eBay is a great place to pick up cheap items and pretty much anything, however there are certain sellers who sell fakes to target the Average Joe who doesn't know any better. Hopefully this guide will act as a general pointer as to how to be a little wiser to those who prey on the innocent to sell shoddy, fake trainers.

We are talking about trainers made to poor standards, with poor materials, and you can bet your house on the fact they will fall apart. What makes this more difficult is the fact that they can be blatant fakes, or they can look exactly like the real deal. Most of the time you would need to look at the shoes side by side to tell them apart.

Now here's a little glossary of terms to look out for. Sellers include these to cover themselves if they get found out:

VARIANTS: These are fakes, 100% fake. A lot of sellers use this term but it is deliberately misleading. Variants are fakes, no doubt about it. Look at the policy section of the auction, it may be hidden in the small print but they will usually say "these shoes are factory variants" as if they are a real product. What they mean is that they were made in a factory that makes variants of real shoes = IE FAKES.

SAMPLES: Everyone should know the deal with sample shoes. For those who don't, samples are size 9 shoes with no box, and they are basically test shoes. You can come across some unusual samples, and most of the time you should keep an eye out to ensure that the sample tags, especially on Nike trainers, are still attatched. They are light brown in colour, and if they are genuine the seller should be more than happy to show you a close-up photo.

CUSTOMS: If you see a shoe in an unreleased colourway, it is either a sample, a fake, or a 'custom'. Customs are shoes that have been hand-detailed in some way. There are a few well-known designers who have done this, so be sure to do your research. These designers generally charge premium prices as the trainers come in short runs of between 100 and 500. Therefore, don't expect to come onto eBay and get a pair for 30 quid because they WILL be fake. Some sellers call their shoes 'customs', but they are fakes. Pretty much anything that has been altered is fake, such as the Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Burberry Air Force Ones.

The advice I offer you is as follows:

1. Remember that there is no way to guarantee that any item on eBay is 100% real. Look at the seller's policy, if they are willing to refund your money if you find the trainers are fake, the person is normally confident in the authenticity of their product. Which leads me to..

2. Make damn sure you check the seller's feedback. If they give a guarantee like this but don't keep to it, why bother? Remember also, that if someone does not suspect the trainers are fake and has been given good service, they will leave positive feedback. Therefore, focus on the negatives left on the seller.

3. Be patient and don't get carried away. Most styles will come up again if you are prepared to wait. Plus, the longer you hang around, the more you'll learn, and the less likely it is you'll be ripped off.

4. Do some research on some trainer forums and see what other people are saying about eBay sellers. These forums also have lists of regular offenders and some good info on how to spot fakes in certain models.

5. Remember the hardest eBayer to catch is the one using real pictures to sell fake shoes. Sometimes it is easy to spot the pictures everyone uses to sell the trainers, either from professional websites or from other auctions. Keep an eye out for these sellers, and if you're suspicious, don't bid.

6. Finally, use your common sense. If you think it's too good to be true, it probably is.

Hope this helps, and if you have any other questions drop me a line.

bigtymer1409