Fake Chanel Sunglasses

How to Spot Fake Chanel Sunglasses

First off, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If you find a seller who is selling Chanel sunglasses at a fraction of the normal Chanel price while claiming that they are, in fact, Chanels, they may be fake. "Fakes" are illegal; replicas and knockoffs are not. The difference is, the consumer knows what they're buying and the seller does not claim that the sunglasses are genuine Chanels.

So how do you spot a fake?

• Check the quality. Do they look like they're carefully crafted to stand up to Chanel's standards of quality? If they look chintzy, that's your first clue. You shouldn't be able to pick up a pair and immediately find flaws in the design. That includes something being a little "off" with the logo (misspellings are common), or missing packaging.
• Inquire about the return policy. If you can't return or exchange them once you buy them, something isn't quite right. If they're legitimate Chanel sunglasses from a reliable merchant, you will usually be able to make a return within a reasonable period of time.
• Check for a warranty from Chanel. You definitely won't be getting any type of warranty from Chanel if you're buying fakes. A vendor could potentially fake the document as well, but if they don't offer one at all, this could be a red flag.
• Get the exact model number of the sunglasses. If the vendor can't provide one, be wary. If you're shopping online, once you get the model number, you can check with other well-known sites to see if the model number and color scheme match up.
• They should be made in Italy.

At first glance, a pair of sunglasses that appear to be chic, sophisticated, and potentially even have a logo that resembles two interlocking Cs, could look authentic. When paying the price for a pair of Chanel sunglasses, however, it is very important to do your investigative work to make absolutely sure you're getting exactly what you're paying for.

Don't be afraid to ask a seller the questions listed above and do a bit of inspection on your own before purchasing. You may feel a bit odd for acting as if you're suspicious of the seller, but in many cases, it could save you from the heartache of finding out that you spent $300.00 on a pair of sunglasses that aren't even under warranty—and that the seller has vanished into thin air.

Replicas and Knockoffs

If you were hoping for Chanel lookalikes for a low price, there are some great replica and knockoff Chanel sunglasses out there. They are, essentially, "fake" Chanel sunglasses, but they aren't touted to be the real thing. Here are a few sites where you may be able to find what you're hoping for:

• BCheap
• Replica Si
• Sunglass Warehouse

Buying the Real Thing

If you do want to purchase genuine Chanel sunglasses (usually at the regular retail price, though there are some respectable dealers with real Chanels out there who offer a minor discount), here are a few places to look:

• eBay has Chanel sunglasses, though use this site with caution. There are quite a few genuine Chanels on there, but there are also fakes to weed through. Don't bid without really examining the auction and contacting the seller with any questions you need answered first.
• Chanel, of course, is a great place to start not only eyeing the glasses you may like to wear, but to find the stores near you that carry them. This will take the guesswork out of, "real or fake?"
• Eye Save has a large collection of Chanel sunglasses. They, of course, were made in Italy and come with the hard Chanel case.

A Final Word

Use caution to avoid buying fake Chanel sunglasses. Instead, decide whether you'd just like to pay less for a pair of sunglasses that looks like a pair of Chanels, or if you'd prefer to pay full price to have the Chanel logo and the promise of quality that goes with the name.