Paypal want proof item is fake

cyberbob

Brand awareness is everything if you buy a product and have poor service, no matter who sold it to you, you will relate it to that brand. So if someone sells a fake item the buyer may not realise its fake and just believe the product is rubbish. If the market is flooded with these fakes it devalues the product and the brand. People will stop buying and the brand will get a poor name. Thats why the big brands spend a fortune stopping fakes and unauthorised sellers. They need to keep there name

babyharry5

patriciaellen wrote: »

This isn't so clear cut for me.

Just for one moment, let’s take ebay out of the equation altogether. OK. High fashion is, and has always been, a shark infested pool of fakers and copyists. The top designers are ripping off the up and coming designers (and the archives) and the high street is ripping off the design houses.

Try this - get hold of a fashion mag that’s, say two months old (Elle or Vogue), have a good read and absorb as much as you can, then get yourself down to, say, Marks & Spencer (or any other high street store). It is nothing short of scandalous.

A designer I used to buy from back in the 90s was someone called Lisa Bruce. Never heard of her? I’m not surprised; she left the country in disgust after Marks & Spencer stole her range one year. She didn’t have the resources to fight and went into liquidation. Here’s a Marks & Spencer press release absolving themselves of all responsibility but, and I swear this is true, yes they bloody did steal her collection.

http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=28953

My very first big-ticket handbag was a Mulberry bag that I bought about 15 years ago. I saved hard for it and I was overjoyed to have it. Within weeks my bag was EVERYWHERE – everyone had my bag. Except, it wasn’t MY bag – it was an exact copy of my bag – from M&S. Within about 6 months I stopped seeing the copies (they didn’t last), but I used my bag for over 10 years – it was top quality and it lasted well. You really do get what you pay for.

Another case in point – Miu Miu sent a 1973 Terry De Havilland wedge shoe down the catwalk and claimed it was their own design. OMG – they got caught red handed and they still denied it! He didn’t have the money to sue of course and it was quite embarrassing for Miu Miu – but it is common practice.

I don’t believe that an item of high fashion is comparable to, for example, a set of Apple headphones. To repeat what I said a few paragraphs ago, even without ebay, high fashion is, and has always been, a shark infested pool of fakers and copyists.

Are you still with me?

Let’s factor ebay back in. I’m struggling to understand why Karen Millen would get worked up with righteous indignation that someone, who is not a direct customer and not bought directly from the store, has been sold a fake, via a medium (ebay) that is notorious for offering fakes? Sorry but I can understand why they aren’t falling over themselves.

Should the seller get away with it – absolutely not – people who sell fakes (whether they are ebay sellers or big corporates) make my blood boil.

Is it too late to say that as well as being a fake, it is a badly made fake and the seems are busting apart?

hi there
thanks for that - got every bit of it !
I suppose what they would say is that there is a difference between selling something 'similar' to an original design, than selling something 'as; the original with fake copy tage and authentication certificates etc
The trouble with Ebay being renowned for fakes, is that the companies who are being ripped off ( as well as the poor ebay customer) dont seem to really give a shot
I am going to tell her to say that it is falling apart and see if that gets her anywhere

babyharry5

my friend is contacting the brand owner again as I have copied a facebook link , that states they will do as much as they can to help against copies and that they are a member of ebays vero dept. lets see whether they will help after reading that.

patriciaellen

cyberbob wrote: »

Brand awareness is everything if you buy a product and have poor service, no matter who sold it to you, you will relate it to that brand. So if someone sells a fake item the buyer may not realise its fake and just believe the product is rubbish. If the market is flooded with these fakes it devalues the product and the brand. People will stop buying and the brand will get a poor name. Thats why the big brands spend a fortune stopping fakes and unauthorised sellers. They need to keep there name

Not necessarily. I've just spent a 20 minute bus journey sitting next to someone with a fake Vuitton handbag. Didn't make me think OMG - look at the quality of that Vuitton handbag - I won't be shopping there in a hurry. Instead, it made me sad that the person had lined the pockets of someone selling fakes. It was a young person as well - had they spent that money buying something edgy - making their own fashion statement - that would have impressed me. But a sad fake of a luxury brand - no no no.

I haven't yet read any compelling arguments as to why Karen Millen should throw a business resource at someone walking into the shop with a fake bought from ebay. I'm not closed minded but what I'm reading here is not changing my mind. I just don’t believe it falls within the realms of customer service.

Fakes and copies have been a massive problem for years and ebay has added to the problem. If I was running a fashion house (nice idea but not going to happen) I’m not sure what I would do – I might try throwing resource at getting behind the VERO programme for a while and see what that did. In the long run though I’m not sure.

patriciaellen

babyharry5 wrote: »

hi there
thanks for that - got every bit of it !
I suppose what they would say is that there is a difference between selling something 'similar' to an original design, than selling something 'as; the original with fake copy tage and authentication certificates etc
The trouble with Ebay being renowned for fakes, is that the companies who are being ripped off ( as well as the poor ebay customer) dont seem to really give a shot
I am going to tell her to say that it is falling apart and see if that gets her anywhere

Good point – I think what you’re referring to is legally called “passing off”. Sometimes a store will create a similar design – change the buttons or something. It’s hard to prove your design has been copied when this happens. You have bought a dress which has been passed off as a Karen Millen dress.

I do think that the companies concerned care about this but it’s such a massive problem, and there is so little support from Government, that it’s not easy to find a solution.

Just think – if all of the money being pumped into fakes was directed towards supporting up and coming designers – what a difference that would make. Fresh talent, new design houses – JOBS!

France – now they take fakes very seriously indeed.

I love this

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2222322/eBay-fined-for-fake-fashion-sales.html#

And this

http://www.smh.com.au/news/Fashion/Socialites-warned-of-fake-trap/2004/12/02/1101923273762.html

I especially like the idea that if you arrive at a French airport with a fake handbag – they can fine you and/or confiscate the item. Now that’s what I call taking the problem seriously.

Consumers are a large part of the problem – fakers survive because there is a market for fakes.


OP - I wish you every success - please post an update on your Paypal claim as soon as you hear anything back.

stabilo85

patriciaellen wrote: »

Not necessarily. I've just spent a 20 minute bus journey sitting next to someone with a fake Vuitton handbag. Didn't make me think OMG - look at the quality of that Vuitton handbag - I won't be shopping there in a hurry. Instead, it made me sad that the person had lined the pockets of someone selling fakes. It was a young person as well - had they spent that money buying something edgy - making their own fashion statement - that would have impressed me. But a sad fake of a luxury brand - no no no.

You knew it was fake though, whereas other people might not. I think that's the point Cyberbob was trying to make- some people will see that bag and think "God, I thought LV was a luxury brand? That bag is crap!". Actually, I have personally been put off buying into the LV brand *because* there are so many fakes! I wouldn't want to look like one of those chavs who get a lookalike for £10 down the market.

I do agree with your points though, I really don't understand why people deliberately choose to buy fakes. There are many people on well-known fashion forums who willingly carry around fake Chanel handbags. They're not cheap bags either, say £200+ a pop! No individuality. I'd rather never own a Chanel bag than subject myself to carrying an imposter.

OP, I hope you and your friend manage to solve your situation. Let us know how you get on.

pinkshoes

patriciaellen wrote: »

I haven't yet read any compelling arguments as to why Karen Millen should throw a business resource at someone walking into the shop with a fake bought from ebay. I'm not closed minded but what I'm reading here is not changing my mind. I just don’t believe it falls within the realms of customer service.

babyharry5 wrote: »

A friend of mine has been sold a fake Karen Millen dress ( obvious by the fake tags and finishing of the garment - as she has now gone to the shop and bought original and done side by side comparisons)

As this person realised it was a fake, and has since bought the original (presumably from KM), then surely KM should then verify the fake?

I can understand if this person hadn't then bought the original but wanted the other verified as fake, KM would refuse, but as they now have the money from the sale of the genuine article, surely it's in their interests to verify the fake?

patriciaellen

Actually that's an excellent point Pinkshoes. If the same original dress was bought from a KM shop then it would fall under customer service I think.

cyberbob

patriciaellen wrote: »

Not necessarily. I've just spent a 20 minute bus journey sitting next to someone with a fake Vuitton handbag. Didn't make me think OMG - look at the quality of that Vuitton handbag - I won't be shopping there in a hurry.

It may not have made you but it does others

patriciaellen wrote: »

I haven't yet read any compelling arguments as to why Karen Millen should throw a business resource at someone walking into the shop with a fake bought from ebay. I'm not closed minded but what I'm reading here is not changing my mind. I just don’t believe it falls within the realms of customer service.

You not been reading whats been said then? 5 minutes for KM to write a letter to help protect the integrity of your brand. Sounds like poor CS and very shortsighted not to do that. If I took what I believe was a fake to a supplier and they admitted it was and refused to back that up. That says to me they don't care and are happy for there name to be on inferior goods. I would not be buying that brand from anywhere again

SallyForth_2

I think you should see if you can find out the address of Karen Millen head office and write to them?