Trendy products of questionable quality—how can influencer brands last?
[4] Compiled from: Red Star News
Case review
Lululemon's affiliated company, Lululemon Trading (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., was fined 81,420 yuan by the Beijing Xicheng District Market Supervision Administration for violating Article 50 of the Product Quality Law.
The administrative penalty decision shows that from October 1, 2021, Lululemon Trading sold some of the above products (59 items in total) at 9 of its stores in Beijing, priced at 1,380 yuan per item. As of November 3, 2021, 51 items were sold, with total sales revenue of 67,205.34 yuan. The sold products could not be recovered. Lululemon Trading made a profit of 23,431.05 yuan. The total value of the goods was 81,420 yuan. Ultimately, it was fined 81,420 yuan, had its illegal income of 23,431.05 yuan confiscated, and its illegal goods were seized.
In response, the official Weibo account of Lululemon Trading (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. issued a statement expressing deep apologies for the discrepancy between the down content of the Navigation men's down vest and national standards. After identifying the issue, Lululemon took swift action, actively cooperating with investigations and handling. The company immediately removed the relevant batch of products from shelves. Additionally, an internal detailed review was conducted, and corrective measures were actively implemented.
Article 50 of the Product Quality Law
Adulterating or mixing impurities into products, passing off fake products as genuine, inferior products as high-quality, or substandard products as qualified shall result in an order to cease production and sales, confiscation of the illegally produced and sold products, and a fine of not less than 50% but not more than three times the value of the illegally produced and sold products; if there is illegal income, it shall be confiscated; if the circumstances are serious, the business license shall be revoked; if a crime is constituted, criminal liability shall be pursued according to law.
[1] The author's perspective
In the current era of rapid internet development, product quality cannot solely prioritize speed but must also emphasize excellence, as quality compliance is the true foundation of confidence. This incident arose from Lululemon's down vest failing to meet national standards for down content. Whether substituting inferior goods or failing to meet national standards, such actions are illegal, ranging from administrative penalties to criminal liability, both of which are counterproductive.
Some netizens joked, "Poverty helps me avoid pitfalls," while others remarked, "At such a high price, they still pass off inferior goods?" This shows that Lululemon's pricing is not cheap, yet quality issues are evident, directly impacting the brand's reputation. Although the sales volume in this case was not large and the penalty amount was modest, the impact on a trendy internet-famous brand is significant. Such brands primarily rely on online marketing to drive sales, so once their image collapses, recovery becomes difficult, and over time, they are replaced by new brands and forgotten by consumers.
