Purchasing a knockoff might save you money, but the knowledge that you're toting around a fake diminishes the meaning behind the purchase. In other words, buying an authentic luxury good also provides a sense of accomplishment or pride. Those feelings aren't the same when it's a knockoff item — treating yourself to a fake is really like not treating yourself in the first place. Consumers who continue to seek that sense of authenticity wind up spending more money on higher-end items again and again.
