So you saw a cheap soccer jersey for your favorite team online, at a price that seemed to good to be true, and when it arrived you were disappointed to find that its an itchy knock-off from China. This video below from our friends over at SoccerPro.com outlines how to spot a fake kit, and some good rules of thumb for shopping for soccer gear online, and I’ve at few more helpful tips below.
Tip 1: Shop with a Legitimate Site
When you’re shopping for a soccer jersey online, the best rule of thumb is to shop from a licensed retailer, and not from a site like ebay or ioffer. Licensed sites are generally based in the USA or western Europe, and one of the best ways to be sure they are legit is to give their customer service number a ring and see if you get a real person on the other end who will guarantee the merchandise they are selling is the real thing.
Tip 2: If it Seems Too Good to Be True, It Probably Is
Most licensed soccer jerseys retail for between $75-$85 and while you’ll be able to find one of this years kits for around 10% off, you’ll have to shell out to get something legit. Now you may be able to get a previous years kit for around $50-$65, but if you see a soccer jersey for less than $50, its probably a knock off and not something you’d want to buy. Its very easy for a less reputable site to copy and paste the image of the real thing from a legitimate site, and then send along something fake once you’ve placed an order with them. So, if it seems to good to be true, its probably is.
Tip 3: Make Sure the Jersey Looks Right
A fake kit will usually have some differences that are easy to spot. Make sure you check the color of the collar, the crest, and the overall look of the shirt to be sure its the same as that of the real thing.
Other than that, use common sense, and happy hunting for good deal this holiday season.
