By: Shaza Walid

It is no doubt that e-commerce has changed the world of shopping for good. With 83% of respondents being satisfied about their online shopping experience, according to a study done by Master Card, it seems that online shopping is here to stay. It is convenient, easy, and timesaving. Moreover, it is from the comfort of your home, what could be better? Nevertheless, many people worry about online frauds and deceptive deals, which is wholly a valid concern. That is why Yaoota brought you some important tips and points to keep in mind while shopping online to guarantee a safe and enjoyable shopping experience.

• Make Sure The Website Is Legitimate

If you are shopping through a retail website and not the main one for a specific brand, there are some points to watch out for to make sure you are on a real shopping website. First, the website’s design has to look neat and professional. If it looks too childish or unorganized, then you need to rethink your decision. Second, the refund and/or exchange policy has to be very clear and easy to understand. Third, run away from a website that has obvious grammar and spelling mistakes. A legitimate website would invest time in proofreading its content. Fourth, check whether the website link has https, an internet protocol that usually means the website is secure. Check also for the lock icon on your browser to make sure connection to this website is private. If the website has the words “genuine” and “real” a lot on their website, then you ought to be cautious.

• How To Spot Fake Electronic Gadgets

Who would not love a good deal on his/her desired mobile or tablet? But you need to watch out for fake electronics that are not as durable as the original and can even be dangerous for you to use. The first thing to notice is the price. If it is too good to be true, then you ought to be alarmed. Make sure the product’s package includes all its necessary supplementary items (be it charger, user manual…etc.). Look for spelling and/or grammatical mistakes on the product’s labels. Also, look for the safety certification labels, which differ according to country of manufacturing (CE for Europe, UL for USA, and CSA for Canada). It is important to know how their logos look so you can notice if it looks different this time. Such labels would be present on both the product and its box. Moreover, familiarize yourself with the product’s features, color, and size to make sure you are buying an original.

You can shop for electronic Gadget through Yaoota from here. 

• How To Spot Fake Makeup

Fake makeup can be quite damaging for your skin, for it contains harmful chemicals and is poorly manufactured. Again, the price is the first thing you should look at. If the product is unreasonably cheap, then you should not take the risk. Make sure to check the packaging, fonts, and labels on the originals so you are able to know the difference. Moreover, if the retail website is selling makeup items in bulks (huge set of eye shadow, for instance), check the original website to see if the brand does offer such sets or not. Another thing to look at is the name of the color/color code. Makeup brands usually have distinguished names for their colors such as “Russian Red” or “Smoked Purple” instead of the regular pink, red, rose…etc.

You can shop for make up through Yaoota from here. 

• How To Spot Fake Clothes

Now this is a hard one to distinguish. However, there are a few points to keep in mind. The first thing to notice is the stitching on clothes. Most brands use a specific color of thread to distinguish their pieces. Stitches on original items would be seamless. Moreover, notice the buttons on a shirt or a chemise and make sure they have the logo or the name of the brand. Another thing is the logo placement on the clothes item. If it looks badly stitched, unusually tilted, or off colored, then it is a fake. Such details would be cumbersome for a counterfeit to pay attention to. In addition, 40% of counterfeit products are originally from China, according to Reuters. Hence, you have to carefully check the label to see the manufacturing country.

You can shop for clothes through Yaoota from here. 

• How To Spot Fake Bags

Counterfeit bags are relatively easier to distinguish, but you have to look very closely. Check the original logo position, font size, and font color to make sure it is not a fake. Sometimes, the logo is not positioned equally on both sides of the bag. Original bags have the logos aligned exactly the same on both sides. If you are to purchase a designer leather bag, you will notice that the leather has irregular texture while the fake one has a consistent texture. Make sure the zipper is sewn properly and not loose. Designer bags will most likely include tissue paper and dust bags with the brand’s logo on them because manufacturers care about every single detail of their authentic product.

When buying a bag from a retail website, the product’s picture will tell you much about its authenticity. If it is original, the seller will have photographed pictures of their products to prove it is genuine. If they have photos from the original brand website, then you should be a bit wary because someone who sells authentic bags will make sure to showcase them well. The pictures should be clear enough for you to zoom in on any detail you want to second check. Make sure to check pictures of the bag’s interior as counterfeits usually do not exert much effort in imitating the insides of a designer bag.

Check out this nice collection of bags here.

• How To Spot Fake Perfumes

Genuine perfumes are very hard to distinguish online, but with a few points you would be good to go. The perfume’s plastic wrapping paper should be seamless and perfectly glued. If it looks like it is sloppily wrapped or has glue residue, it is a fake. Make sure to check how the original perfume bottle and box looks like before purchasing it from a retail website. The color of the perfume is also an indication. If it looks too bright then it is a fake. The perfume’s serial number (barcode) should be placed at the bottom of the bottle and not elsewhere. Also the price is always an indicator. 

Check out some great perfumes here.

• How To Spot Fake Sunglasses

Sunglasses are among the most counterfeited items. Fake sunglasses do not provide the necessary protection from UV sun rays and therefore are harmful to wear. Hence, look for spelling mistakes or font changes in the brand’s name. Check the glasses’ code on the interior of the hand and verify it through the brand’s official website. Make sure the sunglasses come in its original packaging, case, and warranty. The sunglasses’ case should have the barcode on the bottom and the logo should look exactly like the one on the glasses.

Want to buy a new set of sunglasses? Check out this article, “Yaoota’s Guide to the Perfect Sunglasses.” You can also check out a great collection of sunglasses here. 

• How To Spot Fake Watches

Watches are also among the top faked products. A counterfeit watch would not be as durable or elegant-looking as an original. Make sure to check where the brand name is engraved on the watch. You can look at how an original one looks like for reference. The brand name should be written clearly and without any spelling mistakes. Fake watches are made with much cheaper materials, so you will notice they have a sloppy finish and shine, in addition to a lighter weight. Moreover, fake watches tick loudly because of their poor mechanisms. A genuine watch would never tick loudly. The watch’s serial number should be clearly written on the bottom of the dial. A genuine watch comes with its case, most probably with its warranty paperwork.

Check out original watches though Yaoota here. 

Identifying fake merchandise online might not be the easiest task to do, but with proper research, patience, and detail-orientation, you will be able to get yourself a good deal on an authentic product. After all, you ought to expect nothing less than the best.

At Yaoota we always remove any fake products, so if you want to shop original brands, try us out and if you spot any fakes, please let us know.