Does anyone know how prevalent fake high-end skin care and cosmetics products are, and how to tell them from real ones? I ask because there are eBay cosmetics sellers who constantly sell high end products for a significant discount off their retail price. Could they be fake? How do you tell a fake cosmetic or skin care product?
I buy Peter Thomas Roth skincare products regularly from an eBay powerseller who now sells them to me off eBay for a fraction of the price I used to pay at my day spa. For instance, she sells PTR Oxygen Face cream that retails for $110 at sephora.com and at day spas, for $37. She sells PTR oxygen eye cream that retails at $80 for $20. The products seem genuine, fresh and sealed. I've bought a lot of them over time, so she clearly has a steady supply. She's a great seller who ships promptly and has thousands of good feedbacks. I've wondered about them being stolen, but since she has such steady sources, I doubt it. Maybe she has a store, but I thought agreements with the companies precluded them from dumping on eBay. Not that some of them don't do that anyhow, of course. Any thoughts?
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Fake high end cosmetics/skin care products?
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Cosmetics are a really huge business! I was just looking at Medved's Auction Counts on the sell- through rates for ebay catagories, and the health & beauty field is always better than most. Clothing rates this week are at 45% while H&B stays at 49% and most times higher.
The prices you are paying are only 70-80% off retail. Avon dealers who sell high volume can get up to 90% off their inventory so I would think that other cosmetic lines would follow a similar strategy since most companies in the same industry parallel fairly closely. It looks like the ebay sellers are doing volume rather then high profit per item.
There was big uproar not too long ago from Mary Kay about reps selling product on eBay. Lots of screaming and yelling and attempts to shut them down, but they just went anon and kept on selling because it was so profitable.
I haven't read anywhere or heard about a counterfeit problem with high-end cosmetics. After I read your post I looked at some of the bigger H&B ebayers feedbacks and didn't see any pattern like you do with fake jeans.
If you use the high-end products, you'll definately know the difference if it's a dollar store quality. You've mentioned an interesting idea...I hope if you find out anything you'll let us know! -
<<< The prices you are paying are only 70-80% off retail. Avon dealers who sell high volume can get up to 90% off their inventory so I would think that other cosmetic lines would follow a similar strategy since most companies in the same industry parallel fairly closely. It looks like the ebay sellers are doing volume rather then high profit per item. >>>
Well, "only" 70 80% off retail is a big deal to me.
Thanks for the info that the dealers may get 90%, that explains a lot. However, I don't understand why a high end cosmetics company would sell to someone knowing she's going to sell on eBay for a fraction of what the regular retailers do. Why would anyone pay sephora.com $110 for the product when she'll sell it for $37? -
I can't imagine that the high-end companies would knowingly sell to someone selling on ebay either. But somehow these folks are getting inventory and they must be making a profit or they wouldn't keep doing it.
I know about the avon stuff because a neighbor sells the stuff. To get the high discount you have to be in the Presidents club or some nonsense like that. Personally, I'd rather use finger paints and mud then avon.
I tried to find a wholesaler for Clinique about three years ago. There was an export only restriction on buying Clinique then but apparently that's no longer in effect since there's so much of it for sale.
If you find out any more about counterfeits I hope you'll post it because it's really intrigued me!
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