What can you do?
If you come across a suspicious offer or website, you can report it to us using the following form.
Warning about imitation and counterfeit products
Brand and product piracy: Imitation products are a major risk
Trademark and product piracy as a form of white-collar crime is not only illegal and damaging the economy and companies, but it also poses a high safety and health risk to users.
Like with many well-known companies, STIHL's products are a popular target for counterfeiters. Through the production and distribution of counterfeit products, criminals attempt to knowingly deceive consumers and generate profits through the exploitation of the "STIHL" brand’s popularity.
How do I recognise plagiarism?
While STIHL products are characterized by strict quality and safety standards, this is not the case with counterfeit products. In many cases, they are no longer operational after a short time and mostly safety-relevant features are missing.
Nearly all of the counterfeit products originate in China and resemble the original STIHL products, particularly due to their orange/light grey color scheme or by using the STIHL logo. However, they have nothing else in common with the original products.
Brand and product piracy: Imitation products are a major risk
Buyer beware: apparent bargains often turn out to be more expensive in the long run, because just as the price of counterfeit saws is reduced, so too is their service life, performance, and most importantly, safety. But in fact, counterfeit items are not always offered at discount prices, and have only a slightly lower price than genuine products in many cases – this is to underline the impression that you are being offered genuine STIHL products.
Imitation goods are a major safety risk
While STIHL products are distinguished by features that meet strict quality and safety standards, imitation products have no such safeguards. Often, these substandard power tools are only operational for a short time and can then not be repaired due to a lack of spare parts. In addition, their safety-specific equipment may be defective or missing entirely. For example, in one instance of investigating a counterfeit chainsaw, the hand guard for the automatic chain brake – the most important safety device in a chainsaw – broke off during unpacking.
STIHL chainsaws in particular have been targeted by counterfeiters. These plagiarised goods come mainly from China and look similar to genuine STIHL products, particularly in terms of their orange and light grey colouring. Buyers are further deceived by the attachment of counterfeit labels displaying the STIHL brand as well as, in some cases, the use of known model designations such as MS 440. Apart from the colours and stated model designation, these chainsaws bear no relation to genuine STIHL saws.
How can you protect yourself?
Street trading, flea market purchases and car boot sales in particular are always reliable sites for counterfeit, substandard and risky products. Similar suspicion should be applied when new products are offered online. STIHL sells its products exclusively via authorised dealers, thereby guaranteeing that the products are genuine and that expert service and advice are provided. At your STIHL dealer you can be certain that you are not buying any cheap replicas, but always taking home 100% STIHL quality.
Note:
In case of doubt, please contact your dealer. We will be happy to answer any questions – please contact us at info@stihl.de.
How do you protect yourself?
STIHL sells its products exclusively through authorized dealers and through its own web shops.
At your STIHL dealer and in the official STIHL web shop, you can be sure to get 100 percent STIHL quality.
Please note that the purchase of products from unauthorized dealers is always at your own risk.
Be careful with offers on online marketplaces and on social media channels. Characteristics of fraudulent offers are strikingly low prices, high discounts and incorrect spelling of the brand name "STIHL ". Moreover, the layout of the official STIHL web shop is often copied, under use of original STIHL images.
If you come across a suspicious offer or website, you may report it to us via the following email address:
stopfake@stihl.de
