Years ago a friend of mine who lived in Manhattan rationalized buying a cheap knockoff of a designer handbag from a street vendor on Canal Street: “They charge ridiculous amounts for the real thing. I don’t feel bad buying one that looks pretty darn close.”

I think a lot of us can relate.

Now, there is a difference between a knockoff and a counterfeit. A counterfeit is simply illegal. It’s a direct copy of an original, including the logo and details. The culture surrounding the sale of counterfeit merchandise is both sleazy and slightly […]