Seller Blog
Advice, help and support for ASOS Marketplace sellers.
How we spot counterfeits, and what to do to prove your item is the real deal.
Not only does the counterfeit goods industry fund a LOT of crime, it also hits fashion where it hurts – it costs genuine businesses £3.5bn annually.
We have a dedicated team here who check every upload to make sure each designer piece is genuine, and any item that we can’t prove is real is suspended from the site until the seller can produce more information to prove it’s authentic.
In this post we will give you a rundown of ten tips for how to spot counterfeits when you are out and about sourcing vintage, or simply shopping. We use these tips to assess what we let onto the site, so you can be rest assured that when you’re shopping on ASOS Marketplace, we’ve done the fact checking for you. Take a look at our Fashion Not Fakes page for the full skinny on our counterfeits policy.
2. It’s all about reputation. Check out the seller’s feedback, you will be able to see what other buyers have had to say about them. Keep your eyes on any sellers offering lots of the same item, or lots of different designer pieces at remarkably low prices.
3. Has the product actually ever been made? Many counterfeits are items that have never been manufactured – look out for unlikely brand collaborations and designs and check online if they are authentic.
4. Wrong logo? Big no no. This is a sure fire way to tell that an item is fake. Where possible, compare the logo with the one featured on the brands website. Make sure you also check for logos on zips, buttons and any fastenings. For example, both Chanel and Louis Vuitton engrave their logo on their zippers.
5. A lot of counterfeit items have fake labels or have had the real labels sewn back in. Check for double stitches and messy hand stitching, check the labels are perfectly straight, and make sure the ‘care labels are in English.
6. Spell-check! This is obviously a common indicator of a counterfeit item. Channel bag? Berberry wallet? No thanks. Check for spelling errors on the logos, tag label, fabric labels and authenticity cards.
7. Check the pattern, especially for items covered in the brands logo. For example, Louis Vuitton bags are made from one long piece of fabric, so there should be no half cut off logos or seams at the bottom.
8. Look out for loose threads and badly finished embellishments. Good quality designer brands should be finished perfectly, with no loose seams or imperfect hems.
9. Obviously spotting a fake is harder online with 2D photos, but try to keep an eye out for the fabric. Does the seller’s fabric description match what you can see in the photo? Where possible, check what the item should be made of by looking at the brands website on-line.
10. If you are concerned that an item isn’t real, ask the seller to provide more information or photos, such as close up’s of the labels and logos, you could also ask if they have a receipt or authenticity card available.
What you can do to prove your item is real:
When items are listed on ASOS Marketplace, we ask for detailed photos of labels and receipts before we let them go up for sale.
Take a photo of as many details of the piece as mentioned above and include these images as thumbnail photos when you list the item. If we still suspend your item – don’t panic! We just might need some extra info from you; we will shoot you an email so you can get in touch.
We’d like to say a HUGE thanks to all our sellers for abiding by our anti-counterfeits policies & being patient whilst waiting for your items to be approved – it helps keep ASOS Marketplace a safe place to shop from amazing independent designers, small labels, vintage sellers and wardrobe recyclers.
What you can do to prove your item is real:
When items are listed on ASOS Marketplace, we ask for detailed photos of labels and receipts before we let them go up for sale.
Take a photo of as many details of the piece as mentioned above and include these images as thumbnail photos when you list the item. If we still suspend your item – don’t panic! We just might need some extra info from you; we will shoot you an email so you can get in touch.
We’d like to say a HUGE thanks to all our sellers for abiding by our anti-counterfeits policies & being patient whilst waiting for your items to be approved – it helps keep ASOS Marketplace a safe place to shop from amazing independent designers, small labels, vintage sellers and wardrobe recyclers.
Got a question about anti-counterfeits? We’re over on Google+ to help you out.
