A consumer in Jinan, Shandong, has filed a complaint after buying Crocs clogs from an official authorized store that multiple third-party platforms identified as counterfeit. The buyer purchased the shoes at a Longfor Olympic Sports Street store on May 18, then ordered the same pair online; three independent verification platforms concluded the in-store pair was fake while the online version was genuine. Crocs confirmed the store is authorized but said it generally does not recognize third-party verification reports. Local regulators have launched an investigation. The incident highlights Crocs’ long-running counterfeiting struggles in China, where the brand remains a growth bright spot — posting 30% YoY sales growth in 2025, despite a global net loss of $81.2 million for fiscal 2025.

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