoes.
My coworker ordered a fake pair and he insisted that they were real until I showed him that the color he ordered didn’t actually exist through Vibram… And once he got them (which took about three weeks) the sole part on the big toe came unglued after two days of wearing them, so then he ended up going to City Sports and buying a real pair. Overall it ended up costing him a lot more than it would have if he just bought the real ones in the first place. I don’t know why if you really like the idea of the shoes, you wouldn’t just pay for the real things in the first place and support Vibram, not the knock off companies…
I’m surprised that these fakes are of such low quality. Usually these “pirates” just run an extra shift or two on the production line and ship the un-accounted for product of a different doc.
This is what happens when you offshore your production to a country with no respect for “foreign” laws or property rights.