How to distinguish original branded sneakers from fakes

Box and sticker

Most often, boxes of fake sneakers are dented or torn. The fact is that the cardboard from which the packaging is made is thinner and cheaper.

Also note the size and item number sticker. If it is crooked, there are mistakes in words, most likely you are dealing with a fake.

Item and batch numbers

Many well-known brands assign unique numbers to products that are not repeated on other products. Also, the batch number is indicated on the size labels of the goods. It must match the same number on the box and label.

Here's an example with a number on a tag. In the first photo - sneakers from Avito, in the second - from the official Reebok website. The numbers on the tag and in the product description are the same (BD2659), which means that the shoes are real.

Reebok sneakers on Avito

Reebok sneakers on the official website

Colors

Fakes often have unusual colors and prints that have never been produced by the real brand. For example, here's the Adidas Neo VL Court from AliExpress. White sneakers with colored stripes are not on the official website of the brand.

VL Court Sneakers on AliExpress

VL Court Sneakers at Adidas

In addition, AliExpress has gray sneakers with white stripes, while the official website of Adidas has dark gray stripes on gray sneakers.

VL Court Sneakers on AliExpress

VL Court sneakers on the official adidas website

Therefore, if the sneakers surprised you with their color or pattern, be sure to check if such a model was produced. You can search the Internet or take pictures of the sneakers and throw them into a group on the social network dedicated to the brand's products.

Dimensional grid of rare sneakers

There are branded models released in limited quantities. If in any online store you see all sizes, including intermediate ones, most likely they are fake sneakers.

Materials and features

Here are a few points to check:

1. Line … Some fake sneakers may have uneven stitching or run off the edge altogether.

2. Materials … Check if the materials correspond to those stated on the manufacturer's website. For example, if, according to the description, the upper of the sneakers should be made of natural suede or soft leather, and those that you hold in your hands have obviously artificial materials, you should think about it. Also pay attention to the corners: fake manufacturers like to smooth the corners of the inserts to save material.

3. Details … Check if the logos are in place, if they are not placed crookedly. Here, for example, are the women's sneakers from AliExpress with a mirrored Cloudfoam lettering on the sole. In addition, they are also of a strange color, as we talked about above.

Adidas Cloudfoam Sneakers on AliExpress

Adidas Cloudfoam sneakers on the official adidas website

4. Smell … Since fake sneakers are often made from substandard materials, a pungent smell can be a good sign of a fake.

5. Year of release on the tongue … Fake sneakers often have the wrong year of manufacture on the tongue. For example, the label says the sneaker was released in 2008, but the company didn't actually develop it until 2010.

Price

If real sneakers cost about 13 thousand rubles, and you are offered to buy them for three thousand, you should be on your guard. Sometimes websites cross out the real price, ostensibly offering a super-profitable discount. But even in the event of a sale, the price cannot be that much different. So check all the points above especially carefully before buying.

That's all. If you have ever bought fake sneakers, share your experience in the comments: how they differed from the real ones and how you eventually realized that it was counterfeit.