There is something about designer items that holds dedicated fashionistas in their thrall. As much as you may love the looks you can create with more affordable brands, there is an undeniable quality and exclusivity that makes designer labels difficult to resist.
Resistance, however, is often necessary. Designer items always, unfortunately, come with designer price tags. This means that for the vast majority of people, designer items are novelties and one-offs, rather than feasible choices from which to build an entire wardrobe.
In recent years, the internet has seemingly provided a solution: there are now a number of sites that claim to be able to sell designer clothing and goods at budget prices.
Identifying sites that make this possible
It’s important to note that before we get into the bad news, there is some good news for the fashionista: there genuinely are sites that can help you to buy designer items without having to pay a small fortune to do so. The likes of The Fifth Collection sell vintage or second-hand designer items at reasonable - though never outright cheap - prices.
However, alongside the “good” sites, there’s a plethora of online stores that offer designer goods for a tiny percentage of the usual retail price, and with no mention of the items being vintage or second-hand. It’s at this point you need to be cautious.
Warning signs of scam sites
Scam sites use professional images, often stolen from designer websites, to advertise their goods. They're particularly popular on Instagram; lots of great photos and then the promise to let you buy the item for next-to-nothing in just a few clicks. The discounts are usually huge, with “designer items” offered for less than the average person spends on coffee in a month.
If you were to buy from these sites, one of two scenarios is likely to develop:
- The item you receive will be counterfeit. It might have the label of the designer item you were buying, but it will usually have many tell-tale signs that identify it as clearly fake.
- The item you receive won't even try to be good enough to be considered counterfeit. It'll just be a lackluster copy, sort of in the same style, perhaps the same color, but otherwise completely different from the item you thought you were buying. There won’t even be attempts to convince you that the article is the real deal; there won’t be any labels, and the quality will be disastrously poor.
So what does this mean for shoppers?
Realistically, the only way of achieving a fashionable look is to pay designer prices or look for vintage or second-hand items that may be more affordable.
Realistically, the only way of achieving a fashionable look is to pay designer prices or look for vintage or second-hand items that may be more affordable.
If a site is promising to sell you a designer item for a fraction of the usual cost, then something is amiss, and the item you receive will usually be good for little than turning into dish rags. So buy with caution, and always be extremely skeptical if a site is making an offer that seems - and almost certainly is - too good to be true.
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Two posts in one day, I am on a roll! I hope this information is helpful to you. Its packed with all sorts of helpful resources. Hope you have a great day. Thanks for visiting the blog today.
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