Distinguishing an original design item from a fake one is definitely a difficult task. The purchase can cost a lot of money and you would be very upset and offended to learn that you have not bought a real brand of clothes or shoes, so we understand perfectly the question of how not to face problems when buying branded clothes or shoes.
There are several known ways to distinguish a real product from a replica, but are these methods reliable? In order not to be misled by unscrupulous sellers, we have tried to arrange in a few steps how to spot fake clothes or shoes.
Step 1: Branded clothing is sold in official stores.
We don't want to look like the best criminalists, but we have to start with the obvious. It is written on the Internet that branded items from fashion collections are usually sold in company stores. If you have doubts about the authenticity of the goods, you can safely ask for a certificate of originality. If you are presented with it, then you will be convinced that everything is fair and true. All original products have such paper for authenticity.
And here's what our colleague, the owner of an online store of original clothes, thinks about the "certificates":
"Our customers, when they are just starting to shop with us, are often asked to provide a 'certificate'. To be honest, such requests stun us. In the US, in a sense, everything is much simpler than Brands that look premium here in Bulgaria and are obviously sold with some kind of certificate are not in the United States at all, we just buy the necessary goods for customers in the official online stores and send them to our customers.
Imagine, if you have placed an order in a partner official store, how do you imagine communicating with the maintenance of this store so that it (the support) provides you with authentication documents?
And now imagine yourself in our place, we need to call the official store, for example, the official Michael Kors and ask them to provide documents, ie. that they sell original products. I think they will be laughing there for a very long time, so I think that certificates should be required, but only when appropriate.
In the case of our service, we order everything in official stores. If the customer requests, we try to send a screenshot of the letter from the store confirming the purchase. "
Step 2. Label barcode
Every truly branded item has comprehensive information on the label. And this information is not just about the size and methods of care for goods.
Sometimes brands put a barcode on the wrong side of the product, sewn on the tape near the neck or belt, depending on the type of product.
It is written on the Internet that the first 3 digits indicate the number of the country of origin. Production in Italy or France almost 100% speaks of the originality of the goods.
And here is what our leader Kiril thinks on this issue:
Honestly, I specifically took my POLO BY RALPH LAUREN shirt and didn't find a single barcode there, and it was bought at the official store when I was in the States, but that was a few years ago, maybe now something has changed. Maybe barcoding is inherent in some premium brands or expensive things, but even so, I don't understand why it's impossible to sew the right barcode on a fake item? However, it still seems to me that the most reliable thing is to buy goods in official stores.
Step 3: Quality
A good thing is immediately recognizable by its quality. And it is hidden not only in the materials, but also in the little things: even lines, symmetrically sewn buttons, quality material. Accessories include buttons and reliable zippers and sewing labels and buttons if provided in the model.
The details decide everything: on a Lacoste polo, for example, a crocodile always looks out, ie. not to the buttons, but in the opposite direction. Speaking of buttons - they can be different, there is no standard, as it says in places. Buttons can be either unlabeled or labeled, can be made of plastic or rubber, everything is very individual, depends on the collection and changes quickly.
The other two examples are "Louboutins" and "Converse". The first color of the sole is uniformly red, closer to matte, without shine. And the real Converse sneakers have a sole of 3 cm, not less and a serial number of 6 digits + All-Star print + bar code on the inner label.
Definitely the brand logo is always present on the exterior and interior details of the product. It is always clear in the usual colors of the brand (although often brands make collaborations or produce collections that go beyond the usual aesthetics of the brand). If the colors are different, the outline is blurred - this is a sign of forgery.
Quality, of course, is a good criterion for the originality of goods. However, I had a case where I bought a product from a well-known brand that sewed (or sews) jackets for American pilots. So what do you think? The lightning did not last one season, began to wash away and then disappeared completely. My friend even then joked "America will be destroyed by lightning", I remembered it well :)
Step 4: Price
By default, a replica is much cheaper. It is tempting to spend 50 euros less on a pair of shoes, but remember that the tight one pays twice. It's better to wait for the sale or get coupons (they are often sent to users of online stores!) Than to play the "lottery".
Step 5: Packaging
On this issue, the Internet often reminds us that designer and branded items are beautifully and elegantly packaged. Which in itself is nice, and inside the package, you will find a plastic card that carries soothing information in the form of the serial number of the product. Again, attention to detail, for example, the already mentioned shoes "louboutins" are always packed in red "bags", individual for the brand. And for Michael Kors bags, the bags are white with a silver print, or cream, with the brand logo, or brown with the inscription Michael Kors (bags from the first row of the brand).
By showing a little more interest in the "little things", you can save a lot of money! Before you buy the item you are reviewing, do not be lazy to go to the official website of the brand and find out the nuances associated with the product. Ask the price to know the real value of the product. And don't forget to compare the numbers on the labels and the barcode numbers!
We've already discussed barcodes a bit above, so I probably won't add anything here. But as for the envelopes, I want to say the following. In the United States as a whole, as I have already written, goods are treated more simply and carelessly, so to speak. Therefore, forgetting to put or not to put an envelope is a normal story. And how many complaints we receive from customers for such things ... even though we are just intermediaries - a service that buys and forwards goods purchased from official online stores ...
As a summary:
In our opinion, when buying goods online, you should focus on two main points:
Official Stores . Try to choose things in official and proven stores. If you are unsure, then ask us for help for advice, we will tell you.
Prices should not be suspiciously low . We understand that everyone wants to get something great with a 90% discount, but as a rule there is no such unheard of generosity. So evaluate the situation with common sense.
