Why Are Pandora Charms So Cheap On eBay or on Amazon? As you know, from electronics to jewelry from luxury brands like Pandora. Pandora charms are a favorite in the market, therefore they are always in high demand. eBay is known to offer great deals on Pandora charms.
There is, however, a concern that most people have, that is, the authenticity of the charms, especially given the prices. In this post, I will tell you some reasons why Pandora charms are so cheap!
Does eBay Sell Fake Pandora Charms?
As we said, you can find almost anything on eBay, that includes Pandora charms. As for authenticity, the answer is not exactly clear-cut. Like many online selling platforms, eBay is an open space.
That means that anyone is free to create an account and put up a product for auction. The platform does however have a strict policy that doesn’t allow counterfeit goods.
They can help take action on your behalf if you happen to purchase an item that doesn’t match the description. eBay also has an Authenticity guarantee whereby they verify if a product is genuine before shipping it.
This, however, doesn’t guarantee that all the Pandora charms sold there are genuine. Some sellers do sell authentic Pandora charms, based on their 100% positive feedback.
Others, openly declare that the charms are faux, so you at least know what you’ll be getting for the price. There are, however, those sellers who will misguide you by stating the charms are genuine and probably even pass the authenticity check by eBay. Buying the Pandora charms from this platform is, therefore, a matter of taking a risk.
Why Are Pandora Charms So Cheap On eBay?
The beauty of online platforms is that the products there are significantly cheaper than physical stores. The main reason is that there is usually no middle man, so you’re getting the product directly from the manufacturer.
This could easily explain why Pandora charms are so cheap on eBay. But this is not true. That’s because, Pandora does not have any official account on eBay, nor does it permit any of their retailer/sellers to sell their products on eBay or other auction sites. So, how is it that the Pandora charm prices are almost half of the original price on Pandora’s site?
One reason could be the consumers. Most buyers are not willing to pay the market prices for their jewelry. This forces the sellers to match their low prices to make a sell.
You may wonder, how do the sellers profit from this? There are two possibilities. One of them is that the sellers may be getting the Pandora charms at wholesale price.
This allows them to sell the charms on eBay at lower prices and still make a profit of at least 10-30%. Another alternative could be that the sellers are using synthetic material to create close replicas of the Pandora charms and then pass them off as genuine pieces.
Alternatively, another reason that the charms could be cheap, is maybe because they are already used. Sellers might be pawning off their collection of Pandora charms.
That would explain why they would be genuine pieces at a cheaper price. After all, you can’t sell a used item for its original price. Overall, eBay is a competitive platform especially for jewelry, so to get the buyer’s attention, sellers try to come up with the best offers, even if it means low prices.
How To Spot Fake Pandora Charms On eBay?
Now that you know there is a possibility of buying fake Pandora charms on eBay, how can you avoid it? It’s simple. You need to know how to spot a fake Pandora charm. For that, you need to be knowledgeable about what a genuine one entails.
The following are some important markings on the charms that can help you tell the difference:
1. The hallmark/quality mark.
This is normally a marking engraved on the charm to explain the materials used. Pandora works with sterling silver and gold. For silver, the quality mark will entail a capital ‘S’ followed by 925, therefore S925.
For gold, the mark entails a capital ‘G’ followed by the respective karat gold used. So, if it is 14K the mark will be G585, or if it is 18K the mark will be G750. Keep in mind, however, that Pandora products manufactured before June 2011, may lack the letters in the hallmark. Otherwise, if the letters are missing or not written properly, the charm is likely fake.
2. The origin marks.
By this, we mean the ‘ALE’ engraved on all Pandora products. The ALE stands for Algot Enevoldsen, the father of Pandora’s founder.
The mark serves as a responsibility or sponsorship mark, indicating the manufacture responsible for the product. While the smallest charms lack this mark, every other charm should have it. Probably next to the hallmark.
Tips For Buying Pandora On eBay.
With the knowledge of what a genuine Pandora charm should contain, the following are some tips that can help you when buying Pandora from eBay:
1. The display photos.
These are the first things that catch your attention. Most fake sellers do not use the product’s original photos.
So, if you see stock photos, this should be a red flag, that the charms are probably not authentic.
That’s not to say that if the images are genuine then the charms will also e genuine. It is just one of the cautions.
2. The packaging.
All Pandora products come packaged in a branded Pandora jewelry box or bag.
Fake sellers often state that the product may not come in the box or bag but rather in the branded paper.
This should be another indication that the charms are likely not real.
3. The logo.
As you know, the Pandora logo entails the name Pandora with a crown above the letter ‘O’.
When making counterfeit merchandise most sellers often make a mistake with the logo or try to change it to avoid legal action.
So, if you notice that the crown is missing or that the fond or spelling of the word Pandora is off, that means that the charms are likely fake.
4. Customer feedback.
This is another way to judge how trustworthy a seller is. It is recommended that you buy from sellers who have 100% positive feedback or something close.
This means that the customers were satisfied with the product they received. Again, the feedback is not a 100% guarantee that the charms are really from Pandora.
Some consumers may not even know the difference between fake and real charms. The positive feedback could therefore just be about the service they received.
Conclusion
While it may be tricky buying Pandora charms from eBay, you shouldn’t be discouraged. You may end up getting an authentic piece for a great price. Just be vigilant and take note of the details given concerning the product.
Also, do your research on the charms and sellers before deciding to buy. Keep in mind that since Pandora doesn’t endorse the selling of its products on eBay, the charms will not be covered under Pandora’s warranty.
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Tiger is a fashion&jewelry lover. He is also a fashion jewelry manufacturer that help thousands of small business to grow and also do business with some big fashion jewelry brands. He is a truly metal expert and he will share some information you are looking for.