Hi Kristen,
Welcome to SaleHoo! Sorry to hear about your experience with your previous suppliers. Most brand name items come with official documentation for resale. It's particularly good if a supplier is able to provide you with a proof of authenticity or any authentication paperwork for their products. Many US suppliers, - or UK suppliers even, of designer goods are safe to do business with because they offer products that come with various means of demonstrating authenticity.
Check out the SaleHoo Learning Centre for more detailed information on
verifying the authenticity of suppliers and their products.
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Also, here are some simple things you can do to protect yourself when dealing with any supplier (especially those found outside of SaleHoo).
1. Run a whois check on the supplier's website to verify when it was created (it is safest to deal with suppliers who have been online at least a year), who owns the domain, and where the domain was registered (the country should match the contact details on the supplier's website). We recommend using
Link hidden: Login to view (replace salehoo.com with the url of the supplier).
2. Search the SaleHoo forum for the supplier's website/company name and see what other members have to say.
3. Call the supplier's telephone numbers to ensure they are genuine.
4. Purchase a sample before bulk ordering to ensure that the item meets your expectations.
5. Watch out for sellers asking you to 'safeguard' your purchase by sending your money transfer in the name of a friend or loved one, or by establishing a 'test question'. These actions will not protect you from a fraudulent seller.
6. Low prices do not necessarily mean fraud, but radically low prices should warrant a closer look. If a price seems to good to be true, it probably is. Ask the seller as many questions about the item's authenticity as you can before you go any further.
7. Always use a credit card or PayPal to purchase goods. These forms of payment are safe because they give you a comeback if something goes wrong. With these payment methods, you can usually have the transaction reversed fairly easily if necessary.
I'll be happy to help you find suitable suppliers for the products you're interested in. It'll be great if you can tell me the exact brand or model so I'll know what to look for.
Talk again soon. All the best!