The expert named ways to distinguish a fake from the original when ordering a thing from a buyer.

In recent years, Russians have been increasingly ordering luxury goods directly from abroad. The growth of parallel imports has made such purchases more affordable, but at the same time has increased the risk of counterfeiting. Ivan Borovets, an expert in logistics and parallel import, the founder of SanktionGO, told Izvestia on September 23 what steps would help the buyer not fall for the bait of scammers and get exactly the product for which he paid.

According to Borovets, the first stage of anti-counterfeiting begins long before the parcel is in the hands of the customer.

"It is important to choose a seller carefully. A reliable buyer or store is always ready to provide proof of a real purchase: a screenshot of an online purchase, a receipt from a boutique, or even a video taken at the time of purchase. Most services that work with luxury goods meet such requests without any problems. If the seller refuses, this is already an alarming signal," the specialist explained.

The expert advises to study the intermediary's website or account: transparent contacts, certificates, order history and high—quality photos are a mandatory minimum.

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What is the reason and will this trend continue?

According to the expert, the analysis of reviews deserves special attention. Borovets notes that other customers' comments may be useful, but they should be treated with caution. Reviews are often emotional. For example, a customer's order was delivered not in four, but in five weeks, and he is already writing about fraud and "financial pyramids." But you need to remember: bayer is an intermediary, not an express delivery, and logistical delays can be objective.

In addition, competitors often leave negative comments in order to reduce trust in successful services. Therefore, you should look at the big picture: how consistently and professionally the company responds to complaints, and whether there is evidence that problems are being resolved.

When an order has already been placed, it is important to remain attentive at the receiving stage. Borovets emphasizes that the little things are crucial here.

"This is especially true for popular sites. Always check the packaging, the integrity of the branded label, and the absence of traces of gluing. Be sure to check the QR code on the label with the information about the real product on the brand's website. Fakes are often caused by careless seams, incorrect fonts, and differences in the color of the logo," says the expert.

He clarifies that each segment has its own authenticity markers: for clothes and shoes, these are neat seams and unique articles, for equipment — serial and batch codes that can be checked on the manufacturer's website, for jewelry - stamps, official certificates and accompanying documents.

The specialist also pays attention to the specifics of logistics. According to him, bona fide companies necessarily insure parcels and provide tracking to the client at every stage of the movement.

It is also important to find out in advance what documents are attached to the parcel: for equipment, it can be a warranty card, for clothing — an accompanying invoice, for jewelry — a certificate of origin.

Borovets emphasizes that honest companies strive to keep in touch with the client at every stage of the transaction.

Earlier, on September 18, it was reported that dresses, sundresses and sunglasses are the leaders among the goods from marketplaces that Russians most often return to sellers. The study found that the low percentage of purchases of clothing and shoes, especially dresses and sunglasses, is directly related to the problems of choosing the size, material, style, as well as the discrepancy between the product and its online image.

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