This serves as a quick how-to guide when it comes to buying authentic merchandise on Ebay (specifically authentic fashion merchandise).

First, why it is important to buy authentic:
Consumers- We live in a disposable culture. It's all about getting out with the old and in with the new. Little or no care is taken to ensure the life of any one object for longer than is absolutely necessary. How refreshing it is when something makes you stop short and gasp! How exciting to aquire a masterpiece, a real work of art that took time, love, effort and thought- surely not a thing so easily thrown away! It is for moments like these that most consumers live for. It's an addictive feeling and links you to a dream world where you basically only start buying what you adore. Such discerning taste can get pricey- the more unavailable true craftsmanship and handmaking is, the pricier such rarities become. This leads me to reason #1 for buying authentic- when you buy fake merchandise, those of us who don't purchase fakes pay for it by way of price increases. And if you keep purchasing those counterfits, you'll keep increasing the prices and then you'll truly never be able to afford yourself life's little luxuries! It's a lose-lose situation. Why carry a fake if you can have something precious that may take you just a little more time to save up for?  Another reason is simply the fact that selling and buying counterfit items is illegal. Would you flaunt your stash of heroin to the general public? How about those of you with fakes walking into the boutiques of the stores your item is mimicking- it's like a hooker going to the police station to look for a client. Here's the real cincher since we're living in a post 9-11 era now; did you know that the selling of counterfits is so popular nowadays that it's a huge moneymaker for the parties involved? Did you also know that people who need a lot of money, really fast, and don't care how they get it, are criminals involved in even bigger shadey operations? Most aren't just in it to feed their families, they've got bosses, organizers, CEO's in the upper echelons. They've got an agenda. Their agenda usually stems from organized crime or terrorism and this has been discussed in several news publications. So next time you lament about that purse in Vogue that costs too much money and you want to "copy" the look (by the way, everyone can tell it's a fake)  so you mosey on over to ebay or your local counterfit dealer, remember this- if not thinking highly of yourself and not demanding only the best, if causing a domino effect and alienating yourself  further from buying true luxury, and if understanding that what you're buying into is a jail sentence if you're caught doesn't deter you, hopefully the idea of becoming a prospective supporter of terrorism is enough to stop you before you make the mistake of buying a fake.

Ebay as a breeding ground & how to avoid stepping on its vermon and getting your Manolo's dirty:
I've gotten burned on Ebay by a dishonest seller or two. It's a disheartening feeling. Here is what I've learned:

1-Know the product! There is no more clueless of a feeling than having no idea what to look for when purchasing something on Ebay. If you saw something in Vogue, go out to the designer's store and educate yourself on the quality of their product and the history of their company. If you can't find the exact item you want, then studying another one of their similar items will be just as effective. You'll realize their standard and what to look for and this will make it easier to determine if what you bought is indeed authentic. If you can't find the designer near you, research them on the web. I cannot tell you enough how important this is! There are scents of leather, quality of sewing craftsmanship, even the sorts of buttons or hardware used that are very specific to a design house and these things are much harder to mimick, so get to know what these details are. They'll help you in the long run. There are so many fake Louis Vuitton bags for example, in styles/colors/patterns, that have never even been made! If you are clueless, call 866-Vuitton and ask a representative if a certain bag in such and such a style has ever been created, or go to their website or your local boutique. Big warning signs like not really recognizing a particular model or style should set off an alarm. It also helps to know the designer's selling policy- do their items ever go on sale? Understanding the value of what your bidding on and the history surrounding it gives you the upper hand. Don't be fooled by tempting fairytales! High end merchandise doesn't simply fall off a truck either. There is no such thing as overstock or flawed pieces that have been sold wholesale. This isn't JC Penny and high end designers do not want their names synanomous with flawed pieces so they destroy anything not up to par!

2-Be reasonable! If you honestly think you're going to get a bargain on Ebay for anything particularly of-the-moment, completely timeless and chic, or brand new, you are lying to yourself. In fact, you're bound to get a mark-up! Unless something is used, it's considered fair game, and unless you have a seller desperate for dough, chances are they won't part with something for much lower than they originally paid for it. So if you're looking for a mint condition Balenciaga bag for a significant percentage less than retail- dream on! IF, however an item such as a Marc Jacobs dress from last season is on Ebay and it retailed for $2999, but is selling for $800- this is realistic. Why? Because clothing is more likely to decrease in value as it can be very obvious which season something is from. It isn't to say it's not beautiful and not worth having, but the decrease in price is more realistic also because Marc Jacobs, unlike Louis Vuitton, goes on sale. So actually the dress could've cost the seller only $650 at Saks during a major sale, but they are selling it to you for $800. See, there's still a mark-up! On rare occassions you'll find yourself a good deal, especially where pre-owned shoes are concerned. I'll assume that's because they were worn, served their purpose, and now the owner is tired of looking at them and wants to make a little of their money back. Shoes are also harder to counterfit.

3-Know Your Seller! Notice I put this one last because you can't ever really know your seller now can you? Just because someone is a powerseller doesn't mean they are honest, nor if they write "guaranteed authentic" in their auction. These people have no integrity so why put it past them to outright lie? Feedback is obviously a big factor. 100% positive feedback is great- but what's the feedback for? Has this seller been selling dog toys for $4.99 the past 4 years and suddenly is auctioning off a Chanel bag? The seller should have experience with high end authentic merchandise and not just be a dog toy salesman suddenly turned fashion peddler.  I know many sellers have hundreds or thousands of feedback and the prospect of reading what everyone says can get daunting, so thats when you do a search for keywords like "authentic" or "fake". Has anyone ever accused them of selling a fake? Sometimes, in exchange for a refund, a seller will ask to "mutually withdraw negative feedback". So you won't see the red warning and you'll have no idea what happened and what to look for. That's where the search tool and those keywords come in handy! Beware of sellers who guarantee authenticity or money back under the condition that you receive a written statement from the designer store stating the item you purchased is not authentic. High end designers do not do this. There is no such thing as a written statement from the store and the seller knows this.  They are sending you on a wild goose chase on purpose, knowing you'll never be able to come up with the proof. Also, beware of insecure payment methods such as cash or cashiers checks. And most importantly- talk to your seller. I find people with nothing to hide wont write you 3 page long e-mails with long, contrived stories, and if a seller is hard to get in touch with, they aren't worth doing business with- authentic or not, but especially if you suspect they might be schemesters, as they'll disappear as soon as you confront them. Lastly, most authentic, honest sellers will never be offended by authenticity questions and will not give you the run-around, nor will they try extra hard to prove themselves as honest. They don't have to. If you don't want what they have, someone else will because they know what they have is of value.


Another thing I recommend is joining a forum online where members discuss certain designer labels in depth. Many members are extremely educated and helpful and will assist you in determining whether a seller has a good rep or a bad one and whether the item you want to bid on is the genuine article or a hideous fake. This comes especially handy when it gets complicated and everything seems OK but you realize fakes are getting better by the day so you want an expert's eye to give you even more perspective. Many forums already have pre-made "recommended seller" and "stay away from seller" lists so you can quickly glance at those before making any moves. Those also tend to come with commentary as to why this person made it on their particular list.

I hope this little guide helps assist you on a safer journey towards creating your dream world!