|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
Without a doubt, eBay was one of the cleverest on-line ideas that anyone has had so far. The idea of creating a site where you can bid on and buy items ranging from an eggcup through to a disused Boeing 747 or a Nuclear Missile Silo was pure genius.
Sadly though, whenever a good idea comes along, the seedier side of humanity is sure to be not that far behind, sliding along in it's wake leaving a gooey trail behind themselves.
So it is on Ebay. Current estimation holds that nigh on 37% of the worlds counterfeit and fake goods are sold daily on Ebay.
Having seen some of the listings I can fully believe it.
Especially where designer label goods are concerned.
Take a look at just about any page of Louis Vuitton items listed on Ebay and on average you'll find 95% of them on each page are fake.
So how can you avoid the easy to make mistake of buying a cheap quality fake LV?
Learn.
Learn as much as you can about the specific item you're interested in.
Don't go trawling ebay for ideas on what to buy and expect to be able to find a prize, hidden away deep in the listings. There are LV addicts who spend the best part of the day doing just that, trawling the auctions, checking and rechecking, looking for the bags that are being sold by owners with little knowledge, owners who are selling at a price away below what it should be. Then they'll "snipe" the auction in the last few seconds - right out from under your nose!
If you really want to buy a pre owned LV then your best bet would be to go to a consignment store and see if they can get hold of one for you. They'll have a constantly changing stock of second hand authentic items for you to choose from and you're fairly assured of it being genuine.
But if you really must buy your LV off eBay then try to use one of the approved LV sellers.
Who or what is an approved LV seller, you may well ask?
Well, there are two sets of LV sellers and buyers who have proven themselves, over a period of time as well as a set number of successful sales of authentic goods, and who have a distinction awarded by one of two "bodies".
The two bodies are MyPoupette and ALVA (Authentic Louis Vuitton Addicts).
A MyPoupette recommended seller is known as an MPRS (My Poupette Recommended Seller) and an ALVA recommended seller is known as an ALVA SS (ALVA Seller Select).
Both of these lists have a criteria that any seller MUST meet before being granted the "badge". That criteria requires a certain number of authentic only items to have been sold with supporting feedback and good trading practice before they can qualify.
Once they are awarded this distinction they are then allowed to use that title and badge in their auctions.
Now, although nothing in life is guaranteed, you can be much more assured and comfortable buying your used LV through one of these sellers.
Why?
Well, two reasons really.
Firstly, many of the resellers who have earned this level treat their selling and buying as a business. To sell a fake would result in their being stripped of their titles which could seriously affect their turnover! They only deal in authentic items and HATE fakes.
Secondly, both of the bodies who issue these distinctions have an interest and a duty in ensuring that their members behave and sell properly.
Should a buyer have an issue with one of these sellers they can take their complaint to either MyPoupette or ALVA and ask that they intervene. Although neither of these bodies are legally responsible for your sales and purchases with their listed resellers, they do take any complaint seriously and will investigate and assist where possible.
On past record, when you deal with a seller with either of these titles you are going to have a good time!
And that means you avoid buying a fake LV on Ebay!
Copyright:: Rufus Steele 2005
Rufus Steele is the author and creator of the Louis Vuitton website, a site dedicated to all things Louis Vuitton

On January 13, eBay sellers received an unwelcome announcement from eBay. Fees were going up.Partly due to our tendency to "skim" messages and partly due to the way in which the announcement was... Read More
Am I the only person who doesn't know what a 3 minute auction is? Looking for fresh content for my site, I discover that "minute auction," or even a 5, 10 and 30... Read More
Do you want to have a lot of auctions going but don't have time to keep track of them all? Trust me, you're not alone. With more and more people making significant portions... Read More
Remember back when selling online was a new experience? Dealers tried everything to sell their vehicles online. Today's market has expanded to include several hot online marketplaces but there is the largest online... Read More
Artists, craftspeople and photographers are successfully selling their wares everyday on the online auction site, eBay. According to a recent analysis of eBay sales, a crafts-related item is sold every nine seconds, a... Read More
There is as a lot of buzz about shill bidders on the eBay forums. But in actuality, shrill bidding isn't that common and is rather easily detected.A buyer will sometimes attempt to use... Read More
eBay's being spoken about everywhere these days. At work, school, down the pub... everyone's getting into eBay, looking for those bargains and trying to save themselves some money. Not a day goes by... Read More
POWERSELL Status, the secrets revealed.If like thousands of people you have been using eBay and wondering how to gain a regular income, and work from home, this article will help you.Like many, I... Read More
You have suddenly found the perfect business and you are all geared up to make lots of money. You have see the ads about Drop shipping and it sounds great.Well of course it... Read More
Are you having trouble finding a great deal on a car in your local area? Well, join the club. Using Online Bidding at eBay Motors can be the perfect answer you've been looking... Read More
Unless you have been hiding under a rock, I am sure that by now you have heard that eBay is raising its fees. So what's a small merchant to do? Here are some... Read More
1. Admit It: Old business models are no longer working. The Internet is bringing us closer as geographical boundaries, language barriers and cultural differences melt right before our eyes. Is is authentic? Is... Read More
I flew back to New York from Atlanta a few weeks ago and picked up 'Business 2.0' magazine for the flight.It was an excellent issue, but something so grabbed my attention that I... Read More
If you've ever read an article about eBay, you will have seen the kinds of incomes people make ? it isn't unusual to hear of people making thousands of dollars per month on... Read More
In 2002, the eBay consignments business was born, referred to by eBay as the Trading Assistant Program.It's possible that eBay didn't foresee just how much they would benefit form their eBay consignments program.... Read More
If I can do it you can.Let me tell you my story...After having tried many other ways of making money online and failed, I was left with no other option but to try... Read More
You've started your own eBay business and, even though it's part time right now, you know it's going to become a huge success. You are able to see the day when you can... Read More
Some sell on eBay to clean out their garage or attic. Some sell to make a little extra money here and there. But for some, eBay represents a chance to create a second... Read More
Have you ever participated in any online auctions?Yes, people are making piles of cash from online auctions.And you can take advantage of this new gold rush to generate a lot of traffic to... Read More
The Internet Fraud Complaint Center (IFCC) reported that last year 7.7 million dollars was lost through online auction scams. The actual losses are much greater. Most auction scams are not reported because they... Read More
If you're like me, you probably hate packing and shipping the things you sell on eBay.Don't get me wrong, I love selling on eBay. I just don't like the shipping part. I find... Read More
Creating a product from scratch that you can sell on the Internet will take some time to do.Writing a book, for example, can take weeks or months to complete. If you're not a... Read More
Why sell paper piecings on eBay?eBay is a great way to make a steady part-time or full-time income from a hobby that you love! Selling paper piecings has its ups and downs, but... Read More
We all have items in our closets and stuffed in drawers that we no longer have a use for. Some of us use our free time to manufacture craft items that we give... Read More
On another forum I'm involved with, someone's asked a great question: I want to sell products on eBay, but I want to include photographs with my items. How do I do... Read More
Let me be brutally honest; until recently, I had never bought anything on eBay, I'd never sold anything on eBay, and, dang-nab-it, I disdained auctions. (Bidding wars just weren't my bag. I was... Read More
Have you ever wondered what it takes to be "the best of the best"; to outcompete everyone who tries to do what you are doing--and to keep them guessing exactly what it is... Read More
Many people who decide to make a living selling collectibles on eBay soon fail. I meet them in the line at the post office. They tell me they just quit their job in... Read More
Q: I would like to start my own eBay business, but I really don't want to invest in a ton of inventory until I can get a better handle on what might or... Read More
As an ebay(TM) seller it happens very often (too often) that listings close without any bids. Did this happen to you? Many sellers are frustrated and quit their eBay(TM) business. Have you realised... Read More
While the world continues to go catatonic over the Internet and its endless possibilities, there's another industry quietly going about its business, piling up profitable year after profitable year after profitable year. What... Read More
Is it an antique and is it worth anything? Would you know?At some point in our lives most of us are going to put in a position where we have to ask ourselves... Read More
Ebay was only two years old when I discovered it.A friend I worked with was also starting to sell on Ebay at about the same time, and we exchanged ideas and experiences constantly.... Read More
Q: I read your last column about paying income tax on eBay sales if you are doing it as a business, but as someone who only sells on eBay occasionally I'm still confused... Read More
I've got this strange friend; her name is Maria. Maria's always been a little weird but now things have gotten unworldly altogether. You see, Maria's an artist; she's into sculpture in particular, of... Read More
So your auction closes. Now what?Hopefully you made a sale or several sales. Now the important work begins. Here are some tips on what to do after your eBay auction closes.Buyer ContactOnce your... Read More
FACT: eBay's Gross Merchandise Sales (GMS) 2003 - GMS, the total value of items sold, was a record $24 billion, representing a 60% year-over-year increase from the $15 billion reported in the full... Read More
Q: I made extra money selling things on eBay last year. These were items I picked up at yardsales mostly. My husband says I am responsible for paying income tax on the money... Read More
The popularity of online auction site eBay has been legendary. With millions of transactions completed daily, it is no surprise why many individuals who do not usually shop online regularly purchase items through... Read More
For small Internet retailers, drop-shipping is one of the best innovations since sliced bread. How else can a start-up offer a wide variety of products and convince customers that they have a fully-stocked... Read More
The worlds online market place.In just a few short years eBay has become a household name and millions of people are registered users benefiting from the enormous variety of auctions listed every day.A... Read More
Kids Items You Can SellClothes, toys and videos are good money makers on eBay.Go to eBay and look up a "lot" of size six girl's cloths. You will find they are expensive! The... Read More
Many people who decide to make a living selling collectibles on eBay soon fail. I meet them in the line at the post office. They tell me they just quit their job in... Read More
On another forum I'm involved with, someone's asked a great question: I want to sell products on eBay, but I want to include photographs with my items. How do I do... Read More
OK, so you've been bitten by the eBay bug!You've ransacked the attic, the basement and every other room in your home to find things to sell on eBay.When friends and neighbors ask you... Read More
One question that always seems to pop up is, "Where do I find products to sell on eBay?" Here are some ideas to get you started.Start at HomeWhen you first get started, it... Read More
eBay is one of the world's largest market places with over 35 million visitors per day. That first sentence is worth repeating because I want you to realize that eBay gives you the... Read More
Accepting Paypal as a payment method might increase your selling prices and your profits. This depends on what you are selling. I sell collectibles to collectors. My clients are like junkies. They will... Read More
1. Admit It: Old business models are no longer working. The Internet is bringing us closer as geographical boundaries, language barriers and cultural differences melt right before our eyes. Is is authentic? Is... Read More
eBay is the 'BEST' opportunity you can use right now to make money online in the dropshipping business from the comfort of your own home.Thousands of people just like you use eBay auctions... Read More
The activity chart is an ingenious way to find, in order, events happening in your community throughout the day. Plug in 'www.noonernight.com' on your computer or cell phone and retrieve lunch specials, happy... Read More
I began selling on eBay in 1999 and have found it to be an enjoyable and profitable experience. I had owned a retail computer store for a few years and decided to close... Read More
There is as a lot of buzz about shill bidders on the eBay forums. But in actuality, shrill bidding isn't that common and is rather easily detected.A buyer will sometimes attempt to use... Read More
One of the most frequently asked questions on the Net is: "What should I sell online?"Many people know what products they want to sell. However, they don't know how to do this. Should... Read More
What kind of browser are you using for online surfing? Explorer, Netscape, Firefox, Opera?? Sure, all are good programs but I want to talk about an excellent program called Netscape. If you use... Read More
This is my second article about trading royal memorabilia on eBay and other online auctions. We're going to explore just what items are really tradable, how and where to find your stock and... Read More
When my column on paying income tax on eBay profits ran it brought a wave of emails on whether you were required to report income earned from eBay sales to the IRS sparked... Read More
Taking some pride in my one hundred percent positive feedback score on eBay, I was horrified to see a negative feedback appear against me.What had I done wrong? Had I overlooked an auction... Read More
| GOOGLE AD |
Online Auction Online Auction |