How to spot fake Nike Trainers - What To Look Out For Chinese Fakes, Thailand etc

Hi guys,

in today's post we will look at how to spot the signs so we can tell if a pair of Nike trainers are real or not. There are a lot of fake shoes popping up all over the place for sale on Ebay, Amazon and other places by sellers looking to make a quick turn around on cheap knock offs that are nowhere near as high quality as the real Nike shoes.

Video for spotting fake Nikes:

 

It may fool many people that you have bought the latest pair of Nike Air max shoes worth about £120 a pair or more, but someone who has the genuine article will be able to tell with no doubt that they are totally fake. Even if you hid the cost of them from someone who has already owned a pair that they cost only £30, they can tell from owning the genuine article anything that may be a bit askew or off on your pair. Its the little things that give the fakes away and we are going to have a look from different sources on the Internet how people have spotted the tell tale signs of a fake.

Don't get burned, if your looking to get the best from a manufacturer either with shoes or clothes, don't judge them on the quality of cheap fakes that are out there, visit the genuine shops and Internet retail sites that are authorised to sell the branded merchandise to compare them to the ones you want.

As usual if its too cheap and to good to be true.....it always is and is a fake!

This is actually first on my list of things to watch out for:

1. What price are the Nikes? If someone is selling a pair of Nikes which have a retail price of £90 RRP and are selling them for around £20....I would bet good money they are fake. Unless it was from a well known chain store closing down or shop clearance such as JJB, Podium for Sport, Decathlon, Sports Direct etc, I would not trust them to be the genuine article. When you buy an authentic and genuine Nike product you are paying for the quality and durability of the materials used. These two qualities are a worthy investment as they will last much longer than cheap pairs of shoes made with inferior materials.

2. The time it takes for products to arrive. This may not strike suspicion with someone ordering a pair of Nikes as to whether they are fake or not, however, products for instance ordered from Official Nike websites either in Europe, USA, Asia, South America etc will take about 3-5 business days to arrive at your home. If they take around 7-18 days to arrive....chances are they are coming from China which would ring alarm bells in my ears! Most Nike websites will deliver fairly quickly as they have large fully stocked warehouses full of products and makes it much cheaper to have them there in the country they are sold in than paying shipping to send a pair of shoes or t shirt half way around the world per order.

3. US sizes are usually not listed on most counterfeits. Most counterfeit Nike trainers do not have a USA size of 13 and up for men or size 9 and up for women. If you can see all other sizes listed on the website, its usually a sign that they are authentic Nike's.

4. How are the shoes packaged? Some sellers sound quite sincere like they are looking out for your best interests when it comes to shipping. Some may say they can do the postage cheaper if they do not send the Nike trainers in a box. This however is a bit of a ploy as to avoid you inspecting the cheap and flimsy boxes that the Nike trainers come in. You of course will accept not sending the box to maybe save a few dollars or pounds which everyone will do these days. Nike trainers come in very strong and sturdy cardboard boxes that can take a bit of strain before bending or breaking. Flimsy cardboard boxes with skinny walls are definitely a sign of a fake!

 5. What do the soles look like and what are they made of? If you have bought a real pair of Nike shoes, they will use BRS 1000 rubber. When looking at photos of them on websites online, it may be hard to tell whether or not they are made of this material, especially if the seller has touched up or photo shopped some of the photos to make them look more appealing. Soles that look plasticy, slippery or very shiny means there is a very high  chance they are counterfeit. Sporting people using these for running, jumping etc may need to take care as they may be made using sub standard products and actually cause people to slip now and again as they will not have as good a grip on the ground as the authentic shoes.

6. Do the SKU numbers and print match on the box and the shoe itself? On the outside of the box should be a label with the SKU number. Check the tag on the shoe itself to make sure it matches the SKU number on the outside of the box. Sometimes the counterfeit sellers will put on an SKU number which may actually relate to a totally different pair of shoes, making them appear authentic when really the SKU number means nothing to this particular pair of shoe. If the box or shoes is missing the SKU number altogether.....run for the hills from that website!

Always buy from trusted sources, I buy from Amazon every time as nothing sold by Amazon themselves or the Official Nike retailers is fake:

          

The main source website I used for collecting the majority of this information was at: http://www.mademan.com/mm/how-spot-fake-nikes.html It has been rewritten in my own words.


Here is some more articles to spot specific types of Nike shoes being fake and other tips:

http://www.ehow.co.uk/how_5923790_tell-fake-nike-shoe.html 
For Nike Air Max Shoes 24-7

http://www.leifwild.co.uk/how-to-spot-fake-nike-air-max-tell-tale-signs 
For Nike Air Max Comparison, Real Vs Fake Post

Thanks for reading,

Henry

How to Spot Fake Louis Vuitton Handbags from China and other places

Hi guys,

when it comes to fashion, everyone knows that Lois Vuitton is the creme De la creme of luggage and handbag brands and is known all over the world from the Antarctic to the moon for its sleek design, sumptuous leather and intricate details that make every one of us want to buy it. I know I am a man and may not see the attraction to buying such an expensive handbag from a design or aesthetically pleasing point of view, however I would buy one as an investment for the future, especially rarer design ones.

Great Video on how to spot a Louis Vuitton:

Your probably thinking some strange thoughts about a guy wanting to own a handbag and I would be the same in your shoes, however I did see a Louis Vuitton Antique luggage case sell on the popular Channel 4 show called "Four Rooms" in the UK. It was from around the 1930's if I remember correctly and the guy sold it eventually for £4000, even though it was not in the greatest condition. So for a man seeing money to be made and a long term investment in buying a bag like this so not only would it look a woman look stunning, as if they aren't stunning and gorgeous enough, this bran of bag on your arm will make you a goddess and others will fall at your feet and worship you!

Now before you go nuts breaking out your credit cards and checking the bank balance to see if you can afford one, I know I cannot, make sure what you are buying is 100% genuine as if you have bought a dodgy one from a dodgy seller, asking for your money back will more than likely make him or her run for the hills.

Luckily I am here to help in weeding out the fakes and making sure you get the top quality, authentic and beautiful bag you deserve. I have found a very good article on Forbes.com which I will put a link to in the end of this post as there is a video with it too I will try and embed also.

How to Spot Fake Louis Vuitton Handbags:

1. Is the bag made of leather or not? A lot of Louis Vuitton bags are made from a coated canvas, however the trim on the bag is made of real leather. Leather to the touch feels quite dry and not oily, slippery or sticky which some of the Chinese versions feel like. This is probably synthetic leather which feels kind of cheap to touch.

2. Is the stitching perfect? Every Louis Vuitton bag will have went through a rigorous quality check before being let out of the factory. Every stitch will be checked to make sure it is even, not lop sided or skewing slightly compared to the other stitches. 

3. Have you seen any sloppy spots? No back and forth stitching should be found anywhere in the bags seams, even under flaps, and in nooks or crannies. Louis Vuitton does not approve this type of stitching to be of a high enough standard for their bags.

4. Do the patterns match when they go over seams? Look at the seams and follow the pattern on your bag around the seam to make sure it matches up on the other side. If any letters of the logo crosses seams they will be continuing straight away on the other side of the seam as Louis Vuitton does not split its logos apart. These should lineup and match precisely.

5. Does the inside lining match another bag from a trusted source? If you have already seen your bag in a shop and looked at the inside of it, make sure the inside of the one you are ordering matches the colour tone exactly. If it is a near match and not 100% totally matching then it is fake.

6. Does the bag feel heavy or hollow? If you have ever had even a real leather wallet you will find there is a little bit of weight to it. A bag is no different and should have a heavy feeling to it as there is a lot of material and leather in these bags so if its light as a daisy and feels loose or kinda hollow, its not a real one.

7. Can you see any imperfections in the printed design on the bag? If you have a brown colour on the outside of your bag and there is a design printed over the top of it, for instance a red flower, all that should be showing inside the flower is the colour red and there should be none of the brown colour of the bag showing anywhere inside the red flower, especially at the internal borders of the design. If you see some of the bags colour showing through in between gaps of the colouring on the design, its a fake.

8. Just because it has a Louis Vuitton logo on it does not mean it is genuine! Some counterfeiters put the logo on to make it appear more authentic than it really is. However if you look at a real bag online or in the shop, that may not be the location of where the logo should be, or, some bags do not have any at all on them. If you see this on a bag and compare it to the original and its not the same its one for the bin I am afraid. This is the same as copying the hang tags that come with bags to make them appear very authentic, save your money don't be fooled, knowledge is power!

9. Where has this particular bag been made? Not all Louis Vuitton bags are made in the same place. Different designs are made in different countries. Some may say they are made France for example, but a quick check online on the real websites, you can see the original label may say made in Spain this particular design. That's when you know you have another copy for the scrap heap.

10. My top tip is always.....If it sounds too good to be true......it usually is! If you see a bag you know from Louis Vuittons website is £650 or $1000 and someone is selling the exact same bag for around £50 or $80 roughly, you know its a pile of junk. DON'T try selling your fake handbag if you find out it is a fake. Better putting it in the bin, you can get into serious trouble on Ebay and even at customs if they find out your importing fake bags and selling them off as real. DO NOT DO IT please!


Further ways to spot fakes from others:
http://www.wikihow.com/Spot-Fake-Louis-Vuitton-Purses

Where to buy? The Louis Vuitton Website or Amazon.co.uk:
http://uk.louisvuitton.com/eng-gb/homepage



       

This has been the source of information for this article: 
http://www.forbes.com/pictures/efik45efleg/how-to-spot-a-fake-louis-vuitton-10-questions-to-ask-107/


Thanks for reading everyone.

Henry