Caveat emptor...let the buyer beware

There are a lot of people selling CKs at very cheap prices.  What has often surprised me is that many sellers cannot tell the difference between an orginal and a fake.  The problem is made difficult in that some manufacturers of the original products have in the past been flooding the market with what are called "second imports".  These are CK garments which are being shipped to non-official retail outlets and may also be noticeably sub-standard.  .

There are a number of ways to check a garment for authenticity:

1.  Before you buy, ask the seller for the product code which is found in the label on the garment.  The product number can be easily checked against that advertised by official outlets on the web.  Fakers often stitch a label with the wrong product code on the product.

2.  When you get the item,  check the waistband if possible against an authentic garment which might have bought from an official outlet.  Often the fakers put a sub-standard waistband on the garment...either by wrong (out of date) design or by poor stitching.

3.  Only buy a product in a box or other offical packaging...if you like the style of garment which you bought from an offical outlet, it is wise to keep the box.  Often a faker produces a box with substandard printing and coloring.  Products without the right packaging  are highly likey to be mass-produced fakes.

4.  Check the item against the image and description on the box or packaging.  Fakes can have the wrong colored stitching (eg white instead of grey).

5. Only trade with someone who guarantees authenticity in their advert.  If you want to sell on Ebay and you wish to buy from a wholesaler, it is vital that you get a sample from the seller first before you commit to buying a large shipment, and throughly check the garment and its packaging against the same item bought from an official outlet. It doesn't take long to spot the fake (and to save you from losing money or, worse still, facing prosecution!)