Is it fake? Using potentially low quality suppliers as back-up when genuine suppliers are unavailable

Supply scarcity of authentic products may force businesses to turn to alternative suppliers potentially carrying counterfeit goods. Detecting these products prior to sale has proven challenging, so when they are procured they may end up in the consumer market. When protection methods, such as full inspection, are operationally or financially unfeasible, inventory management becomes critical. In this paper, we explore the use of alternative …