Many of the stalls where pirated materials are sold in China are run by old ladies. They are often poorly lit and difficult to find. Counterfeit luxury goods are often sold on the streets in cities and markets around the world. They are also widely available on the Internet.

The CDs are often sold on the streets of Chinese cities by teenage boys who make small pay-offs to the police. When the police to decide to nab one of boys, their discs are confiscated and the boys are sent on their way.

Some products are sold by women who roamed the streets with catalogues looking for customers. If someone shows interest in a particular item in a catalogue, the women can direct them to a back alley warehouse where the items are sold.

DVD sellers in Beijing and Shanghai earn around $120 a month. One seller told the Los Angeles Times, “If the police come I can run away quickly. But it’s all right now. The cops are all on lunch break.” The street vendors often have no idea where they things they sell were made and the makers want to keep it that way.