This is the second of two articles discussing the sale of Fake Trollbeads on Ebay. As an authorized dealer of Trollbeads I do research on anything that may damage the brand Trollbeads.
This is a follow-up from the first article I wrote about the Ebay seller Wiki Piki. To get to the bottom of the situation I purchased beads from Wiki The beads came in last week and they were definitely fake, albeit good fakes but definitely counterfeit.
I went to "My Ebay" and registered my complaint. I checked the box that tells Ebay that the seller I purchased from was advertising the brand version but delivered a counterfeit item. They actually have a box for that. This gave me some hope that Ebay would take action against the seller. I was then able to check off that I wanted a full refund. Today I received my full refund. That should make me happy, but it doesn't. For one thing the seller was admitting guilt by refunding me my money immediately. For another thing Ebay, whose computer systems are huge, obviously knows about the incident but still allows Wiki Piki to continue to sell. I checked today and the seller is still selling the fake Trollbeads to unsuspecting buyers.
How can Ebay allow this to happen? I may be naive but I really hoped they would take responsibility when the facts were presented to them so clearly. Apparently not.
How many collectors are buying these beads thinking they are real Trollbeads? I'm sure if someone is new to collecting they wouldn't know the difference. This is the way the market gets diluted and later when a collector who has unknowingly purchased these beads goes on to resell them, the line becomes more diluted. This is why brands bring lawsuits against Ebay. Take this one example and multiply it by the thousands of fake beads being sold on Ebay and imagine the detriment.
I am not advising this because I am a dealer, but in order to be totally safe in your purchases, to protect your collection and the brand, buy only from Authorized Trollbeads dealers. If you can't find the Trollbead you want from a dealer, buy from a seller you know has first hand knowledge of the provenance of the Trollbeads they are selling and who have a good reputation. Do your research before you buy, the future value of of your collection depends upon it as does the future of Trollbeads.
ADDITION: On August 1st I received information from Ebay that this seller is no longer selling on Ebay. Our efforts worked!!
Counterfeit Trollbeads on Ebay
From time to time we will share with our collectors the existence of counterfeit Trollbeads being sold on Ebay. In the mega industries of fashion handbags, watches and shoes, consumers are aware that all mega brands have counterfeits and know they are being sold on street corners and auction sites around the globe. The process of creating counterfeits doesn't become profitable until a product becomes hot and Trollbeads is well on its way. But unlike the mass market appeal of sunglasses and handbags, the counterfeiters of Trollbeads have a very small playing field, the auction site Ebay.
The Ebay Trollbeads selling high volumes have been found to be selling fake beads and there isn't much to be done to protect unsuspecting collectors from buying them, beyond informing them. Ebay does not take responsibility for guarding consumers against these sellers. You only need to read the New York Times to learn about the many lawsuits brought against Ebay by brands including Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Ralph Loren. For Trollbeads collectors whose numbers don't warrant major news articles, the information needs to come from those of us that care enough about the brand to share the facts. The selling of counterfeit products can destroy a brand and we need to fight it.
In June news came to me that one of the large counterfeit dealers on Ebay were removed from the site. Prince Charms, a self confessed and a well known seller of fakes had been removed from Ebay. This is great news for Trollbeads and for collectors everywhere. Thank you, Ebay for taking notice and taking action. Whether it was Ebay’s good sense, or a good lawyer for Trollbeads that accomplished it, congratulations. I had posted a discussion about the fake selling practices on our Trollbeads Gallery Forum and I was dumbfounded by the number of people who had bought from this dealer on Ebay. It is quite disturbing for other collectors and for Trollbeads that people are actually buying these. You need to know that it’s one thing buying fake purses, they don’t last very long. A Trollbeads bracelet lasts forever, buy the real thing from a real authorized dealer. There is no risk and you are actually adding value to your own collection by doing this.
A very interesting trend came to light during this truth session. The Trollbeads Gallery Forum members that had purchased the beads and saw them as fakes could return the product for a refund but only if they left a positive feedback first. That clears up a big mystery for me because I always wondered how these sellers got the positive ratings they had.
Now it is Mid July and another Seller of fake Trollbeads was just discovered on Ebay and once again many are buying from this seller.
Why don’t people do their research first? IS it to save a few dollars? Stay away from Wiki-Piki. We also keep updates on our Trollbeads Gallery Forum, join for the latest warning of Ebay dealers selling fake Trollbeads.
Take a stand for your brand and stay away from counterfeit Trollbeads. Only the collectors can boycott the fakes and keep the brand and it's name valuable.
For Authentic Trollbeads go to an Authorized dealer. They are in 40 countries worldwide.
Trollbeads Gallery, an Authroized Dealer and Platinum Premium Partner.