Krissy Mashinsky
(Photo : Strong Blockchain)

Blockchain technology has found itself fulfilling important roles across diverse industries over the past years due to the multiple benefits it brings to the table. While blockchain's scalability, security, and reliability have been a major driver behind this success, transparency is probably the most important. Now, as the retail industry faces increasing challenges when it comes to counterfeiting and poor manufacturing practices, blockchain is offering a solution.

According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the increasing relevance of eCommerce in the global economy has also facilitated counterfeiting around the world. The "E-Commerce Challenges in Illicit Trade in Fakes: Governance Frameworks and Best Practices" report reads:

"E-commerce has given certain distribution channels a big boost, providing a means for businesses to bypass retail outlets and ship small quantities of items directly to individual consumers in a cost-effective way."

While counterfeiting is an issue that platforms like Amazon are aware of, their efforts to stop it haven't been enough. Despite blocking millions of counterfeit products every year, experts agree that many more are making their way into the United States. A study by Robert Handfield Ph.D. showed that most counterfeit products make their way from China and other Asian countries, with platforms like Amazon, Alibaba, and Wish playing a major role.

Here is where entrepreneur Krissy Mashinsky comes in. She launched USA Strong back in 2020 as an eCommerce platform focused on curating and offering products manufactured exclusively in the United States. Whereas Amazon reportedly invested over $700 million by 2021 in AI solutions to detect counterfeit, Krissy chose to use blockchain technology to ensure the authenticity of every asset sold on her platform.

Krissy's solution is a two-pronged approach: Avoiding the major sources of counterfeit goods and providing consumers with a means to verify the authenticity of the product they acquired. By doing this, USA Strong (usastrong.IO) not only brings trust to the eCommerce industry but also helps local businesses grow with a direct impact on sustainability.

According to Forbes' Blockchain 50 2022, insurance claim verification, facilitation of real estate deals, and supply chain management are some of the increasingly popular applications of blockchain technology. Blockchain technology has already been used by brands like Mercedes Benz, Walmart, and Nike to track goods and verify their authenticity. However, Krissy's approach is the first of its kind in the industry both in form and development, with the platform making use of its own "Strong Blockchain'' for verification purposes.

"Pioneering a new business model during a pandemic to verify USA Made Manufacturing and Products comes down to the community support and the folks who make up everything we list," says Krissy about the platform's decision to use blockchain. "Our success of the Strong BlockchainTM verification this past year is based solely on the spirit and drive of the local people who love USA-made businesses"

Having been the president of URBN Wholesale (parent company of brands like Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie Group) and Global President of Free People, among other leadership positions, Krissy has over two decades of experience in the retail industry. During this time, she became an authority in all things related to marketing and supply chain, always pushing the boundaries of what was possible. She says about her experience:

"As a member of the original founding team of Free People, I helped grow that retailer into a billion-dollar brand by 2019 before taking over as President of URBN Wholesale. Earlier in my career, I worked on major ad campaigns at Calvin Klein and helped build BCBG into a powerhouse in a then-brand-new contemporary market."

Krissy's company has also paid special attention to making the shopping and verification experience as accessible, fun, and interactive as possible. USA Strong achieves this not only by offering a mobile app for both Android and iOS but also by offering its users different features designed to build a community. The use of social media and "StrongTV, Local Friday" has allowed merchants to get featured, ambassadors to promote the platform, featured guests to share their insights, and consumers to get involved.

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