I cane across this strange yet odd phenomenon the other day where someone was selling fake coach bags on eBay. I had to do a double take, because I couldn’t believe someone would go through all the effort only to produce something so sneaky and unethical. It all seemed too good to be true, so I decided to investigate.
The first thing I discovered was that these ‘Coach’ bags weren’t even close to the real deal. It was more like a knockoff disguised as the real thing. They didn’t have the same design, material, or hardware that an authentic Coach bag would have. It was obvious that they had replaced the original with a far cheaper version.
The second thing I noticed was that the person selling it was not transparent about what they were doing. They were using obscure language to make it seem like it was still a real bag. They claimed that the bag was a ‘heritage collection’ piece and also claimed that it was ‘made from only the highest quality leather’. But in reality, it was a knockoff of a knockoff.
The third thing I noticed was that the seller was using an auction style for selling the bags. That way, they could get away with bumping up the price, and it was very hard for customers to determine the true value of the bag. They didn’t allow any other bidders to bid for the bag, so the seller could set a high price and a buyer could not question it.
The fourth and final thing I noticed was that the seller was extremely deceptive in their marketing language. They used a lot of emotional triggers to make it sound legitimate and convincing. They used exaggerated language such as, ‘This bag is the ultimate luxury item!’ and ‘You will be the envy of everyone around you!’ to make people want to buy the bag.
This blanketing of deception left a bad taste in my mouth, because not only was someone producing an inferior product, but they were also preying on the unsuspecting customers who trusted them. It’s an immoral practice that shouldn’t be tolerated in the market, as it ruins the reputation of sellers who are truly honest and try their best to give value to customers.
I had to think about what measures can be taken to stop people like these from taking advantage of people who are looking for a good deal. To start, stricter guidelines need to be in place for sellers on eBay. The codes of conduct that sellers must abide by should be enforced, with a mandatory background check or review of their goods before they are even allowed to list them. Additionally, more efficient methods of verifying the authenticity of goods should be implemented, so buyers can feel secure in getting what they paid for.
The main takeaway from this experience is that you should always do your research before you make any kind of purchases, especially when it comes to buying online. You should always confirm that the seller is reputable and trustworthy, and that the items are genuine. Don’t let someone take advantage of your hard-earned money. Be an informed buyer and only trust qualified sellers.