Counterfeits, unauthorized copies of a product presented for sale as if they were the legitimate manufacturer's product, are creating a sizeable and growing problem for the apparel and accessory industries (Olsen & Granzin, 1993). The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between consumers' likelihood of knowingly purchasing counterfeit products and their involvement characteristics (consumer involvement with purchasing activity, hedonic goods, brand name, fashion trend, and brand's country of origin). Relationships between their likelihood of knowingly
purchasing counterfeit products and the attitude toward brand equity were also investigated. In this study it was found that there were no significant relationships between consumers' likelihood of knowingly purchasing counterfeit products and their involvement with purchasing activity, hedonic goods, brand name, fashion trend, and brand's country of origin. Also, consumers' likelihood of knowingly purchasing counterfeit products and their attitude toward brand equity was not significantly related. So, it was thought that counterfeit product is a contradiction. The dilemma makes consumers fall in contradiction when finding relationships between their willingness to purchase counterfeit goods and their involvement characteristics, and
the attitude toward brand equity
