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If you're in the know, you are educated about the designer loot that's up for grabs at super-low prices on eBay, the revolutionary website that connects buyers and sellers. Juicy Couture hoodies, classic Chanel tweed suits, Marc by Marc Jacobs flats, and Prada handbags are all available on the site at a deep discount, but you have to know the tricks of the trade in order to stay away from fakes. I've had personal experience with fake merchandise on eBay, and my motto when on the site is, "If it's too good to be true, it probably is." Here's a list of tips and tricks that I've compiled just for you about how to steer clear of manipulative buyers and counterfeit stuff on eBay.

1) If their only pictures of their item are taken off of an outside website, such as the Bloomingdale's website, their merchandise is phony. But, if the price is too sweet to pass up, you should e-mail the seller and ask them to post a picture on their page of their actual item, so that you can see what it looks like for yourself.

2) Search the page for keywords such as "used" or "pre-owned", because sneaky sellers will purposely post these items at the bottom of the page in small font so that unsuspecting buyers are duped. To save time, hit Ctrl-F to scan the entire page for these words so that you don't end up with a well-worn pair of Tory Burch flats on your doorstep.

3) There's been lots of hype in the media lately about items that are imported to the U.S. from China, and eBay is no different. Each seller has their location listed on their page, and if it says Japan, Hong Kong, or any other Asian countries, their merchandise is most likely to be fake. The changes in their items are unlikely to be recognized by the naked eye, but to a trained consumer, the alterations in these subtle details are enough to turn them away from the item. For example, a pink Primp thermal was recently on eBay for $8.99, while the retail price of these shirts can exceed $90. Also, genuine Primp thermals are a blend of 50% cotton and 50% polyester, compared to the 80% polyester and 20% cotton shirt that was up for grabs on the site. Lastly, the rhinestone embellishments on the shirt found on eBay were noticeably larger than the genuine shirts that are found in upscale boutiques. In conclusion, stick to sellers that are either located in the U.S. or have a convincing item that's located in Europe or Oceania.

4) On eBay, a seller has the option of paying extra to have a photo displayed when you first search for the item, or have no photo on the search page and only on the webpage where they are actually selling the item. Some people are discouraged when they don't see a picture when they are searching through lists of prospective items, but they don't know that most of the major deals go down with individual sellers that only have one or two items to offer rather than a PowerSeller who is experienced in hiking up the price of their items.

I hope I've helped you in your quest for a discounted designer keepsake on eBay; just utilize my tips, and you won't run into sneaky sellers that mislead buyers. Happy shopping!

Learn more about this author, Julia Elizabeth Lynch.
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