Tip #4:

5 Tips to Safe Shopping & Avoiding Counterfeits

With the holidays approaching chances are you’re getting excited to grab a new product at a great deal. But before you go shopping online for Monster headphones, Beats by Dr. Dre headphones, hdmi or any other Monster product be aware, as strange as it may sound, there’s an entire world of counterfeit electronic products out there that can easily be confused for the real thing. These fakes are known to easily break, are not covered by Monster’s warranty and most importantly don’t deliver the full Monster experience in sound or picture. To help you avoid buying one of these fakes we’ve put together a few tips.

1. Avoid Market Places, Auctions and Classifieds

Most counterfeiters are looking to make a quick move and jump on to the next product or place. Nothing is easier than setting up an auction, putting a product on a marketplace for a major retailer or running a classified ad and unfortunately since major sites like eBay and Craigslist don’t see the products people post on their site, they can’t verify if they are real or fake. Our advice is to always avoid these sites when you’re shopping from an online store, even a big one. Make sure to check that your purchase comes straight from the retailer (i.e. Amazon.com) and not someone selling through the website marketplace.

2. Our Factories Don’t Sell Direct

One of the biggest stories counterfeiters use when customers ask about their great prices is that the products they sell come directly from the factory with no middleman. The truth is that the only way to get a product from a major brand’s factories directly is to steal it, and even that’s a very rare occurrence these days. Generally when someone says they got it direct what they really should be telling you is that they got it direct from the factory selling fakes. Another sign that a seller is selling fakes is when they offer you support or a warranty. It is important to remember that authorized dealers don’t offer manufacturer support or warranties.

3. Look for typos, grammatical errors, poor photos and “Special Edition” products

Often the best way to tell something is wrong is simply by looking at the product descriptions and images. If you notice typos, poor quality or inconsistent photos or even confusing messaging like a headphone advertised on a cable page, there’s a good chance it comes from a counterfeit or unauthorized seller located outside your area. Similarly, websites that look like they were quickly put together or have lots of broken pages are a big red flag. If you see “Special Edition” products or products that aren’t listed on the manufacturer’s official website – they are more than likely fakes.

4. Double check the URL of any website from which you are considering a purchase

These days counterfeiters aren’t just copying products; they copy entire websites and use names that may be just a letter or two different from the real thing. Be sure that you have double-checked the URL of the page you’re viewing and that everything looks to be in order. Monster maintains a full list of authorized websites on our site but we also have a blacklist of sites to avoid, be sure to review both to be sure where you’re buying from is legit.

5. If it seems too good to be true, ask us

Everyone wants a great deal, but when you see a product for 50, 60 or 70%-off on a website, step back, take a second look and proceed with caution. Counterfeit sellers lure customers in with unbelievable offers that get you to jump before the deal “runs out”. They’re counting on you to be so excited that you set reason aside. Don’t fall for it; a simple check of our authorized dealer list is often enough to know if the site is legitimate or not. If you’re still stuck just drop us a note and ask on Facebook, Email or our Blog.

For further information on the counterfeiting issue, please visit:http://www.monstercable.com/counterfeit/