3 Things To Look For When Buying Designer Products Online

Vogue Korea Playing Classic, Things To Look For When Buying Designer Products Online

Let’s be honest, we all love a bit of online shopping. Not only is it super-easy and super convenient but every now and then, you stumble upon a bargain - a designer product with an unbelievable price tag.

If you’re a seriously savvy shopper, there are places where you can score top brand products at discounted prices. Which means that if you’re a fashionista but you don’t have the budget for a Birkin at normal prices, you might just be able to find one with a price tag you can afford, online. But beware because shopping for these kinds of high end products can come with big risks. And the real deal bargains are few and far between.

So, how do you know if those handbags, shoes and make-up products are the genuine article or counterfeit?

Well, here are a few things you can look out for.

Vogue Korea Playing Classic, Things To Look For When Buying Designer Products Online

Read the Reviews
Unless you're buying the item direct from the brand’s own website, the first place to get clues about whether it’s genuine, is the review section. People are usually not shy about venting their anger when it comes to fake products on sites like Amazon and eBay.

Of course the problem is that not all reviews are real. Many unscrupulous vendors are more than happy to pay for reviews that are just as fake as their products, in an effort to make the products seem legitimate. Whenever possible, make sure you only look for reviews from people who are verified buyers. Having said that, reviews aren’t always available, especially if the seller is selling a one-off item, which is often the case on sites like eBay, for example. So what then?

Vogue Korea Playing Classic, Things To Look For When Buying Designer Products Online

Check Out The Seller
Take a good look at the person or company that is selling the product. If the product is a highly-prized, in demand, branded designer bag and the manufacturer sells its own products online, then you have to ask why they would be allowing some small, unheard of company to be undercutting them if the products are genuine. If you think about it, there is no reason a company would do that.

If the seller is listing a single item, and they have no reviews, then yes, it may be a genuine second hand product. But do you want to buy the item without being certain it’s not a fake?

If you’re buying from a retailer that you know will give you your money back if it turns out to be a fraud, such as Amazon, you do at least have some reassurances. But, if you only find out the product is fake after it nearly kills you, the refund may be of little consequence.

Vogue Korea Playing Classic, Things To Look For When Buying Designer Products Online

Check Out The Product
If you buy something online that is not genuine, you may run the real risk of personal harm. A fake iPhone charger that doesn’t work is an annoyance, a fake iPhone charger that could electrocute you is far worse.  Even if you’re looking at designer bags, counterfeit handbags have been found to contain chemicals that could cause nasty skin irritations. If you are buying a product that could cause you harm in any way, and you’re not sure it’s the real deal, the best policy is not to buy it at all.

It certainly is possible to get discounted designer products online. And buying discounted designer clothes can be a great investment, if you do so at the right price and time. In 2015, the resale mark-up on a genuine Hermes Birkin bag was 137%; making it a fabulous way to turn a profit on your passion for fashion, too. Sadly however, not every apparent bargain you come across will be the genuine article. So the best advice when it comes to buying designer products online, is that if it seems to be too good to be true, it almost certainly is.

This is a contributed post.
Photos: Vogue Korea

8 comments

Carolyna's world said...

I like shopping, from time to time I am buying things online too and that's true always it's a risk that our product well be destroy or bad quality.

Best regards
Karo

Emmylou said...

Soooo agree on that last line, Rowena! If it's too good to be true, then....honestly, I don't think I'll buy a designer item online again. I've had lucky purchases in the past (a vintage Mulberry but I thought it was still kinda expensive coz it was a tiny bag!) but also bad ones (fake Prada). Sigh....anyhoo, these are great tips, especially about reading reviews and such. Awesome post as always:)

Sabrina Mello said...

Que artigo excelente, seu site é muito bom mesmo, estou toda semana visitando e lendo seus artigos.

Parabéns!

Meu Blog: Kariri da Sorte

Beauty Unearthly said...

I love the details. Very beautiful.
xx

GlamourZONE said...

I love the points you shared. it is easy for a person to purchase a fake item in the name of a designer product. Kisses!

The Dainty Dolls House said...

These are great tips!! It can be a bit of hit and miss ordering online sometimes. I've seen some real horror stories of people ordering clothes and what they got was far from the picture. Or bank accounts getting shown and so on. Always be safe and really look into things first! x

Jackie Harrison said...

Love the first and third look but we all have to be cautious what we buy online and do plenty of research of the store brand before deciding. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.

Ivana Split said...

We should always be careful when shopping online, especially when it comes to designer goods.