I don’t like sounding “naggy” but I do feel strongly about people who get unintentionally duped, especially when shopping online. The thing about shopping online is the need to be extra careful about what you purchase and where you purchase an item from.
It is easy to find deals online and those group deal websites are usually one of the first places to offer good deals on goods and services. I will however, tell you to please be very vigilant when buying goods, especially cosmetics from these group deal websites, because there is no guarantee they are genuine. Granted, we take that risk every time we shop online, but it is possible to read up reviews about an online store. Its different when its a group deal offering what seems to be an excellent discount off a popular product for a very limited time. You feel like you have to take advantage of the “offer” because its limited.
I no longer subscribe to any group deal website (my reasons for it are here) but I’d recently noticed a worrying trend of popular cosmetics being sold on these group buying websites. The most popular deal is for almost 50% or more off the popular Urban Decay Naked and Naked 2 palettes. Its still something like RM75 or more when the original retails at RM175, but here’s the deal. Its not the original product.
Have you come across this and were your spidey senses tingling? Were you duped?
When I came across the UD deal, I tweeted about it and mentioned my suspicion, because the only way to redeem the product was online and the company selling it was not the original distributor. Urban Decay is brought in locally through Sephora only and isn’t sold anywhere else.
I later received an email from reader Pearly who told me about how her order wasn’t fulfilled and she was later offered a refund. When I shared this on the MWS Facebook page, readers started sharing about how this “deal” was not limited to just one group deal website but was appearing on almost all sites. In fact, the palette sold is fake, as some intrepid people later discovered. Another reader Wai Mun also emailed me to tell me of her similar experience with a different group deal website for the same item, and that she too was getting a refund.
The name used is Urban Decay Naked or Naked 2 eyeshadow palette, the images are of the authentic product, mostly with photos from Temptalia and other bloggers, and sometimes accompanied by Youtube videos from various bloggers and even blog testimonials. For all intents and purposes, the product LOOKS like the real thing. But heed the fine print that says “Product sold is an OEM product”. In fact, this warning only came about recently after complaints were raised by buyers, I’ve noticed. Before this, there was no such warning and the impression given therefore is that it is the real item being sold.
I personally feel that these group deal buying websites are very irresponsible for promoting these non-authentic products. The phrase “Product sold is an OEM product” is firstly misleading, as few people know what OEM means (Original Equipment Manufacturer i.e. the manufacturer who manufactures the item that is then purchased by another company to use under their own brand name). If it really is an OEM product, there should be NO name on it, and it should not say Urban Decay or Naked anywhere on the packaging. That it does so, makes it a counterfeit product. Secondly, based on photos and information provided, the product touted is, to the uninitiated, the real deal.
At 50% or even more than 50% off the retail price, it is easy for the unsuspecting person to think they are getting a good deal. The thing is, fake cosmetics or cosmetics that have unknown origins can hurt your skin. You do not know what it contains and no one is held accountable if you experience a negative reaction. I would rather purchase something similar from a reputable company that fits my budget, rather than a fake or “OEM” product, simply because in the former case, someone can be held accountable if something happens.
So, the moral of it all is that if something looks too good to be true, it probably is. This is the basis upon which scams are perpetuated all the time. They prey on human greed and the naive and gullible. If you do not want to fall prey to a scam like this, bear this mantra in mind every time you go online.
I practice this myself. When I go online, I only shop at the reputable online stores either through recommendations from friends, or after checking out numerous reviews. When I hear of someone I know having a poor experience at a certain store, and if it isn’t resolved in a satisfactory manner, I choose not to shop there anymore. Some online stores offer good deals at certain times, or loyalty discounts or there are sale periods. There are legitimate deals to be had on legitimate products so long as you know where to look. For me, the group deal sites are not that place.
Sometimes, its just its better to just save your money and then take it to the actual store where you know full well you are getting the real deal. Don’t allow your hard earned money to go to a con person. You deserve more than that!
Have you been the victim of a similar online scam like this? How careful are you when you shop online?
I have been duped at a group deal before this too. I saw a deal for travel organizers that were very cheap, and looked similar to one I had that was quite good quality and for which I paid quite a bit for. I wanted to get it for my siblings. When I received it, I saw that it only LOOKED the same, but the quality was, to put it very mildly, crap. It was a waste of money but fortunately, just a small sum. I’ve never bought anything else from these group deals since then. I shop for a variety of items online, not just cosmetics, and sometimes, you come across crazy deals. But I prefer to be safe and not partake in certain deals simply because I do not know how legitimate they are. When something looks too good to be true, it probably is. So, open your eyes, read the fine print, do your research and follow your head not your heart and you will have a pleasant online shopping experience.
Remember: If something is too good to be true, it probably is
Paris B
Nope. Never been duped because I am always skeptical when facing such deals 😉
Good girl! 😉
I ordered an OPI nail polish and out of 5 bottle, i think 1 of it looks like not ori. The way I know it is the nail polish brush. The weird thing is , it comes with the same seller. Since then i didnt order any OpI stuff again from the internet.
I came across a shop once in Chinatown, that had fake OPI and Benefit, Bobbi Brown etc. I was with a friend who knew her polishes so she immediately identified it as fake. It was quite surreal. I think its sneaky of the seller to mix in a fake bottle among the real ones, just to throw you off the scent. I think its too risky unless you buy from a proper retailer.
Thanks for this reminder PB! Lucky me, these group buying sites never got my interest because I am scared of wasting my hard earned money, hihihi….
I’m glad you’re careful with your money Issa. Its not easy to come by!
not bothered with group deals. they are a sneaky lot me thinks!
too many lousy experience which I have heard from friends and family and from you #evurl ladies makes me think twice about getting anything. i rather pay a bit more and buy from reputable sites than just dumping money into the seawater or getting something that’s not what it’s supposed to be.
In terms of goods, I have to agree with you. However, I think some food deals are worth getting from a reputable restaurant. I’ve had quite fun experiences and tried new places to eat with a food deal 🙂
Figured it can’t be real, what more with the “OEM product” line.
I just stick to other deals available.
So far so good with Groupon personally, but I haven’t heard great things about Dealmates if you’ve paid money for an object instead of a voucher/service/etc.
Yep! The OEM was so sneaky and some people may not understand what it is. I noticed it only came about recently, probably after so many people complained before this. I have been told that the most “reputable” is Groupon and the rest can be ignored. I went to see the Dealmates Facebook Page and oh my! The complaints are overwhelming! :O
i find that recently there are so many of these ‘dupe’ products. UD..bobbi brown..eco tools..and people expect to buy real prada off those sites? i think my last straw was the lousy shoe organizer that i bought, it was so bad the zipper broke the first time unzipping it, and the overall ‘organizer’ is worse than any plastic bag out there. that’s it!
Remember we once came upon that shop selling fake stuff? Nail polish and Benefit and Bobbi Brown? Maybe the stock came from there >.< Did you get a refund for that lousy plastic bag in the end? Hope you did!
This has never happened to me, but I’m still very cautious when buying online, always look for reviews and feedback! And yes, when it seems too good to be true, it probably is 😛 like it is almost everything in life! ahaha
Wise move, Rute! And yes, its a warning to bear in mind for everything in life – nothing cheap is every very good. Well, with some exceptions of course 😉
I love this article! Thanks for highlighting this serious issue.
I have been online shopping and reading blogs long enough to know that fake products are every where and seeing sellers sell dupes are nothing new to me.
What baffles me the most are those fakes sold in pasar malams and there are actually girls who actually purchase them!
A friend recently asked me if I wanted to buy the Urban Decay palette with her from a certain group-buying site and when I saw how cheap it was, I was instantly on my guard. I declined and also highlighted my doubts to her. Sadly, her and another friend decided to go ahead anyway to make the purchase.
When it arrived, of course it was obviously a fake! She wrote a very lengthy and angry email to both the group-buying site as well as the seller. The seller was unapologetic and even tried to cover their behinds by saying things like “We never said it was authentic”. Wha…??
Long story short, she got a full refund, but what about the hundreds of others who didn’t bother writing in or worse still…have yet to realize it’s fake?!
Hi Joey, glad to know you weren’t duped! Also glad your friend managed to get a refund, even if she had a lot of hassle doing it. I hope everyone else who bought the palette demanded their refund. Gotta put these people out of business! Hoping to raise some awareness, but there’s little a blog can do 🙂
As for the fake items at the pasar malam, I don’t know. I guess its the same thing as fake bags. People want to buy something luxurious but don’t want to pay the full price, maybe. The only thing is that since its skincare or makeup they really shouldn’t be messing around. Again, wish more people would realise that but maybe they don’t know better 🙁
When group discount website mushroomed a while ago, I was skeptical if the deals were real. Then I tried some small purchases for services (manicure, restaurant, massage) and most turned out well, so that boost my confidence more and I started to keep a look out for daily deals. Things got more exciting when the deals even offer products such as branded bags (Coach and Longchamp!) and hotel & travel. When I first saw the UD Naked palette on group discount website at the time when I was considering of getting, I got excited and threw away my instinct. Anyhow, I paused and called the seller, asked if the product was genuine and if it wasn’t, will I get a refund. She gave a fuzzy answer that it’s authentic and no refund. Hmm…then it struck me. What is good is not cheap, what is cheap is not good. Period. My sister was lemming for Longchamp and I was eyeing Coach wristlet, in the end, I told her I’d rather fork out the money and take her for a wonderful shopping experience at the boutique.
Yeah…so that’s my realization. Thank you for writing about this shopping pitfall. Honestly, I think we do look out for deals, but the online sellers must really reflect upon their business ethics for twisting the claim that it’s authentic when it’s not! What’s worse, the group discount websites are their partners in crime for not performing product authentication.
I think for some services (if from reputable places) and food deals (reputable restaurants) its actually quite worth getting a deal out of them. I noticed the recent hype of travel deals and luxury bags. Its a good point to note that Coach and Longchamp bags are probably among the most counterfeited ones out there after Louis Vuitton. Its just harder to catch a fake Longchamp for example, than an LV for those who aren’t aware, and that’s probably what these sites are cashing in on. Its so sad 🙁 I’m glad you and your sister didn’t waste your hard earned money, not knowing if the item you bought is real or fake. At least if you buy from the store, you know its the real deal, and you enjoy the full experience to boot! Nothing quite beats that 😀 Am secretly hoping someone takes these sites down 😛
Yes i have been duped on Ebay with a Chanel product. For a long time i was looking for the sparkling perfume gel by Chance. It had come and gone in the shops being Limited edition and i really love Chance.
So i started looking on the internet and found the exact one on Ebay. I put in my bid and the bidder had a 100% rating score so i felt i was safe. The product arrived 5 days later and it had cost me only £10. (I should have seen the writing on the wall at that point, nothing by Chanel costs £10). When i opened the pot, i got a wretched smell of god knows what, but it was certainly not Chanel Chance. I gave her a really bad write up for it.
I also talk to Chanel ladies at my local counter a lot and they told me, many times people have come in with bottles of Chanel perfumes to exchange. They say they are also from Ebay and only for some writing missing on the boxes, they look completely authentic. Please be careful everyone because you can lose a lot of money, only buy from reputable places on line. If it seems very cheap chances are its fake.
Thanks for sharing your story! Ebay is a scary place to be. I think most of the items on there are fake, and woe betide those who aren’t aware of it 🙁
I was so tempted with the adverts too. Now to think about it, thank god i didn’t bother purchasing them..
Thankfully so! 😀
That really sucks for the gals and guys in My’sa who have lost their hard earned money. 🙁 I’m so surprised that e-commerce sites with paper trails would be doing such shady stuff…I use Groupon here in the States pretty regularly, and they have amazing customer service. Even if AFTER you use a Groupon you are still somehow unsatisfied by the service or purchase you received, Groupon will refund the money you paid to them. This happened once when a skincare salon that I bought a voucher for said they will be taking no new clients due to overload – Groupon sent me an email and offered to refund if I couldn’t use the voucher within the time window that the salon gave. These other sites operating in Malaysia sound super shady, and I’m really glad you posted this, Paris, to educate consumers and retailers alike. I wish consumers had more rights in Malaysia – I think it would prevent a lot of these scams from taking place.
Sadly yes. I’ve only noticed this happening in recent times, maybe in the past few months. I don’t know what these deal sites are up to, but I have zero confidence buying anything off them. The only deals I will try are the food deals and then only from a reputable restaurant. I have heard that Groupon is a little more trustworthy but I personally just don’t bother viewing the sites anymore 🙂 I hope by posting this, people would be more aware, but as just a blog with a limited audience, I don’t think the message will get through. We probably need something bigger with wider reach to really get the message through. Ah well, at least I’ve said my piece 😀
I’m always tempted to get deals, but always thought it could be too good to be true and chickened out. After reading this post I’m really glad I chickened out.
To be fair, I think generally that food deals are safer but still, the level of service can sometimes leave much to be desired 😛 Better not buy any hehe
saw this deal in almost every group deal website. Bought my UDNP 1 from sephora and almost regretted after seeing the NP2 deals. I have thought of buying the NP2 (since its soo cheap, too cheap in fact ), but chickened out in the end.
http://www.dealmates.com.my/deals/November-EcoTools-Make-Up-Brushes-RM30/item?di=23361
I wonder if this is real :/
I wouldn’t bet my life on it Jen. There have been previous reports of fake Ecotools brushes sold online too so I’d be very wary
As i know, those group deal webste want seller to do a lot discount and they also request high profit margin. Try imagine, skincare after discount up to 70% percent and the group deal website still can earn extra commission ? When i look at the seller information, even some of them are not malaysia authorized seller and may be simply import from other country ( high possibility from China).
I don’t think the group deal website will authenticate the seller product before they start putting onto website.
I don’t think so either, Jenny but when reports have been made to the company, I do expect them to be a little more responsible. I guess that’s far too much to hope for since everyone’s just in it for the money, never mind that customers get duped 🙁
Hi Paris/girls,
Have you shopped from http://www.cosme-de.com/en/main/main.html? Did some googling and it seems legit. Free shipping-yay! But supposedly ships from HK-erm?
thanks.
Hi liz, I personally haven’t. Good luck!
I’m so glad you brought this up.
A few of my friends had bought the UD Naked Palette and Bobbi Brown Brushes one and was discussing it with me the other day. I took a look at Bobbi Brown brush photos and it was so obviously fake I had emailed the buying site telling them that they were selling fake goods.
Guess what? I have yet to receive a response from the buying site. Quite a few of my family and friends have stopped purchasing anything from these sites, but I hate to think how these deal sites do not screen their merchants before putting them up for sale and a lot of people continue trusting them.
Hi Adela, sorry to hear your friends got conned 🙁 Its not cheap either and these group deal sites are really milking it for all its worth. Perhaps if we spread the word, more people will realise that these things are not authentic and they should stop buying cosmetics from these deal sites unless it is sold by the authorised distributor.
What about beautydehome.com? Im inerested with their shishedo promotion but i afraid if they are fake
I’m afraid I’m not familiar with that site. I notice they sell samples so my previous comments/replies to those asking about websites selling sample sized products will apply.
Please lodge complaints with relevant parties:
http://www.nccc.org.my/v2/index.php/e-aduan
http://www.consumer.org.my/index.php/complaints/why-and-how-to-complain