Useful tips
Contents:
Tips for buying perfumes
Buy perfumes from large chains
Certificate of conformity for perfumes
Explore all possible product information before buying
Require and keep a cash receipt Perfume packaging
requirements
Cellophane perfume packaging
Cardboard perfume packaging
Perfume packaging
Perfume bottles Perfume
labeling Perfume
quality
Fragrance perfume Perfume
color
Persistence of perfume
How not to buy fake perfumes in an online store
According to experts, low-quality fake perfumes are flourishing on our market today. Sometimes even buying perfumes in a specialty store does not always save you from counterfeiting.
High-quality perfumes, according to the same experts, account for no more than 15 percent of the market. How can you distinguish real perfumes from fake ones?
So, the most relevant and useful tips on how to protect yourself from buying fake perfumes!
Tips for buying perfumes
Buy perfumes from major chains
We will begin our educational program on choosing high-quality perfumes with the simplest advice — to protect yourself from counterfeiting, it is recommended to purchase perfumes only in the largest and truly well-known retail chains.
The logic behind this is simple — for a large retail chain, communication with fraudsters is simply pointless. Not only can network management run into obvious litigation, but also its reputation will be tarnished. However, this does not provide 100% protection against counterfeiting. And this is not always the network's fault!
How are perfumes entering the retail chain tested
According to the inspection rules, at least three percent of the perfume from the batch of goods must be inspected at the wholesaler's warehouse to obtain documents certifying its quality. If all three percent do not meet the quality requirements, the entire item may be rejected.
It is not always possible to constantly monitor how the quality of each batch of goods is checked at a wholesale base or at a retail outlet. That is why even buying cosmetics in large retail chains can not protect us one hundred percent from counterfeiting.
Certificate of conformity for perfumes
Official perfume sales outlets sell imported goods that are marked with appropriate ERC stickers. The absence of this marking may indicate that the goods have not passed all the necessary customs procedures confirming the origin of the goods.
Each shipment is accompanied by a certificate, which sellers are required to provide at the buyer's first request. The process of certifying perfumes and perfumes is a complicated procedure, but many people manage to sell goods that have passed through all the numerous stages of certification.
Appendix to the certificate of conformity
The presence of a certificate of conformity alone may not mean anything. Such a certificate must be accompanied by a laboratory test report confirming the very fact of passing these tests, as well as giving grounds to consider the certificate authentic.
The above sticker is not applied in the store, this is how it comes from the distributor. If you are refused to show the certificate for some reason, or cannot be provided with its original, it is highly likely that the product offered at this point of sale is not original.
Learn all possible product information before you buy
You can protect yourself from counterfeiting if you clearly know what the original should be like. You can get such information, for example, on the perfume manufacturer's website. Study everything you can beforehand, including what the product packaging looks like and what the bottle itself looks like.
Pay attention to every detail
When buying perfumes, everything is important, including what font or even what color the product is labeled by the manufacturer. Even a corporate pattern on the package
can help distinguish an original from a fake. Separately, it makes sense to study the barcode presented on the product. We'll talk about the marking itself a little later.
Unfortunately, this method is also not able to guarantee the consumer the purchase of original perfumes. The most sophisticated fraudsters are so experienced in their criminal business that the entire labeling of a counterfeit product is sometimes almost exactly the same as the original (including its quality).
Require and keep a cash receipt
It may happen that only at home you will find that the branded perfumes you purchased are not at all. Having a cash receipt will allow you to return this purchase to the store as it does not meet quality requirements, as well as demand back the money paid for it.
A cash receipt is not always needed
Usually, when returning an item, a cash receipt is required. However, according to the domestic Consumer Protection Act, it is not necessary to have a cash receipt to file claims against the seller if you have a witness that you have made this purchase.
However, there is one important caveat — your opinion will not be enough for the perfume to be recognized as low-quality! And with damaged packaging, the product will not be accepted even if there is a receipt. But if you are categorically convinced of the forgery and are ready to go for the principle, then it really makes sense to spend money on a special examination.
By the way, pay attention to two more points that will help identify a fake:
– French perfumes are available only in France and nowhere else. Sellers' claims that Polish or Chinese CHANEL is the same French brand allegedly produced under license outside France are a common lie;
– many manufacturers of famous perfume brands do not produce
samples of their products, so do not even think about buying these same samples, as they are fake.
Perfume packaging requirements
Cellophane perfume packaging
Manufacturers of original perfumes are usually very sensitive to what cellophane packaging their products are packed in. This is by no means thick cellophane with a rough swollen seam at the gluing site. Cellophane sits very tightly on high-quality perfumes, does not wrinkle when you run your fingers over it.
The factor of the presence or absence of cellophane is not a determining factor
The fact is that some manufacturers do not use cellophane packaging at all. Others are
so experienced in handicraft production that their cellophane packaging looks quite decent. But even then all is not lost — usually fraudsters do not get a neat seam on cellophane packaging.
The seam on the original cellophane package is usually not located on the front; it is five millimeters thick and runs smoothly and neatly along the entire length of the box from the back or side. This can only be achieved when packaged using a factory thermal method. And of course there should be no traces of glue, as glue should not be used for this!
Cardboard perfume packaging
Cardboard packaging of original perfumes usually looks quite expensive. Among other things, perfume cardboard from well-known brands often has a special perforation. But scammers are also on the alert, quite successfully forging it. However, the latter do not always have perforation so neat and smooth.
Take the package in your hand, touch it with your fingers, examine it carefully
Usually, the cardboard packaging of original perfumes is very pleasant to the touch. It feels expensive, if I may say so. By the way, the color of counterfeit cardboard packaging often has a warm yellowish tint – such cardboard is cheaper.
Inner perfume packaging
Why doesn't the original perfume hang out inside the box? Because it is placed in an additional inner package that securely holds the bottle inside the outer box. Not all fraudsters are ready to invest in the quality of the inner packaging either; sometimes it breaks easily and the bottle hangs in it.
Read also: 6 fragrances that turn men on
Among other things, the inner packaging provides additional strength. If you try to squeeze the outer box of the original perfume package, you usually won't be able to feel the bottle itself with your fingers. Some counterfeits may not have internal packaging at all.
Perfume bottles
Manufacturers of branded perfumes and other perfumes invest hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars in the production of high-quality glass containers for their products. Scammers can't afford the same thing.
That is why a bottle of original perfume is usually an ideal glass product on which you will not find defects or stains characteristic of cheap or low-quality production. The walls of such bottles do not contain bubbles, and the bottles themselves are quite stable.
The cap from the perfume bottle requires special attention
The quality of the perfume bottle cap often gives off a fake. The selection criteria are the same as when examining the bottle itself; if your fingers find any bumps or burrs on the cap, it is likely that the product is fake.
The atomizer, as part of a perfume bottle, usually looks harmonious on original perfumes. This item must also be done neatly, without scratches. And the tube coming from the atomizer into the bottle on real perfumes of some brands is hardly distinguishable, as it is made of translucent material.
However, the transparency of the tube is not always an indicator of the quality of perfumes. Therefore, also pay special attention to its length and thickness: in original perfumes, the tube is usually more or less thin and reaches exactly to the bottom of the bottle. In fakes, on the other hand, it bends quite a bit. But even this point is considered mandatory by not all manufacturers of original products.
Perfume labeling
Manufacturers of counterfeit products are faced with the task of reducing the cost of their goods. That is why fraud can often be detected if you pay attention to the quality of the labels on the packaging. On the original products, all the inscriptions are extremely clear and readable.
On fakes, typefaces are often quite faded, and some letters may look blurry. On the original packaging, any embossing (in gold or silver) is
also an example of clarity. On a fake, the embossing can be faded and easy to wash.
This is especially noticeable on the smallest fonts. When choosing perfumes, it can help if you have at least the packaging from the original products on hand to compare the quality of the inscriptions. Sometimes on counterfeits, the paint is not exactly where the relief impression is.
The inscriptions usually found on the packaging of original perfumes are:
– the packaging indicates the type of product (for perfumes it is Parfum or Perfume, and for toilet perfumes or eau de parfum it is Eau da Parfum or Parfum de toilette);
– it is indicated for whom the perfume was released — for men, for women or unisex;
– the volume of perfume;
– country of manufacture;
– barcode: you need to know that the first two or three digits on the perfume package indicate the country of origin. Check that the country of manufacture, encrypted in the barcode, matches the country indicated on the package;
– perfume packages manufactured in the EU countries usually show the so-called returnable container sign in the form of two arrows inscribed in a circle and pointing in different directions;
– the batch serial number, usually on the back of the package, can help distinguish the original perfume from the counterfeit. The fact is that brand manufacturers duplicate this number by printing it both on the packaging and on the perfume bottle (usually on the back side of the bottom).
We can assume, of course, that one of the fraudsters who produce counterfeit products may bother with this. However, most often on fakes, the batch number is not duplicated or does not match. This can only be detected after opening the package, so keep the purchase receipt (we have already talked about this).
The inscriptions on the perfume bottle
The inscriptions on the perfume bottle should be treated as meticulously as the inscriptions on the cardboard package. Usually, artisanal fakes
are characterized by less high-quality “jumping” letters. Some scammers don't bother at all, confusing these very letters.
By the way, some manufacturers even label their perfume caps (for example, a Christian Dior J'adore perfume cap may contain CD letters on the inside). Manufacturers of fake perfumes, as a rule, do not go to such tricks and costs.
And a little more about labeling
On March 1, 2019, the Russian Federation will launch a program designed to protect the domestic market from counterfeit perfumes and other perfumes. According to this program, the packaging of imported and domestic perfumes will have to be marked with a special sign — the so-called digital cryptocode.
Such an innovation, which should help consumers choose only original products, is planned to be made mandatory from December 1, 2019. However, do not rush to rejoice: not all manufacturers (including French ones) are ready to do this. It may well happen that our market may lose some of our branded products.
Perfume quality
If you constantly buy the same perfume brand, you are well aware of their aroma and other parameters. However, we don't always buy familiar brands; sometimes we want to try something new. In this case, what could indicate a forgery?
Fragrance of perfume
The first thing that should alert a sophisticated buyer is a sharp smell that “clogs” the nose. However, perfume should be tried on the skin. Apply perfume to your skin and wait ten minutes. Do not rub it at all! The aroma of real perfumes will begin to change, gradually discovering new shades.
If an unpleasant tone appears that completely “clogs” the original notes, this may indicate a fake. A fake or illiquid is also indicated by the absence of a slap fragrance a couple of hours after application to the skin. In fact, it is quite difficult to determine the counterfeit of an unfamiliar fragrance without being a specialist.
Perfume color
Whatever the color of the perfume, this type of perfume is in any case a transparent liquid, as specified in the relevant International Standards. If the color of the perfume is not transparent, or somewhat cloudy, there is no doubt that you are facing a fake or illiquid.
Read also: How to choose perfumes, eau de toilette and cologne
The buyer should also alert the too bright color of the purchased product. Of course, the shades of perfume can be different. However, the absolutely unusual “chemical” shade in the perfume of a well-known brand is bound to arouse your reasonable suspicions.
Persistence of perfumes
Perfume durability is a parameter (in addition to fragrance) for which, in fact, many of us are willing to pay considerable sums of money. It is possible to check this parameter only empirically. There are characteristics and norms provided for by relevant standards that regulate the durability of perfumes in terms of duration.
Perfume durability rate
According to the General Specifications, based on Interstate Standards, the durability of perfumes depends on their class. However, in general, the aroma notes of ordinary perfumes, extra perfumes and the most concentrated perfumes should be felt at least 50 hours after use.
Agree, many of us are also happy that perfumes “sound” at least for one whole day. Not everyone is able to catch the rest of the fragrance in two days, so do not immediately suspect your perfume that it is a fake. By the way, many modern counterfeits are quite resistant.
How not to buy fake perfumes in an online store
Initially, the approach is about the same as when choosing perfumes “live”: order perfumes from well-known brands in large and well-known online stores. And pay attention to the comments: reviews are usually posted on such resources. Their absence is suspicious (although it is possible that purchased reviews may be available).
There are far fewer honest online resources
According to experts in e-commerce, only 10 percent of online resources compete with other online stores in the first year after opening. Therefore, many of them, in order to make at least some profit, are willing to sell illiquid and counterfeit perfumes.
However, others do this all the time, so the life span of an online store is not the most reliable indicator. Pay attention to the sections of the site, the amount of product information offered, and how quickly you can contact the staff servicing the online store.
Another interesting point that can help avoid fraud
It is much more likely to run into a fake in an online store that sells only the most popular volumes — for example, 50 or 100 milliliters. It is clear that the most popular ones mean the most counterfeited. Therefore, the range should also include other volumes (if the manufacturer has them, of course).
Sometimes scammers are issued by a strange pricing policy. It's not just about incredibly cheap brands. If you buy a well-known brand, it is quite logical that 30 milliliters of perfume cost less than 50 milliliters, and 50 milliliters are cheaper than 100. Under the guise of high-volume shares, they are trying to sell us a real fake.