( 
)Before you buy:
Look at the listing. If the photo's in the listing are stock, designer photo's and not the exact pair of jeans you are bidding on then they are probably - but now always, counterfeit. Ask the Seller to send you a couple photo's of the actual jeans and go with that. Do not fall for their excuses that they don't have access to a camera. If they are savvy enough to steal some photo's from the designer or a major retail website and list their item - they most likely have a camera or can borrow one. If they say that the jeans are at their friends house - then they can go over there and take the photo's if they really want to sell them. The point is - counterfeiters will come up with all kinds of excuses for not being able to provide you with some photo's of the actual jeans you are bidding on. They are already lying by selling counterfeit jeans. Another lie is no big deal.
Ask for measurements. Ask for the waist opening, front and back rise and inseam. If you have a pair of True Religion jeans in your closet - compare the measurements. I have found that counterfeiters rarely get the sizes right and frequently make the jeans too short in the back rise. A front rise should be between 6.5" - 8" and the back rise should be no less than 11.5" - 13". If they have a really low back rise, then this is a sign that they are not authentic. Also, they should have at least a 34" inseam. Now, there are authentic True Religion jeans with 32" - 33" inseams - but not many. A short inseam should get your Counterfeit Radar up. If there are other things that aren't right, then added with the short inseam, you should probably stay away.
Ask about the return policy ( if not stated.) Most sellers of counterfeit merchandise will not accept the jeans back for a refund. A lot of seller's have that policy but you have to wonder why, if they are describing the jeans accurately and showing them in some clear photo's - they won't accept them back for a refund. They know that the buyer is going to be unhappy and they don't want to have to deal with all the refunds they are going to have. Some Seller's of Authentic TR's do not offer refunds - but it is just another thing to get your Counterfeit Radar up. I offer a 7 day money back refund - for any reason. I rarely have my jeans returned because they are all real - but it happens. It is just a way of showing that I stand behind my product.
After you buy:
Feel the denim: Here is the key thing!!!! True Religion denim (or the denim of most high end jeans) is a high thread count denim that comes rigid - 100% cotton or with varying amounts of stretch - 99% cotton/1% spandex (elastin.) They are never so stretchy that you can pull them on and take them off without unbuttoning the waist and unzipping the fly though. Once you feel authentic True Religion jean denim you will know what I am talking about . Most counterfeit jeans are really, really stretchy and a thin denim that stretches out even more while you wear them. This is my main indicator of authenticity. Counterfeit denim is almost ALWAYS cheap, stretchy and thin and doesn't hold its' shape at all. Unfortunately, on eBay you cannot "feel" the denim without buying the jeans. Once you get good at spotting cheap denim you can sometimes tell by just looking at the photo's - especially if the photo's are good - which, again is rare if they are selling counterfeits.
Look at the tags. They should be sewn in perfectly straight and centered. If there is stitching across any of the writing on the tags - the they are probably not real. This is just a mistake that True Religion would not make on a pair of $300.00 jeans. Look at how the jeans are made. Do they have Selvaged seams? Are the seams straight? They should all be perfectly straight. Remember, you may be getting a deal on them, but they are suppose to be a pair of $300.00 jeans and should be made especially well. Is the topstitching, especially with the Super T style, straight and even? It should be perfect.
Try them on. If you are unfamiliar with the way True Religion jeans fit, then go to a Nordstroms or a trusted boutique and try some on. The real ones have a wonderfl fit. This is why they are so popular. Their sizing is pretty consistent also. If you wear a size 26 - then you should be safe to order that size in most True Religion jeans. However, you always need to go up a size with rigid (100% cotton) styles, and some, like the Becky's, you can go down a size. But for the most part, they are consistent with their sizing. (Ask the Seller if they run true to size prior to bidding.) Do they have that wonderful True Religion fit? If not, then they are probably fake.
Bottom line. I buy and sell a lot of True Religion jeans and I have seen a lot of counterfeits over the years. Counterfeiters have one main thing in common. They are trying to pass off a cheaply produced pair of jeans for the real thing. They are trying to make their counterfeit product for as little money as possible. So they almost always cheap out on the quality of the denim and they never get the size right. Usually the counterfeits run a couple sizes small - but not always, and they can even run big. But they never have the right "fit." Again, remember, you are buying a pair of $300.00 jeans - even if you are only bidding $100.00. These jeans should be made like you would expect a $300.00 pair of jeans to be made. True Religion is consistent in the qulity of their jeans. The denim is high quality that holds its' shape, the seams are all straight, the topstitching is perfect and even, and the size is consistent.
I would use this as a guide to buying True Religion jeans - but it can apply to all high end designer jeans too. There are some things that absolutely indicate fake True Religion jeans - like the lack of selvaged seams - but sometimes True Religion can make a pair with, for instance, the tags not sewn in right. (I have never seen this but I am sure that it has happened at least once in the millions of pairs that they manufacture.) You need to take all the indicators into consideration and see if there is a pattern. Remember, counterfeiters are trying to make the jeans as cheaply as possible so they are going to cut corners where True Religion does not. . For me personally, I go by the way the denim feels. Counterfeit denim is almost ALWAYS thin, low thread count, funky feeling and very stretchy. Also, it stretches out really fast when you wear it. If I can't spot counterfeits by the listing - then when I get them I can tell by just feeling the jeans - and back they go. Once my radar goes up - I start looking for other indicators. Seller's will swear that they got them at a reputable store and even offer you a copy of a receipt - but remember, they are already breaking the law by selling you counterfeits so lying is not a big stretch for them. I have a receipt for a pair of True Religion jeans that I bought at Nordstroms for $319.00. I could use it for any and all pairs that I sell. It would be a reasonable investment for a counterfeit business.
Finally consider this. True Religion jeans are expensive. Even Nordstroms is not getting them for less than $100.00 per pair. So if the jeans being offered on eBay are suppose to be BRAND NEW WITH TAGS and they are asking less than $100.00 for them, then you have to ask where they are getting them. Even on the most serious mark-down racks I have never seen a pair of True Religion jeans offered for less than $100.00. That being said, there are deals to be had and this is just something to think about. I actually got a really cool pair on eBay for $89.00 once - but this is extremely rare. I have bought and sold hundreds of pairs over the last 3 years and I have only once found an authentic BNWT pair for less than $100.00.
Follow the old adage: If it sounds too good to be true - it probably is.
Happy Hunting!!!
Look at the listing. If the photo's in the listing are stock, designer photo's and not the exact pair of jeans you are bidding on then they are probably - but now always, counterfeit. Ask the Seller to send you a couple photo's of the actual jeans and go with that. Do not fall for their excuses that they don't have access to a camera. If they are savvy enough to steal some photo's from the designer or a major retail website and list their item - they most likely have a camera or can borrow one. If they say that the jeans are at their friends house - then they can go over there and take the photo's if they really want to sell them. The point is - counterfeiters will come up with all kinds of excuses for not being able to provide you with some photo's of the actual jeans you are bidding on. They are already lying by selling counterfeit jeans. Another lie is no big deal.
Ask for measurements. Ask for the waist opening, front and back rise and inseam. If you have a pair of True Religion jeans in your closet - compare the measurements. I have found that counterfeiters rarely get the sizes right and frequently make the jeans too short in the back rise. A front rise should be between 6.5" - 8" and the back rise should be no less than 11.5" - 13". If they have a really low back rise, then this is a sign that they are not authentic. Also, they should have at least a 34" inseam. Now, there are authentic True Religion jeans with 32" - 33" inseams - but not many. A short inseam should get your Counterfeit Radar up. If there are other things that aren't right, then added with the short inseam, you should probably stay away.
Ask about the return policy ( if not stated.) Most sellers of counterfeit merchandise will not accept the jeans back for a refund. A lot of seller's have that policy but you have to wonder why, if they are describing the jeans accurately and showing them in some clear photo's - they won't accept them back for a refund. They know that the buyer is going to be unhappy and they don't want to have to deal with all the refunds they are going to have. Some Seller's of Authentic TR's do not offer refunds - but it is just another thing to get your Counterfeit Radar up. I offer a 7 day money back refund - for any reason. I rarely have my jeans returned because they are all real - but it happens. It is just a way of showing that I stand behind my product.
After you buy:
Feel the denim: Here is the key thing!!!! True Religion denim (or the denim of most high end jeans) is a high thread count denim that comes rigid - 100% cotton or with varying amounts of stretch - 99% cotton/1% spandex (elastin.) They are never so stretchy that you can pull them on and take them off without unbuttoning the waist and unzipping the fly though. Once you feel authentic True Religion jean denim you will know what I am talking about . Most counterfeit jeans are really, really stretchy and a thin denim that stretches out even more while you wear them. This is my main indicator of authenticity. Counterfeit denim is almost ALWAYS cheap, stretchy and thin and doesn't hold its' shape at all. Unfortunately, on eBay you cannot "feel" the denim without buying the jeans. Once you get good at spotting cheap denim you can sometimes tell by just looking at the photo's - especially if the photo's are good - which, again is rare if they are selling counterfeits.
Look at the tags. They should be sewn in perfectly straight and centered. If there is stitching across any of the writing on the tags - the they are probably not real. This is just a mistake that True Religion would not make on a pair of $300.00 jeans. Look at how the jeans are made. Do they have Selvaged seams? Are the seams straight? They should all be perfectly straight. Remember, you may be getting a deal on them, but they are suppose to be a pair of $300.00 jeans and should be made especially well. Is the topstitching, especially with the Super T style, straight and even? It should be perfect.
Try them on. If you are unfamiliar with the way True Religion jeans fit, then go to a Nordstroms or a trusted boutique and try some on. The real ones have a wonderfl fit. This is why they are so popular. Their sizing is pretty consistent also. If you wear a size 26 - then you should be safe to order that size in most True Religion jeans. However, you always need to go up a size with rigid (100% cotton) styles, and some, like the Becky's, you can go down a size. But for the most part, they are consistent with their sizing. (Ask the Seller if they run true to size prior to bidding.) Do they have that wonderful True Religion fit? If not, then they are probably fake.
Bottom line. I buy and sell a lot of True Religion jeans and I have seen a lot of counterfeits over the years. Counterfeiters have one main thing in common. They are trying to pass off a cheaply produced pair of jeans for the real thing. They are trying to make their counterfeit product for as little money as possible. So they almost always cheap out on the quality of the denim and they never get the size right. Usually the counterfeits run a couple sizes small - but not always, and they can even run big. But they never have the right "fit." Again, remember, you are buying a pair of $300.00 jeans - even if you are only bidding $100.00. These jeans should be made like you would expect a $300.00 pair of jeans to be made. True Religion is consistent in the qulity of their jeans. The denim is high quality that holds its' shape, the seams are all straight, the topstitching is perfect and even, and the size is consistent.
I would use this as a guide to buying True Religion jeans - but it can apply to all high end designer jeans too. There are some things that absolutely indicate fake True Religion jeans - like the lack of selvaged seams - but sometimes True Religion can make a pair with, for instance, the tags not sewn in right. (I have never seen this but I am sure that it has happened at least once in the millions of pairs that they manufacture.) You need to take all the indicators into consideration and see if there is a pattern. Remember, counterfeiters are trying to make the jeans as cheaply as possible so they are going to cut corners where True Religion does not. . For me personally, I go by the way the denim feels. Counterfeit denim is almost ALWAYS thin, low thread count, funky feeling and very stretchy. Also, it stretches out really fast when you wear it. If I can't spot counterfeits by the listing - then when I get them I can tell by just feeling the jeans - and back they go. Once my radar goes up - I start looking for other indicators. Seller's will swear that they got them at a reputable store and even offer you a copy of a receipt - but remember, they are already breaking the law by selling you counterfeits so lying is not a big stretch for them. I have a receipt for a pair of True Religion jeans that I bought at Nordstroms for $319.00. I could use it for any and all pairs that I sell. It would be a reasonable investment for a counterfeit business.
Finally consider this. True Religion jeans are expensive. Even Nordstroms is not getting them for less than $100.00 per pair. So if the jeans being offered on eBay are suppose to be BRAND NEW WITH TAGS and they are asking less than $100.00 for them, then you have to ask where they are getting them. Even on the most serious mark-down racks I have never seen a pair of True Religion jeans offered for less than $100.00. That being said, there are deals to be had and this is just something to think about. I actually got a really cool pair on eBay for $89.00 once - but this is extremely rare. I have bought and sold hundreds of pairs over the last 3 years and I have only once found an authentic BNWT pair for less than $100.00.
Follow the old adage: If it sounds too good to be true - it probably is.
Happy Hunting!!!
Compliments of the DUTCHESSOFDENIM
Guide created: 07/29/08 (updated 06/28/09)
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