How To Check If The Product Is Genuine Or Not? : Know! >> The write-up shares some helpful tips and guides to check if the product is legit or a scam.
A majority of online purchasing decisions are made based on the logo and brand name of the product. Brands and companies spend a fortune to protect their brand and market their products to Worldwide customers.
It ensures customers that they are getting the real product and not the counterfeit products. However, the counterfeit market is flourishing rapidly with increased duplicate production methods and online scams.
How can a buyer distinguish the genuine and real product from the counterfeit one in the thriving counterfeit market? Go through the telltale signs mentioned below to identify the original and real products from the counterfeit ones. Below is a quick rundown of criteria that help you know How To Check If The Product Is Genuine Or Not?
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How are Duplicate and Scam Products Hurting Businesses?
Apart from filching the identity, revenue and customer base from the brands, online product scams invade the business in different ways. It has been estimated that over 2.5 million jobs were lost in the past twenty years due to counterfeit products and online product scams.
When a counterfeit product is ordered via an online scam, one less genuine product is sold. Gradually, it reduces the sale ratio of real products, affecting the overall revenue generation of business and resulting in layoff due to less supply and demand in the market.
Over 7% of Worldwide trade is counterfeit products and scams. Small businesses with well-established brand identity and high-quality products need to keep an eagle eye on the branding. Scam products can cause buying confusion amongst customers.
Even if they have the intention to buy the real product, the online scams make the counterfeit product seem real and make purchasing confusion.
How To Check If The Product Is Genuine Or Not?
Researching the Seller
Online shoppers must buy directly from the brand or company itself, and it is the best way to reduce online scams and counterfeit product marketing. If buying a product from third-party seller is the only option for you, then ensure that you follow certain guidelines to distinguish the genuine product from scams and fake products.
- You must check the URL of the website to check whether it has “http” or “https” in the URL. The URL with “https” indicates that it is safe and secured. But still there is a need to check other factors.
- The domain age of the seller’s website is another crucial factor. You need to check when the domain is registered. The domain age of more than six months are often considered safe. The newly registered domain involves higher risks, and hence it must be avoided. Buying any product from a newly registered website means a higher chance of buying counterfeit products.
- There are websites where you can check the reviews and trust rating of the website. The trust score starts from 1%, which is poor and 100%, which is a good indicator.
Getting Familiar with Real Products
Authentic brands and companies usually imprint their brand logo on packaging as well as on the product. So, if you see the product with anonymous wrapping without a company logo, it is red flag and must be returned immediately. Checking the product information before placing an order is very important.
- You must get familiar with the look of the product, including brand marking and other details. Real manufacturers or brands imprint the logo on specific places, like on the cover or tag.
- You have to check the availability of the product. If you see the product available only on the anonymous seller’s site, it could be a scam or counterfeit product.
- Availability of the product on reliable and genuine portals and ecommerce websites also confirm the product’s legitimacy. So, you have to check if the product is available on other ecommerce portals other than the brand’s website or not.
Social Presence
The seller with social existence is confirmed legitimate. The seller or product which is not available on social channels is highly suspicious, and such products or sellers must be avoided. The social existence of the product adds value and makes it appear legitimate.
So, products not available on social media can also be counterfeit products, and it makes the legitimacy of the product questionable.
Are Customer Reviews Available?
Customer reviews are the most vital element to confirm the legitimacy of any product or website. The products lacking in customer testimonials or feedbacks are often considered a scam. A majority of the buying decisions are made based on customer feedback.
Buyers always prefer reading the customer reviews and testimonials to understand the value and worth of buying the product. Customers avoid buying products that lack customer reviews. So, check the customer reviews of the product before buying to confirm its legitimacy and worth of buying it.
Product’s Logo
All genuine products come with the brand’s logo, and it is worthwhile to compare the logo of the product with the logo mentioned on the brand’s website. The scam products usually have logos with the wrong spelling, and design and the differences mean the product is not genuine.
It would be best to look for use-by dates, certifications and warranties that arrive along with the product to confirm its authenticity. In some cases, you may also verify the serial number of the product on the manufacturer’s website.
Wrapping It All
Expectantly, you are now in the better state to distinguish a genuine product from a scam or counterfeit product. With these parameters, one can easily confirm a product’s legitimacy and learn about its worthiness before investing their money.
Use this helpful guide on How To Check If The Product Is Genuine Or Not? It will help you differentiate the product scams from the genuine ones and make a wise and informed purchasing decision.
It becomes very challenging for a buyer to find out the genuine product in the flourishing counterfeit market. However, with little research and analysis, things may become easier for buyers.
They must use the helpful guide when buying any product online to avoid scams and stay safe.
Have you ever ordered any counterfeit products online? Are you the victim of any product scams? Please share your experiences in the comments section below.