It was only a few months ago that Alibaba Group Holding Ltd's initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange raised a record $25 billion. It seems like a long time ago right now.

Fake product scandals are nothing new to China or Chinese companies, but Alibaba is caught in a mire where more and more counterfeit goods, it is claimed, are associated with its operations.

But will this tarnish the Alibaba brand's reputation? And is there much that Alibaba and its management can do to ensure that all products sold through its online platforms are authentic?