When shopping online, you want to make sure you’re getting the best deal possible. However, sometimes you might find a product that appears to be a great bargain, but when it comes to actually purchasing it, you find out it’s not what it seems. The world of online shopping is extremely competitive right now. According to a report by Nasdaq, it is estimated that by 2040, 95% of purchases will be made through e-commerce platforms. This means there is a high chance you can encounter a fake product. These can be anything from cheap imitations of expensive brands to knockoffs of popular real-world locations like hotels and theme parks. If you come across one of these fakes here are 7 things you should do immediately:
Contact the seller and try to resolve the issue
If you come across a fake product, you can always attempt to contact the seller and try to resolve the situation. This can be done through email, social media, or customer service on the site itself. If you can resolve the issue with the seller, then they may be able to take the fake off their site or give you an authentic product.
Report the product to Amazon and other platforms
If you find a fake product on a platform like Amazon, you can report it to them right away. Doing this will let other users know about the fake product and might help prevent others from falling for it. It also lets Amazon know that there is a fake product on their site, which could help them improve their detection algorithms in the future. If you find a fake product on a site that isn’t Amazon, you can also report that product to their parent company for other platforms.
Check to see if any other reviews have been posted on the site
Fakes will often copy authentic reviews from other products and post them on their own product page. If you find a fake product page, you can usually find the reviews on the original product’s page or through a search engine. If you do find any other reviews on a fake product page, email the seller or page administrator and let them know that the reviews are not from you. You can also report the fake product page to the review site. This can help prevent others from being scammed in this way.
Google for similar products that seem authentic
You can also use Google’s Reverse Image Search feature to see if there are any similar products that seem authentic. This can let you see if the product is actually authentic and see if there are any similar products that are also authentic. When you search for similar products, you can filter the results to show only the ones that appear on the web. This lets you see if the website that is selling these products actually has the products listed or if they are just using stock images. Stock images can be a sign that the products they are selling are fake.
Don’t be afraid to ask for a refund or exchange
If you come across a fake product, don’t be afraid to ask the seller for a refund or an exchange. However, be sure to do this right away and don’t wait. This can be done through email or social media, whichever is the most convenient for you. If the seller is rude or uncooperative when you ask for a refund or exchange, then you can always report them to the appropriate consumer protection organizations.
If you still can’t tell, take photos of the product’s packaging and identifiers
If you come across a fake product, you can try to take some photos of the product’s packaging and identifiers to see if you can determine if it’s fake or not. You can then use the Google Images search bar to see if you can find any images for the product. You can also try to ask around your friends and family or on social media, and people will surely give out information regarding them. And this can help you determine if the product is real or fake.
Check the seller’s reputation before purchasing
One of the best things you can do when you come across a fake product is to check the seller’s reputation. This can be done through the product-review site's website or Amazon’s own product reviews. These can let you see if the seller has any negative reviews for fake products or for other products as well. You can also look at the seller’s shipping times and how long it will take if you don’t receive your product on time from the seller. These things can give you a better idea of if the seller is legitimate or not before purchasing anything from them.
Don't fall for the trap
Finding a fake product can be extremely frustrating. However, if you take the right steps, then you can successfully navigate the situation. While it can be tough to tell the difference between fake and authentic products, you can work through it. Click here to learn about how to identify fake products that haunts our market.
