In a world where scams and fake designer goods have a massive chokehold on the world, it is getting harder to find a genuine bag, piece of jewelry, and so much more. Experts are analyzing more and more designer goods than ever and finding many more scams are coming to light.
Suppose you own a business or are just out to find a bargain on designer goods. In that case, there are many companies, experts, and online websites that specialize in spotting a genuine designer handbag compared to a fake piece of jewelry.
How to Spot an Authentic Vs. Fake Item
There are many ways to check if an item is real if you do not want to pay for a service to do this on your behalf, some of which are listed below.
- Check the weight and smell – the quality of the leather and stitching is one of the biggest and easiest giveaways to spot.
- Ask for photos of online purchases – always ask for high-quality, close-up photos of the item before you agree to purchase. Compare these photos to an online photo of a genuine product, and you should be able to spot if it is fake.
- Pricing – always compare the real thing to what you are being sold to make sure the price you are being sold is realistic of a genuinely real item. Too cheap is a giveaway, but too expensive can also be a red flag. Do your homework and investigate before making a purchase.
- Vintage fakes – classed as the easiest to spot, due to the quality being a lot lower. If you are hoping to buy a vintage item, pay attention to the details and materials used, as they are often much cheaper.
Of course, if you want to avoid the stress of trying to work out if an item is real or fake, we recommend you leave it to the experts. They can spot a fake within minutes of seeing it or looking at photos of it.
Experts will inspect the quality of the materials, brand logo, hardware, chains, and zippers and analyze engraving and stitching depending on the item. They will legit check your Chanel handbag, for instance and come back with a confident yes or no to the item being fake or real.
Negatives to Buying Scam Items
There are many reasons why it is important to be sure that an item you have bought is fake. It is important to know if an item is counterfeit, as the proceeds from fake designer items can be used to fund criminal organizations. In turn, this will help to circulate more fake and counterfeit items into the community.
Fake items can also damage the authentic designer, causing damage to the reputation and integrity of the company as a whole.
While some people may think it will do no harm and does not make a huge difference, fake items go a long way to customers simply not buying designer items from the design house again. A lack of trust will drive down sales and profit for a specific brand.