Spotting Counterfeit and Fake Discount Perfumes

I recently began selling to the retail market after being a Perfume Wholesale Distributor in the Discount Perfume industry for over 28 years. I started selling on eBay and soon noticed some items from my competitors had substantially lower pricing than I could purchase from perfume distributors and the fragrance manufactures. I came across an item by Chanel that caught my eye. This is a company that has strict distribution and limits its supply to all of its distribution channels.

Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum Spray 3.4oz, which retails for $110.00, was on eBay for $39.95. This item, when it is available, sells in the wholesale market for around $85.00. As a consumer, this should immediately put up a red flag as it did for me that this product was either counterfeit or stolen. Based on the price I ruled out stolen merchandise. There is no need to cut the price of perfumes this low. In fact, you can sell perfumes close to or at market price.

The first clue in determining if a product is real is the pricing. If it is too good to be true, it usually is. To further my research, I purchased the Coco Mademoiselle. At first glance it looked real but then I closely examined the details of the packaging and components against one I purchased from a distributor for Chanel. There were obvious differences between the products.

Here are some things to look for that will let you spot counterfeit perfume. You can do this by comparing the item in question against one from a department store

1. Examine the outside packaging. Is the lettering the same font and type?

2. Is the wording on the box in the same place?

3. Is the box folded and glued in the same manner? Is the seam even and properly connected? Does it fall apart when handled?

4. The detail bordering need to be the same. In the Coco Perfume case there is a gold trim around the outside of the box and the inside flaps are gold.

5. The UPC Bar code on the box should be in the same place. Do the numbers match up?

6. Are the trademarks present and in the right places?

7. Is there an inner lining inside the box and is the construction consistent with the perfume box you are comparing with?

8. Look at the details, angles and coloring of the cap and its construction. Does it fit properly on the bottle? Does it slide on and off easily.

9. The bottle construction is very difficult to copy. Are the angles of the glass smooth and even? Quality bottles are seamless.

10. Check the clarity of the color and print work on the bottle.

11. Another good indicator is the sprayer. Examine the sprayer detail outside and inside the bottle. In this case the gold sprayer and the stem inside it were completely different.

12. Finally, see if the coloring of the juice and the smell are consistent with the department store product. The smell test is always the first test for consumers, but it can be hard to tell the difference unless you wear it for a period of time.

I concluded with my 28 years plus in the business that this Chanel Perfume product was counterfeit. I read the consumer reviews. 50% thought something was wrong, while the other half were deceived by this counterfeit product. I reported the counterfeit perfume to eBay. They did not adequately respond nor did they penalize the company selling the counterfeit products. It is buyer beware when buying from eBay.

Consumers should look for reputable websites that have good ratings and guarantee their Discount Perfume products. Price comparison using legitimate websites when purchasing any product is a good rule of thumb. If the product price is not relatively within the market price, stay away fro