China Fire Bulletin Issue #1 September 2014 | Page 24

MARKET INTEGRITY
商业信誉
and best possible service and
support for the customers.

In addition, by addressing
unauthorized gray market activity,
a level playing field is created for
authorized distribution partners.

Once products become diverted,
they are often misrepresented and
unsuspecting customers have no
assurance that the products they're
buying are new, genuine, and will
be supported with warranty and
qualified service when necessary.

What are the goals of this new CFB
column?

● To protect the authorized
distribution channels and
intellectual property of authorized
goods in order to improve customer
satisfaction and preserve brand
integrity.
● To achieve these goals, CFB will
engage in the following activities:
○ Promote channel compliance
and risk assurance

○ Develop and encourage industry
best practices for brand protection
and related issues

Investigate all legal avenues to
deter criminal activities that feed
gray market and counterfeit goods
○

Educate the industry, customers,
investors, and other stakeholders
○

○ Enlist decision makers,
manufacturers, and other
stakeholders

Gray Market FAQ
What is gray marketing or
illegal brokering?

The gray market is the unauthorized
sale of new, branded products
diverted from authorized
distribution channels or imported
into the country for sale without
the consent or knowledge of the
manufacturer. It is the unauthorized
sale or improper diversion of
new products obtained under
deceptive circumstances. This
would mean new, branded products
being diverted from authorized
distribution channels or imported
into the country without permission
of the original manufacturer.
Isn't the gray market fuel Y