Fake? Can’t Relate: How Alibaba Helps Gen Z Shop Smarter and Stand Up to Counterfeits

Fake? Can’t Relate: How Alibaba Helps Gen Z Shop Smarter and Stand Up to Counterfeits 
Alibaba is a global technology and digital commerce company with a mission to make it easy to do business anywhere. Achieving that mission depends on trust — shoppers should feel safe and confident when shopping on our platforms. That’s why protecting intellectual property rights (IPR) and raising awareness about counterfeits are central to how we support young consumers every day.   

Together with partners such as the International Trademark Association (INTA), Alibaba continues to build an inclusive community of IPR stakeholders — one that also actively involves the next generation of young consumers.    

How Alibaba Helps Protect Shoppers from Fakes 
Alibaba runs one of the most comprehensive IPR protection programs in the e-commerce industry, designed to work behind the scenes while you shop. In simple terms, this includes:  

• Rapid removal of suspected infringements: Brands can report suspicious listings through Alibaba’s easy-to-use IP Protection Platform (IPP Platform), helping them come down quickly.

• Technology that works before you notice: AI and advanced technology proactively scan and remove listings that show signs of infringement — in many cases, even before a single sale. 

• Stopping counterfeits at the source: Alibaba supports investigations that help identify and disrupt counterfeit networks offline, addressing the problem beyond individual online listings. 

• Working together: Alibaba closely collaborates with governments, law enforcement, brand owners, industry associations, and consumers to build a safer shopping ecosystem.  

Tools Designed for Consumers 
Consumers play an essential role in keeping online marketplaces safe. To support this, Alibaba provides clear and accessible ways for shoppers to report suspicious products.  

For example, on AliExpress, our international B2C platform, consumers can report suspicious items directly from the listing page. Every product page includes “Report item/suspicious activity’ or “Report” button, which leads you to AliExpress’ Report Center. From there, shoppers can flag items they believe may be counterfeit in just a few steps.  

Our platforms also offer buyer protection programs for consumers who receive counterfeit goods, including robust return and refund policies. Specific details vary by platform and jurisdiction, so we recommend checking each platform’s website in your region. 

Activating the next generation of IP advocates 
Creating a safe marketplace for consumers is about helping young consumers make informed choices online. Alibaba has been a long-term sponsor of INTA’s Unreal Campaign, which focuses on educating young people about the real-world impact of counterfeit goods on consumers, creators, and the broader society.  

Beyond online tools and education, Alibaba also engages directly with students on campus. Members of Alibaba’s Global IP Enforcement team have conducted INTA Unreal Campaign trainings at universities around the world, including the Singapore Institute of Management-Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Singapore, Sejong University in South Korea, and Università degli Studi dell’Insubria in Italy.  

Moreover, in South Korea, Alibaba and AliExpress Korea partnered with Hongik University, the country’s leading design school, to host a student slogan design competition focused on IPR awareness and consumer protection earlier this year. Students were encouraged to explore why counterfeits matter from the perspective of both young consumers and designers.  

The top honor, the Global Intellectual Property Award, went to the slogan “Fake? Can’t Relate.” The message struck a chord for its confident, Gen Z-style rejection of counterfeit culture. Judges from the Korea Intellectual Property Protection Agency (KOIPA), Korea Intellectual Property Association (KINPA) and the Korea Fashion Association’s Fashion IP Center joined us in recognizing its impact. The winning designs were produced and later showcased at the 2025 KINPA Annual Conference, Korea’s largest IP conference that attracted over 1,300 attendees.  

“This partnership with Alibaba International which brings strong expertise in IPR protection, greatly enhanced the educational impact of the program.” 

— Professor Hyunju Park of Hongik University, South Korea 

Why It Matters 
Awareness makes a difference. By combining smart technology, easy-to-use tools, and youth-led education, Alibaba helps young shoppers shop with confidence and support real creators along the way.  

Because when it comes to counterfeits? Fake. Can’t Relate.