Hiya,

i am writing this Guide as Recently i Purchased a Vest Top off Ebay as New with Tags & found it to Not be as it seemed. The Seller had Good Pictures of the item in the Listing etc & it was a Genuine Designer Top that Looked New in the Photos & you could see the Tags attatched. So i put a bid on it & Bought it for around £18.

When i received the Vest Top it had all the Tags attatched to it & was a Genuine Designer article BUT when i started to look closer i noticed that the Printed Logo on its Front was very Badly Cracked as if it had been worn or stretched & the colour of its material was a slightly faded khaki brown as if it had been worn quite a few times!!! Even the ribbed materials feel was very rough & stiff as if it had been washed a few times & NOT the case as it is sometimes with clothing, 'Had the worn look' either. I was angry as id paid £18 for a T-shirts which RRP in the Shops was only £25 & it had obviously been WORN & USED Quite a bit by the lookls of it. I didnt actually say anything to the seller back then as i knew they would just turn around & say it is brand new as it has all the tags attatched so how could it of been worn, or it has the worn look to it. I wish i did though Now!!!!

As we all know we all want to be safe on Ebay & you cant trust anyone these days can you? But there are also alot of Genuine ebay sellers & Companies too. So ive deviced a few of my own Tips to try & help Buyers Protect themself. As many sellers are doing this as its very easy for People these days to buy a tag gun cheap on ebay & Collect Tags from personal clothes purchases or Steal them or Photo copy them etc.

1). When purchasing an item Brand new with Tags firstly have a look what Tags are attatched & if these Tags are actually on that real article of clothing if you would purchase it in a shop or has somebody just attatched any old Retail or Sale/ price Tag them self which is not the kind or type of Tags that that brand or shop ever use themself.

2). Look where the Tag is attatched as Alot of shops will Tag there clothes in a certain way or in a certain Place. So check the Tags location as some Brands Of Clothing will always place there Tags on the inside of the Garment Label ONLY Whereas other Brands & Shops will only attatch tags to the main Top label of there clothing only. So if the Tag is on an odd place of that clothing & Not in its usual place ask why or ask the seller to see more close up photos to verify its authenticity.

3). Check the items material. You can always tell if an item has been worn by the look & feel of its texture, bobbling in certain places, Labels, faded fabric & cracks especially in Printed logos & designs & things such as these. If you are unsure ask the seller for close up photo's of the item you are interested in & certain places of it like its print etc.

Be carefull though as alot of items thesedays have the worn look to them as the clothings design & do notr confuse this,. But NO New item should be faded & patchy colour due to washing & wearing,  show bobbling due to persistant wear & rubbing in certain areas (shoulder, handbags?), Deodrant & perspiration stains may be present if the garment is worn will change the clothings colour of its fabric around the armpits area always. So look out for this also. Look closely at Prints & sewn designs also as this will probably be the main giveaway as no new item will have loose threads & cracked & patchy,faded, worn Prints. Prints will only be stretched, faded & worn if the Garment has been either tryed on alot, worn or washed & dryed as the main factor of Prints cracking & splitting is that when the Garment is wet, if it is dried with heat ie in a tumble dryer this will crack the Garments Print due to the Heat. So unless the item has been tryed on a couple of times so you can expect a very minor slight stretch or cracking in the print then the Garment has been worn & washed most certainly.

 Also another little trick ive notied on worn Garments that people dont think to check is Check the Garments inside labels as NEW items inside labels if you notice are very stiff, square, flat with no creases & the label should be a bright white or cream colour (normally) With Dark, Bold Black writing on it which is Easily read. If a Garment has been worn or washed then if you look Normally the Garments inside labels will be flimsey, maybe creased, a murkyer off white colour, not a perfect rectangular stiff shape & normally if you look the Writing on the label will usually fade especially if the garment has been washed a number of times.

4). Fourthley check the plastic that is used with the tagging & the type of plastic Tagging used to attatch the paper tag to the garment & refer to the originally Brands/ Shops Tags if possible. Some Brands do not use clear plastic tags they may use a type of Rope or Rustic string to attatch there paper tags as alot of brands now use this to attatch there main Tags & just either tie this to the garments cloth label or use a mini safety pin top attatch it. Black or red Plastic to attatch tags is sometimes used too. Also Remember to check the tag type if possible as sometimes Certains shops now do not use the standard clear plastic tags that have the T-Shape end either side, they use the clear Tags that Lock to form a round circuit which is kind of like a Cable tie & they are stronger & look better too.

Here are a few ways you can check to see whether the item you are interested in is as it seems. Although some of these are not all 100% fool proof & 100% as certain Genuine situations can mean that tags types may vary & even places if a different member of staff is tagging items, therefore may do it a different way etc etc. But these are a few Ways in which you can check to see whether you are getting what you actually want & check that the seller is actually listing what they say they are so as you do not waste your hard earned cash & hopefully other people wont too as i Believe Nobody should have to buy something that they do not want down to unfair, wrong or forged listings. As ive had it done to me personally & feel that especially when you are buying something off the internet which you cannot check or see personally & you are dealing with someone you do not know or may not be able to trust that it is adequate that sellers DO & are willing to make sellers feel at ease & certain about what they are actually handing there money over for.

So i think the main way of keeping ourself Safe is to COMMUNICATE More with the sellers & NOT Be afraid to ask more questions about the item that you are buying or may buy & Remember DONT be afraid to ask for more information, Photgraphs or for the seller to address your concerns. Because if a Seller is reluctant too answer these questions or too give you more Details on the Product or Photographs. Ask yourself this do you really want to Trust them kind of Sellers & give them your hard earned cash if you dont even know what you are buying or they cant even be bothered to assist there customers or help you???? As i wouldnt, id rather go elsewhere & give a Genuine Decent Seller my Business!

I hope this Guide can Help Ebayers & make then more Aware of the another unfortunate Danger of buying off ebay. I also hope it make Ebayers more Carefull about what they are buying instead of  trusting what a seller says all the time & Remember DONT be afraid to Ask as genuine sellers will be gratefull & be Obliged to Help You .

Please Rate this Guide on its Helpfullness as then i will know if people found this Review Helpfull & worthwhile..............................