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What do you do with all your fakes?

post #1 of 54
12/7/12 at 3:18pm
Thread Starter 
I'm sure many of us have been in a situation where the low price of a bottle on eBay was too tempting to resist. Unfortunately, many of us have also realized that you get what you paid for...
So, what do you all do with your fakes?
Personally, I contact the company, get a refund, and they generally ask me to keep the bottle and not leave negative feedback.

I use my fakes for:
Room sprays, gym scents (they are usually watered down and perfect for the gym), or decoration. I have a bottle of D&G The One, Le Male, and Code sitting in front of me, all fakes. Their authentic counterparts are sitting in my drawer.
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post #2 of 54
12/7/12 at 3:26pm
I have one, a "Chanel" Allure Homme. I occasionally wear it along with genuine Allure Homme Aftershave.
Actually it's a pretty decent copy...
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post #3 of 54
12/7/12 at 3:31pm
The Only fake I have ever purchased was a little over one month ago on ebay. It was a fake bottle of Bleu de Chanel. The seller wanted for me to mail the bottle back for a refund but once I contacted ebay disputes and paypal, the game was over. He immediately issued a refund without requesting the bottle. I guess he wanted the bottle back to sell it to some other sucker. I was not going to allow that to happen. I guess the fake is good to spray on the rug and furniture.
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post #4 of 54
12/7/12 at 3:41pm
Have never purchased a fake.
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post #5 of 54
12/7/12 at 3:56pm
I have never bought a fake either.
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post #6 of 54
12/7/12 at 4:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by senore01 View Post

the fake is good to spray on the rug and furniture.

Is it going to destroy your rug and furniture? I wouldn't do it on mine.

Nope, Haven't had any fakes just yet....Knock Knock
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post #7 of 54
12/7/12 at 4:06pm
Never bought a fake, that I know of.
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post #8 of 54
12/7/12 at 4:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeJ View Post

I'm sure many of us have been in a situation where the low price of a bottle on eBay was too tempting to resist. Unfortunately, many of us have also realized that you get what you paid for...
So, what do you all do with your fakes?
Personally, I contact the company, get a refund, and they generally ask me to keep the bottle and not leave negative feedback.

I use my fakes for:
Room sprays, gym scents (they are usually watered down and perfect for the gym), or decoration. I have a bottle of D&G The One, Le Male, and Code sitting in front of me, all fakes. Their authentic counterparts are sitting in my drawer.


I think if you have been on the receiving end of that many fakes you have far greater issues to attend to than room sprays, gym scents and decoration. lol ;')
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post #9 of 54
12/7/12 at 5:05pm
http://ts3.mm.bing.net/th?id=U.46864...74418&pid=15.1
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post #10 of 54
12/7/12 at 5:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by senore01 View Post

The Only fake I have ever purchased was a little over one month ago on ebay. It was a fake bottle of Bleu de Chanel. The seller wanted for me to mail the bottle back for a refund but once I contacted ebay disputes and paypal, the game was over. He immediately issued a refund without requesting the bottle. I guess he wanted the bottle back to sell it to some other sucker. I was not going to allow that to happen. I guess the fake is good to spray on the rug and furniture.

The exact same thing happened to me about 6 months ago with a bottle of Bleu de Chanel (probably the same seller; from Hungary I recall). He insisted it wasn't a fake, but the signs were all there as plain as the nose on my face! As soon as I contacted PayPal I was issued a refund in about a week or so. In 15 or so years of collecting this is the only fake I have ever bought (that I'm aware of). Although I haven't sprayed it since the first time, I guess I'll use it up as a bathroom spray or something.
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post #11 of 54
12/7/12 at 5:43pm
Don't have any fakes in my collection thankfully.
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post #12 of 54
12/7/12 at 6:09pm
I have ALWAYS (100%) received a FULL Refund from the Seller or Ebay directly. I even open a dispute with my credit card company so, the funds are suspended from PayPal. Two layers of protection.

Fakes are a disgrace to the world of fragrance. I have reported them to Ebay and have helped shut sellers down who sell them.

It, to me, is a matter of principle - not just getting a full refund, which I get any way.

Cheers.

ericrico
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post #13 of 54
12/7/12 at 6:24pm
Thread Starter 
Interesting responses. I'm surprised, and glad that most of you here are playing is safe.
Senore, I do the same. The fake Le Male actually smells nice and is a rather relaxing scent. I spray it around my bedroom before calling it a night.
Bleu is a widely faked fragrance though. It's such a shame.
Unfortunately, Neal, I have terrible luck with eBay and fragrances. Fortunately I've received a full refund on every fake so far.
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post #14 of 54
12/7/12 at 6:36pm
The moment I removed the cap from the bottle of bleu, I knew it was a fake. It was not magnetic. Bleu de Chanel has a magnetic cap.
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post #15 of 54
12/7/12 at 7:14pm
Thread Starter 
That's one of the things I love about Chanel bottles. Most counterfeiters don't bother trying to copy the cap. And even if they do copy the magnet idea as well, you can tell the difference.
Too bad the price just kills it for me.
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post #16 of 54
12/7/12 at 7:56pm
The only fake scent I ever got was Bleu De Chanel (unboxed)...I sent it back for replacement and I recd. another fake one but this time it was with box...sent it back again and got the refund :-)
I've learnt to stay away from those alluring prices on ebay :-)
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post #17 of 54
12/7/12 at 8:10pm
I actually got traded a fake here at BN once - two years ago in fact.

The trader - as much as I could tell - was unaware and when I showed them the pics, he was apologetic and told me not to worry about my trade as he sent first because he had no feedback yet. Anyway, I use that as a freshener in my garage.
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post #18 of 54
12/7/12 at 8:55pm
Fortunately I've never purchased any fakes on eBay. The only problems i've ever had were purchasing a used bottle of Polo Crest years ago that had gone bad and a vintage bottle of Drakar Noir that arrived empty. Both sellers ended up giving refunds without me having to return the bottles.
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post #19 of 54
12/7/12 at 8:55pm
I didn't realize so many people actually purchased fragrances through ebay.

If I bought a fake, I doubt I would use it as an air freshner - I don't even want fake air freshner (and if I can't trust the ingredients, I sure wouldn't spray it all over my room!)
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post #20 of 54
12/8/12 at 12:57am
I rarely buy from ebay, and then only from a couple of trusted sellers I have done business with before. Never purchased any fakes. If something looks too good to be true, it invariably is - avoid.
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post #21 of 54
12/8/12 at 1:12am
I am seldom tempted by cheap prices on eBay or anywhere else. I only buy pre-loved fragrances from eBay, especially if the current batch has been badly reformulated. I believe genuine stuff can be had at a bargain too; you just need to search a little bit harder.
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post #22 of 54
12/8/12 at 3:39am
Why on Earth are people buying stuff on eBay?

It's like a huge car boot sale open to all sorts of chancers and duckers and divers, and little wonder that the place is snided with moody gear.

My advice would be to give your head a wobble and chalk it up to experience. Buy cheap, buy twice.
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post #23 of 54
12/8/12 at 4:57am
Didn't encounter a fake perfume yet, only stuff that had gone off. In either case I'd return the item. If they'd ask me to keep it, I'd probably chuck it or, if it smells ok, use it/give it to someone who wants it.
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post #24 of 54
12/8/12 at 5:13am
I've learned my lesson with Ebay. I never purchased anything from there till I got into fragrance. Of four purchased two have been good and two have been very unsatisfactory. The average person is unprincipled and dishonest.

- - - Updated - - -

I've learned my lesson with Ebay. I never purchased anything from there till I got into fragrance. Of four purchased two have been good and two have been very unsatisfactory. The average person is unprincipled and dishonest.
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post #25 of 54
12/8/12 at 5:20am
I don't have any
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post #26 of 54
12/8/12 at 6:00am
Luckily I never bought a fake either.
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post #27 of 54
12/8/12 at 6:26am
I pee in them.
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post #28 of 54
12/8/12 at 6:39am
Until proven otherwise, I don't know to own any fakes, thus no need to know what to do with them.
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post #29 of 54
12/8/12 at 6:58am
Use them as a nice looking paper weight.
Pass it off as genuine to someone you do not like.
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post #30 of 54
12/8/12 at 11:26am
Ebay is for suckas!
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post #31 of 54
12/8/12 at 11:30am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nersh View Post

Never bought a fake, that I know of.

Ditto.
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post #32 of 54
12/8/12 at 11:37am
Quote:
Originally Posted by senore01 View Post

Use them as a nice looking paper weight.
Pass it off as genuine to someone you do not like.

Now Senore, I know that you are joking... but right now I have a shallow/self-absorbed/overly ambitious/two-faced boss who I would gladly pass a fake on to- but only after topping it up with a judicious amount of ''body-water''
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post #33 of 54
12/8/12 at 1:39pm
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Give them away as presents to people you don't like) Second, do not buy from Ebay, I never do.
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post #34 of 54
12/8/12 at 1:52pm
I wouldn't put them on my skin - that's for sure. Even as a room spray they are not necessarily safe.
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post #35 of 54
12/8/12 at 3:47pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lovescully View Post

The exact same thing happened to me about 6 months ago with a bottle of Bleu de Chanel (probably the same seller; from Hungary I recall). He insisted it wasn't a fake, but the signs were all there as plain as the nose on my face! As soon as I contacted PayPal I was issued a refund in about a week or so. In 15 or so years of collecting this is the only fake I have ever bought (that I'm aware of). Although I haven't sprayed it since the first time, I guess I'll use it up as a bathroom spray or something.

I don't understand why would anybody buy Chanel from Ebay. There is no store on the face of this planet, that will sell you a real Chanel for less money then indicated on Chanel's website, unless fake, or stolen. Even the reputable web stores cannot sell Chanel for less, because they CANNOT get it for less, and make a profit. Plain and simple
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post #36 of 54
12/8/12 at 4:05pm
I have the conception that you can't buy directly from Chanel but use the "store locator" that will tell you the nearest shop.
Buying from eBay is totally safe if one pays with paypal, and looks carefully the listing and uses common sense.

If one still has doubts of eBay, the reputable shops like Sephora, Douglas etc. are a good choice then.

- - - Updated - - -

I have the conception that you can't buy directly from Chanel but use the "store locator" that will tell you the nearest shop.
Buying from eBay is totally safe if one pays with paypal, and looks carefully the listing and uses common sense.

If one still has doubts of eBay, the reputable shops like Sephora, Douglas etc. are a good choice then.
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post #37 of 54
12/8/12 at 10:10pm
Thread Starter 
Wow, a lot of careful people here!
Senore, your comment is priceless. I do actually allow guests to spray themselves with the fakes. 10 sprays of authentic Le Male would kill me
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post #38 of 54
12/8/12 at 10:52pm
I've purchased two fakes, One Million and Le Male. By the time I realized it, it was too late to do anything. Threw both away.
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post #39 of 54
12/8/12 at 11:22pm
The most faked cologne out there are usually the most over-hyped ones such as Le Male, One Million, Chanel Allure Homme Sport, Cool Water, Acqua Di Gio, Bleu De Chanel, etc.
I'd never buy those off the internet because the chances of them being genuine are slim to none.
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post #40 of 54
12/9/12 at 3:25am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeJ View Post

Wow, a lot of careful people here!
Senore, your comment is priceless. I do actually allow guests to spray themselves with the fakes. 10 sprays of authentic Le Male would kill me

Call me paranoid I didn't want to be a smartass.... sorry if i gave that impression. The day will come when i'll buy a fake myself accidentally.
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post #41 of 54
12/9/12 at 9:41am
Bleu is mass-produced by one of the counterfeit factories in China. The box is well done but the bottle inside is not. The non-magnetized cap is your obvious clue... Not only do the fakes use a cheap plastic cap, but the ones that are magnetized are usually not precise - the authentic will spin the cap into a consistent position and hold it on. The bottom of the phony's glass bottle is rough and inexpertly produced... All dead giveaways.

The sellers typically have an endless supply, start bidding at $1, and use stock photos.
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post #42 of 54
12/9/12 at 11:08am
Quote:
Originally Posted by suds View Post

Now Senore, I know that you are joking... but right now I have a shallow/self-absorbed/overly ambitious/two-faced boss who I would gladly pass a fake on to- but only after topping it up with a judicious amount of ''body-water''

^^Posting from his cubicle.


I've encountered one fake and it was via a basenotes swap and I don't even think the guy who I swapped with knew it was fake. And I didn't even know it was fake until I sold it and the guy I sold it to told me it was fake.

That was a bottle of Chanel Allure Edition Blanche. Once the guy I sold it to returned it to me and I refunded him, I threw the bottle away.

Gotta get those fakes out of the fragrance-sphere, otherwise they just get recycled--whether dishonestly or unknowingly. No reason to keep them around.

I learned a few lessons from that experience, as a buyer and seller.
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post #43 of 54
12/9/12 at 6:30pm
I bought a fake bottle of Royal Copenhagen once - I'm still kicking myself for not dishing out the extra cash for the original.
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post #44 of 54
12/9/12 at 6:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by döfä91 View Post

I have the conception that you can't buy directly from Chanel but use the "store locator" that will tell you the nearest shop.

Your conception is incorrect. Chanel.com sells everything available in your country direct.

I just sell my fakes on eBay.
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post #45 of 54
12/9/12 at 6:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rubegon View Post

I just sell my fakes on eBay.

Do you indicate that they are fake?
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post #46 of 54
12/9/12 at 7:52pm
I wear them. I use to have this knock off of Fahrenheit. It was $20, and I really liked it. Does anyone have experience with this. Its call Exceed, by a company called New Brand. I think the company specializes in copy cat fragrances. Its made in Belgium, I think.

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post #47 of 54
12/9/12 at 9:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by hlatif33 View Post

I wear them. I use to have this knock off of Fahrenheit. It was $20, and I really liked it. Does anyone have experience with this. Its call Exceed, by a company called New Brand. I think the company specializes in copy cat fragrances. Its made in Belgium, I think.

That's more of a 'knock-off' than a 'fake'. It's one of those 'this is our version of...' but it's not trying to pass itself off as the legitimate juice.

I've never bought a fake, but I am extremely trepidatious about buying fragrances on eBay. I've bought maybe three bottles of fragrance over the 'Bay: a mini of Ferrari Essence Oud, a bottle of Worth PH and a bottle of Body Shop Amber Oud. Clearly not what you'd call 'big-ticket' items (none were over $9).

The vast majority of vendors I wouldn't trust as far as I could throw them, but there are some great vendors I keep on my 'saved sellers' list.
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post #48 of 54
12/9/12 at 9:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by dagawami View Post

Do you indicate that they are fake?

No way! I'll get less for them if I do.

I just take good pictures so that no one that knows what they're doing will bid on them. That way I make sure it goes to a noob that will never know the difference. Ignorance is bliss. It's a win-win, really.
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post #49 of 54
12/10/12 at 2:51am
I have one Allure fake bottle and use it as a car boot refresher.
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post #50 of 54
12/10/12 at 4:38am
Quote:
Originally Posted by timdoeswell View Post

That's more of a 'knock-off' than a 'fake'. It's one of those 'this is our version of...' but it's not trying to pass itself off as the legitimate juice.

I've never bought a fake, but I am extremely trepidatious about buying fragrances on eBay. I've bought maybe three bottles of fragrance over the 'Bay: a mini of Ferrari Essence Oud, a bottle of Worth PH and a bottle of Body Shop Amber Oud. Clearly not what you'd call 'big-ticket' items (none were over $9).

The vast majority of vendors I wouldn't trust as far as I could throw them, but there are some great vendors I keep on my 'saved sellers' list.

THe thing with eBay is that even if the seller has good feedback the product can still be fake.

- - - Updated - - -

I am wearing a fake of YSL's La Nuit. Its a perfume oil, and I am actually enjoying it.
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post #51 of 54
12/10/12 at 9:19am
Thread Starter 
No worries dofa, that wasn't smart-ass at all!
That's not a bad idea (the car boot freshner). I think my fake bottle of Le Male is going to get transferred...
I haven't tried Exceed, but I purchased a bottle of Temperature (Amazon, $6). It smells close to Fahrenheit, but I honestly don't like the original anyways.
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post #52 of 54
12/10/12 at 9:23am
I don't buy fakes.
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post #53 of 54
12/10/12 at 12:18pm
To the best of my knowledge, despite buying maybe fifty fragrances on Ebay, I've never purchased a fake.

If I did, I'd probably just pitch it, if it did not smell good; or use it as a room spray. If I bought it on Ebay, I'd ask for my money back, and am confident paypal would refund it. As has been discussed elsewhere, Ebay is now a "seller beware" site.

And I would never sell a fake to anyone, regardless of their level of knowledge, which, in my view, is irredeemably unethical. For that matter, knowingly selling a counterfeit product is completely illegal in the United States under federal law.
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post #54 of 54
12/10/12 at 3:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by barclaydetolly View Post

And I would never sell a fake to anyone, regardless of their level of knowledge, which, in my view, is irredeemably unethical. For that matter, knowingly selling a counterfeit product is completely illegal in the United States under federal law.

+1.
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