Ever missed your chance to pre-order that item so you’ve turned to
sites like Ebay? You entered the search terms then found unbelievably
low prices? You bought the item straight from China, it came 2 months
later and looks like it rolled through hell and back? You just bought a
fraudulent piece of merchandise, $20 down the toilet and you’re pretty
mad because you still need that item. I’m here to give you my personal
experiences with fraudulent merchandise as well as some pointers to
prevent yourself from getting tricked!
Know the Item You Want to Purchase & Request Photos
It’s very easy to fake a product and make it almost impossible to tell from the product listing. There are however very small details that can reveal a fraud from the real thing.
This figure is a bit of an obvious copy of the original figure. Her corset piece is clearly sticking out when it’s supposed to in. The box also doesn’t contain any plastic sheets protecting the figure or accessories, which you can see in legitimate boxed figures.
Also on the back of the box you can see tape holding the lid down, it’s cheap clear tape which gives away the low quality packaging that would not happen if it were a legitimate product. Make sure before you buy anything that they show real photos of the product they’re selling, not stock photos that the company supplies of the legitimate figure. Pictures of the item in box are essential to verify whether it is a real product or fake. Always request it and contact the seller if they only display stock photos.
Just because they supply stock photos it doesn’t mean the figure actually looks like this!
New Doesn’t Mean New
I’ve purchase figures off of Ebay for a good deal when in reality I was ripped off. I thought I was new items when in reality I got a figure that was dirty, shoved into a plastic bag and shipped over to me. It looked like it had been dropped multiple times on a factory floor. New is not a guarantee! Whoever is selling you the product could be selling you the factory defects which would normally be tossed in the garbage. They may technically be new, but in reality they were picked out of the garbage bin. Don’t believe everything you read.
I also picked up a legitimate figure that was missing a key component. My Akemi Homura figma was missing the figma ziplock bag, and the tape on her box looked fishy. The figure is a real figma, but the fact that she was missing that item and it looked like the box was open confirmed my suspicions. People are ready to lie to get a better price. Your money isn’t always protected and to get it back can be a huge hassle. Like I mentioned before, don’t believe everything you read.
From China? Be Skeptical
It may be tough to make a call from items that come from China, but anytime I’ve bought an item that was undervalued from China I was scorned. I’m sure you could also get scorned for items that were priced fairly. When I purchased Japanese figures from sellers in Japan however, I did get the real thing. Be picky about the country, and be thorough if you’re buying the item from China. Follow the guidelines in this post well especially for from China items. That said, don’t buy from China wholesalers if you’re looking for legitimate items. Sellers from Alibaba.com are very likely to sell fraudulent items, infact that is what I mostly see when I’m skimming through. Just avoid that site altogether for merchandise. It’s great for certain products but definitely not merchandise.
A Good Seller’s Rating Proves Nothing
I have bought fraudulent items from Top Sellers off of Ebay. I have also seen clearly fraudulent items for sale from Top Sellers. So how do you weed out the real ratings from the lies? Check out the bad reviews and see if people report fake merchandise. Be hesitant with anyone who has been reported for selling fake items.
Give Bad Ratings, Get A Refund
If a seller claims to be selling legitimate merchandise then you have a right to get your money back. Giving bad ratings can ensure that the seller is pressured to give your money back. I gave a seller a bad rating because my item took forever to arrive, and when it finally did it was in bad condition and clearly fraudulent. I gave a bad review and instantly got a message from the seller asking me to remove the review and I would get my money back. It’s kind of a bad system, but it’s better to get a refund than waste your money. If the seller isn’t budging then open a dispute if you can. Don’t do nothing! At least a bad rating ensures that you’re going to get the seller’s attention.
So to recap, here are the takeaways from this list:
Christina
Know the Item You Want to Purchase & Request Photos
It’s very easy to fake a product and make it almost impossible to tell from the product listing. There are however very small details that can reveal a fraud from the real thing.
This figure is a bit of an obvious copy of the original figure. Her corset piece is clearly sticking out when it’s supposed to in. The box also doesn’t contain any plastic sheets protecting the figure or accessories, which you can see in legitimate boxed figures.
Also on the back of the box you can see tape holding the lid down, it’s cheap clear tape which gives away the low quality packaging that would not happen if it were a legitimate product. Make sure before you buy anything that they show real photos of the product they’re selling, not stock photos that the company supplies of the legitimate figure. Pictures of the item in box are essential to verify whether it is a real product or fake. Always request it and contact the seller if they only display stock photos.
Just because they supply stock photos it doesn’t mean the figure actually looks like this!
New Doesn’t Mean New
I’ve purchase figures off of Ebay for a good deal when in reality I was ripped off. I thought I was new items when in reality I got a figure that was dirty, shoved into a plastic bag and shipped over to me. It looked like it had been dropped multiple times on a factory floor. New is not a guarantee! Whoever is selling you the product could be selling you the factory defects which would normally be tossed in the garbage. They may technically be new, but in reality they were picked out of the garbage bin. Don’t believe everything you read.
I also picked up a legitimate figure that was missing a key component. My Akemi Homura figma was missing the figma ziplock bag, and the tape on her box looked fishy. The figure is a real figma, but the fact that she was missing that item and it looked like the box was open confirmed my suspicions. People are ready to lie to get a better price. Your money isn’t always protected and to get it back can be a huge hassle. Like I mentioned before, don’t believe everything you read.
From China? Be Skeptical
It may be tough to make a call from items that come from China, but anytime I’ve bought an item that was undervalued from China I was scorned. I’m sure you could also get scorned for items that were priced fairly. When I purchased Japanese figures from sellers in Japan however, I did get the real thing. Be picky about the country, and be thorough if you’re buying the item from China. Follow the guidelines in this post well especially for from China items. That said, don’t buy from China wholesalers if you’re looking for legitimate items. Sellers from Alibaba.com are very likely to sell fraudulent items, infact that is what I mostly see when I’m skimming through. Just avoid that site altogether for merchandise. It’s great for certain products but definitely not merchandise.
A Good Seller’s Rating Proves Nothing
I have bought fraudulent items from Top Sellers off of Ebay. I have also seen clearly fraudulent items for sale from Top Sellers. So how do you weed out the real ratings from the lies? Check out the bad reviews and see if people report fake merchandise. Be hesitant with anyone who has been reported for selling fake items.
Give Bad Ratings, Get A Refund
If a seller claims to be selling legitimate merchandise then you have a right to get your money back. Giving bad ratings can ensure that the seller is pressured to give your money back. I gave a seller a bad rating because my item took forever to arrive, and when it finally did it was in bad condition and clearly fraudulent. I gave a bad review and instantly got a message from the seller asking me to remove the review and I would get my money back. It’s kind of a bad system, but it’s better to get a refund than waste your money. If the seller isn’t budging then open a dispute if you can. Don’t do nothing! At least a bad rating ensures that you’re going to get the seller’s attention.
So to recap, here are the takeaways from this list:
- Know the product you want in detail. In box, out of box, and the box itself.
- Request photos where necessary, if you’re skeptical, then it’s necessary!
- New isn’t always new. Requesting photos could remedy this.
- Shipping from China? Be careful!
- A good rating isn’t a guarantee, read their reviews in detail.
- Complain.
- Fight for your money back
- Purchase through Paypal when you can to allow for better security of your money. Sites like Alibaba and Ebay don’t necessarily guarantee and protect your purchases.
Christina
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