Counterfeit items

[zeus121996]

Sorry if I'm repeating a previous question, but how can I be assured an item for sale is authentic and not a counterfeit? I'm looking at some headphones and they come in quantities of 10. That's fine but the price averages out to about $17/pair US where in a store the cheapest I've seen is $69.99
Any advice would be appreciated

TY

Mark

[suesjools]

I've always purchased items from reputable sellers and haven't had a problem yet, knock wood. I think the key is to buy from sellers you can trust and be sure to ask any questions you have before buying. Good sellers won't mind answering your questions and those are the kind you want to deal with, regardless of what it is you're buying.

Regarding the headphones, if you're concerned you could always ask the seller some questions like where he/she got them and who manufactures the headphones, (some items made overseas are remarkably inexpensive, though some aren't always of the best quality IMHO). Maybe the seller bought in bulk and got a good deal from the supplier. I used to do a lot of buying at flea markets and always got good deals, secondhand stores also sometimes have excellent prices on items, especially on lesser known or less popular brands.

The only place you'll get the answers you're seeking is the seller of the headphones. The rest of us can speculate on whether or not they're legit, but we don't know for sure, only the seller does.

Oh and welcome to eBid.

Best wishes for many sales to all,

[emmily121]

I go by the premise if something seems to good to be true, it probably is...

[meebo1]

I actually avoid big labels, just as I avoid brands that do a lot of advertising. I want to pay for the goods I get and not the name or the advert

[madelaine]

Wot Emmily said!

[astral276]

I actually avoid big labels, just as I avoid brands that do a lot of advertising. I want to pay for the goods I get and not the name or the advert

Totally agree with you; I never understand why people pay a premium just for name (e.g. Dr. Dre, Gucci). If you don't buy into that market then you're unlikely to come across counterfeits. If you do buy into it then best to have more sense than money - rather than the other way round.

[madelaine]

In the designer area, a bit of research helps - few of the top design labels do wholesale at all - they sell through their own shops/websites. So a new item from most of them at a huge discount is a fake - simple as that.

On holiday in the South of France, I invested an afternoon in window shopping in Cannes. All the top labels have shops there and the thing I learned is that such items ooze quality - No pattern is off-centre, no thread runs out in the middle of a seam, nothing feels or looks flimsy (unless it is floaty silk!). Not even the price tags look tacky!

[suesjools]

In the designer area, a bit of research helps - few of the top design labels do wholesale at all - they sell through their own shops/websites. So a new item from most of them at a huge discount is a fake - simple as that.

On holiday in the South of France, I invested an afternoon in window shopping in Cannes. All the top labels have shops there and the thing I learned is that such items ooze quality - No pattern is off-centre, no thread runs out in the middle of a seam, nothing feels or looks flimsy (unless it is floaty silk!). Not even the price tags look tacky!

I hear ya, it's the same with Native American jools, the real thing versus cheap knockoffs, it's easy to tell in person, if not always so easy to tell from photos, especially when photos are doctored or stock pix.

Maybe the best thing to do when paying $$$ for an item is to buy from a place where you can actually see and handle the item before buying. I buy plenty of stuff online, but not $$$ items.

Best wishes for many sales to all,