10 Tips To Avoid Online Auction ScamsRead Online Guidebooks All over the Internet, you'll find authenticity guides written by legitimate sellers. These guides, usually categorized by designer, include high-resolution pictures of each style of bag as well as tips on how to ensure the item is authentic. These include mini-tutorials on monogram placement, stitching, the specific hardware of each bag and label fonts.
Ask The Seller Questions Buying a luxury item can cost upward of $20,000, so there is no shame in asking as many questions as possible before making a commitment. If the seller is legitimate, he or she will be happy to answer your questions. Stay away from those on the defensive or those who don't respond to your queries.
Check The Date Code/Serial Number This is where lots of counterfeiters go wrong: they'll use a date code, but it won't match up with when the item was manufactured. First know that some handbags do not have a code or number, so it's not a surefire way of authenticating a bag. However, it's beneficial if you can confirm that the date code is correct for the style/year of the bag you want to purchase. Several of the online guides give specific instructions on how to read codes for specific labels. If you can't find what you're looking for, contact one of the brand's stores or corporate headquarters. They should be able to help you verify the number.
Investigate The Seller's Other Items If the seller is hawking large quantities of the same item, something might be up, says Michael Ford, editor of Auction-Safety.org and author of Scams and Scoundrels. Most trustworthy sellers don't have an overabundance of the same item.
Thoroughly Examine The Seller's History Checking out the seller's feedback comments and length of time he or she has been shilling goods on the site. But many newbies skip this step. When Tamara Abraham, a London-based fashion writer, purchased her first piece, she didn't even think about checking out her seller's background. The bag, a Mulberry Bayswater, ended up being a fake.
Read The Item Description Carefully If the seller tries to make any kind of excuse in the item description, e.g., "The price tags are gone because I wore this once," or "The original box was recycled," beware. Most collectors or frequent buyers of fine goods make a concerted effort to save all evidence of authenticity. If you're still set on acquiring the item, ask the seller as many questions as possible. If they're honest, they'll happily answer you.
Be Careful With Smaller, Niche Brands If you're after the latest Isabel Marant handbag, most of which are produced in relatively small quantities in comparison to items from bigger brands like Louis Vuitton or Fendi, it's a bit hard to believe that someone has produced a slew of knockoffs in its image. However, Fashionphile owner Sarah Davis says smaller brands are counterfeited more than one would believe. "Anything that's expensive can be faked," she says.
Examine The Images Carefully Using stock photos is a no-no. Even if the item is authentic, you can't get a real sense of its condition with a stock photo. And look as closely at original photographs as you can--the clarity of the images can reveal hints as to whether or not something is real.
Search For Power Sellers If there's a specific piece or brand you're after, look for Power Sellers that specialize in what you're interested in.Power Sellers as those with strong, consistent sales and at least 98% positive feedback from customers. On the flipside, watch out for bogus titles that sellers might throw into his or her profile. For example, Ford says that if a seller calls herself an "authorized reseller," the red flag should go up. Titles like these don't even exist.
Use Your Instincts If something about the item or seller makes you uneasy, forget about the purchase and move on. The cost of following through may outweigh the rewards.
Information provided by:
Alibaba.com
June 12, 2009, 01:16:49 PM
