In a significant move to combat counterfeit products and protect its customers, Meesho, the leading e-commerce marketplace in India, has deactivated a staggering 42 lakh (4.2 million) counterfeit listings and 10 lakh (1 million) restricted products within the span of just six months. This success can be attributed to Meesho’s unwavering commitment to implementing cutting-edge technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI) and data science models.
The integration of AI tools and data science models enables Meesho to swiftly detect and flag suspicious listings and accounts operated by bad actors. This comprehensive approach ensures that only legitimate sellers can operate on the platform, safeguarding the trust and confidence of customers.
Meesho’s remarkable efforts in 2023 have led to the identification and blocking of over 12,000 bad actor accounts, effectively preventing them from accessing the platform and perpetrating fraudulent activities. In addition, the establishment of the Suraksha List, which comprises approximately 1,800 high-risk brands vulnerable to infringement and counterfeiting, showcases Meesho’s dedication to maintaining a secure and trustworthy marketplace.
Thanks to the continuous efforts to battle counterfeit products, Meesho has witnessed a substantial 80 percent reduction in non-compliant listings since February, now accounting for a mere 0.1 percent of platform views. This achievement reinforces Meesho’s position as a reliable online platform for both sellers and customers.
Sanjeev Barnwal, Founder and CTO at Meesho, spoke about journey towards addressing counterfeits, revealing that it began in 2018 with simpler systems that relied on manual checks and basic text matching.
In 2019, Meesho formed its first dedicated AI team, marking the initiation of its AI journey. Since then, AI has played a crucial role in their fight against counterfeits.
Meesho’s technology-driven approach employs various AI tools to tackle counterfeit products effectively:
Image OCR (Optical Character Recognition): This powerful tool, introduced in May 2023, scans product images to extract text and brand logos, facilitating thorough authenticity checks. It helps identify infringing and counterfeit products by investigating proof of authorizations and determining their legitimacy.
Image Match: Launched earlier in the year, Image Match is pivotal in combating counterfeit products on the platform. The tool matches product images against curated images from brands and historical data from previous deactivations.
Logo Detection: Specifically trained for leading brands present on the platform, the logo detection tool identifies legitimate or fraudulent brand logos. The list of identifiable brands continues to expand, ensuring customers receive authentic goods from beloved brands.
Fuzzy RegEx (Regular Expression) Matching: This tool broadens the search by matching existing text to alternative keyword matches, effectively plugging loopholes and fixing gaps like special characters or deliberate misspellings of brand names.
Nearest Neighbour Search: Recently launched, this tool operates similarly to the ‘Image Match’ function, identifying the closest match to a particular product/brand. It maps each brand to a cluster and vets new listings against the original brand images.
Meesho’s AI-driven approach is a testament to its commitment to creating a secure and reliable platform for its valued sellers and customers. As they continue to innovate and refine their AI technologies, the fight against counterfeit products takes another step forward in the world of e-commerce.
