If you do a search for anthropologie items, you'll get thousands of listings - but many of the items do not come from an anthropologie store. Many sellers use the name anthropologie (and include items like anthropologie balm or card in the auction) to attract buyers who like anthropologie styles.  This is fine if you know what you're buying - you may be able to get something anthropologie-like at a bargain price. If you don't pay attention, however, you may end up bidding on an item and paying a significant amount for an item of inferior quality or that was not what you intended.

The first time I searched for Anthropologie items on ebay, I was overwhelmed - there were lots of items that looked like bargains, but I wasn't sure what was really a good deal. I remember looking at a really cute blouse listed as "Anthropologie" and then seeing it at TJ Maxx a couple of weeks later for half the price the seller was listing it for. While the blouse was still cute when I saw it in person, it was obvious that the quality was well below that sold at Anthropologie stores. I also noticed that the label had a brand I'd never heard of and that this brand was listed nowhere in the auction I had seen.

So what do you look for to know whether it's genuine Anthropologie? Well, if the item itself has an Anthropologie tag sewn in, you're pretty safe. Another good indicator is whether there is an Anthropologie store tag attached. I have seen items that I knew were not Anthropologie pictured with an authentic Anthropologie hang tag. If there is a hang tag and you are uncertain about the authenticity, ask the seller for the close up picture of the tag so you can verify whether the tag actually goes with the item.

Not all items sold at Anthropologie are "Anthropologie" brand. Brands typically sold there include "Odille," "Moth," "Elevenses," "Sleeping on Snow" and "Sitwell." Authentic brands sold at Anthropologie also include "Maeve" "Ric Rac" (tag is a piece of ric rac), "Velvet," "Fei," "Loomstate," "Deletta," "Lithe," "Poleci," "Eloise" Anthropologie also has from time to time higher end brands you may be able to buy elsewhere as well such as Anna Sui, Tracy Feith, Edun, Ella Moss, Rachel Pally, and Blue Cult jeans. There are probably more brands that have been sold in Anthropologie stores than I can mention here. This isn't an exhaustive list by any means, but is meant to give you an idea of some of the brands I have seen being sold by Anthropologie. If you aren't sure about whether something is an authentic Anthropologie brand, I'd suggest browsing through the website, store, or catalog to get an idea, as well as asking the seller.

Items that have a picture and name/description that have been taken from the Anthropologie website are likely to be authentic. Check out how the website pictures look so that you can recognize that style of photo. If you are really serious about looking for Anthropologie items on a regular basis, it never hurts to keep an eye on what they have listed on their website or have in stores, so that you can recognize them with or without the official photo. Especially watch those items that are on sale, as those tend to show up for resale on ebay. The Anthropologie catalog is also a great resource - you can hold on to old issues and use them to help recognize authentic items.

Items being sold with an Anthropologie item, such as a balm or card are probably not authentic. The items are generally included just so the seller can use the name Anthropologie in the listing. I'd also beware of auctions that do not specifically list what the brand of the item is. If the tag has been cut out, that could also be a bad sign, especially if the item is listed as new. (Though it's possible that the tag was cut out by the previous owner because it itched or something like that - if you wonder, you should ask the seller why it was cut out) If a new item does not have an Anthropologie store tag, this should not necessarily be cause for concern, since items purchased from the Anthropologie website do not come with those sorts of tags. Also phrases such as "anthropologie like" or "anthropologie style" should tip you off that an item is not authentic.

If you have any doubts, you should ask the seller. Good questions to ask are what the brand is and whether it was purchased from Anthropologie store or website. You could also the seller for close up pictures of the tags or to explain any anomalies that raise concerns, such as lack of tags or unfamiliar brand. Most sellers will be honest when you ask them where an item came from or whether it is authentic.  If a seller cannot provide satisfactory answers to your questions, I would exercise caution in bidding on the item.

With all that said, there are lots of great authentic Anthropologie deals to be had on e-bay if you know how to look. Happy bidding!