10 Reasons To Stop Buying Knock-Off Products From Facebook Mom Groups (and how to get the real deal for less)

Before I begin, I want to say that this post is fairly long (sorry!), and largely based on my own opinions. If you want more facts, and actual information regarding Counterfeit laws and the issues of counterfeit products in Canada, I’ve listed several links to news articles, and websites at the bottom of this post!

If you’re a woman, chances are you’ve probably been invited to secret shopping groups on Facebook at some point. These are the groups where the owner posts several “buys” every month and the members of the group have the opportunity to order the items posted.

In theory, these groups can be quite fun. The creators of the groups are typically very friendly normal moms, and post what seem like really good deals for you to buy. I truly believe that many creators of these groups have no idea they’re doing anything wrong. The majority of women who make groups like this are moms on maternity leave, or moms looking to use this as a side hustle. Like myself, they were probably invited to similar groups and saw success there, without realizing you aren’t actually supposed to be selling counterfeit products. I’m hoping this post will shed some light, and also serve as a “buyer beware” for anyone shopping through them. If you still want to support your local “buy in” groups, try waiting for them to post products made by local businesses, or legit wholesale instead!:)

Often, these groups are marketed towards moms, but typically allow any woman to join. These groups advertise “brand name” items, at amazing prices under the guise that it’s so inexpensive due to the items being wholesale “group” buys. A group buy means that in order to place the order, they will require a certain amount of people to go in on the buy.

When I first had my son 6 years ago, I was invited to one of these groups by another local mom. I joined to check it out, and discovered that it wasn’t for me. Most of the buys posted were for cheap knock off items from overseas, or low quality products that would just break over time. I stayed in the group just to see if anything good would come up, and it almost never did. I remember once, they posted an item they claimed was a real brand name product, but got shut down for not being authorized to sell that brand. The group popped up again about a month later, and was eventually shut down again. Over the years, more group-buy groups have popped up that have actually expanded their wholesale range to include some really nice non-counterfeit products. Use your own judgement when deciding to purchase the non-counterfeit wholesale items, as they’re going to range in quality depending on where they are ordering from.

Now, MOST of us know the difference between legit brands and counterfeits, but I still see a lot of people questioning whether items in these groups are real or not. The thing about these groups, is they will often post counterfeit brand name items without being transparent that they are counterfeit. They will find ways to word things, such as abbreviating the brand (ex: KS Bags instead of Kate Spade Bags), and post a general blurb in the description of the group stating that they can “not confirm” if the items are real brand names or not. This is just their way of trying to cover themselves in the event they get reported. Realistically, it’s not legal or morally right to be selling counterfeit products, and changing the title of a post doesn’t change the legality of it. If a brand finds out that you are selling counterfeit versions of their products, they can take legal action.

Have you ever been to a large city and saw people selling fake products out of the trunk of their car, or in an alleyway? Same thing. I’m using this comparison not to say the vendors or owners of these businesses are the same or have the same intentions, only to show that the selling of counterfeit products is wrong whether it’s in an alleyway or from a woman in your local mom group.

Over the years, I’ve seen a few more of these groups pop up in different cities around me, and they almost always get shut down eventually for selling counterfeit products. They usually just quietly disappear, or change the products they’re offering without any fuss or announcement, which is why more and more groups continue to pop up. I’m hoping this post will ultimately help women decide against selling counterfeit products in these groups when there are so many legit, non counterfeit wholesale items out there that could be sold instead.

Please remember, supporting this type of activity is not “buying local”, even though the person you’re buying from lives in your city. It’s supporting the actual manufacturing of illegal products. Support your local makers, artists and creators instead! (SUPER important during these trying times)

Okay- so first, what kind of products are they selling that are counterfeit, and how can you spot a fake item?

The counterfeit items sold in these groups can honestly be anything and everything. I’ve seen various brands of purses sold, brand name water bottles and travel cups, sunglasses, yoga wear, rain boots, clothes etc. The list is endless.
If the item is a brand usually sold at specific stores, that should be a huge red flag, as it’s unlikely a Facebook mom group would ever get the authorization to resell those items. For example, Ray Ban sunglasses can only be sold by authorized retailers (Sunglass Hut, etc). What are the chances a brand new Facebook mom group would be able to be an authorized retailer? Slim.

The descriptions are vague and the sizing is off. This is a HUGE red flag. If the size chart posted for that beautiful “Lulu” jacket doesn’t match the size chart on the Lululemon website, it’s not real.
The item takes weeks to arrive. If every item you’re trying to buy takes weeks or months to arrive, it’s most likely because it’s being shipped by a website such as Wish, Alibaba, or some other similar supplier overseas. If you ask the people running these groups who their “supplier” is, they likely won’t tell you.

If the group owner can not confirm 100% that the items are either real or fake, they are NOT real. I’ve seen potential customers ask if something is real or not, and got an answer like “My supplier didn’t specify if they are real, seconds, or knock offs, so I can not confirm.” Worse than that, their questions gets deleted or ignored completely. Any legit supplier would tell their wholesale buyers if something is real or not, and any reseller would know if they got the appropriate approval to resell these brands. Do not accept these answers as confirmation that a product is real. Question them further in private message and see what they say.

why shouldn’t you support buying counterfeit items? It’s no big deal if everyone else is buying them, right?

While you might not get “in trouble” purchasing counterfeit items, you are supporting the manufacturing and selling of these products, which allows them to continue doing it. I’ve been guilty of buying these items in the past as well (as I explain below), so please don’t feel singled out if you do! This post is mainly for those who don’t realize the issues behind it. A legitimate business should not be able to sell counterfeit products, which should make you question what else about this business is not legit. It may be a fun Facebook group, but there are many reasons listed below that buying the counterfeit items should not be supported.

It’s illegal for these products to be manufactured and sold. Every country will have different laws regarding selling counterfeit items, but the selling of these items is NOT something that should be taken lightly. Some of these groups try to BEND the law by not specifically using the brand names on the posts. This does not make it okay. I find that in these mom buy groups, people RARELY question the legality of buying and selling counterfeit items, and it blows my mind. Canada has the “Canadian Anti Counterfeiting Network” which works alongside Crime Stoppers to stop the selling of counterfeit goods. Their website states “The sale and production of counterfeit goods is a crime.” Period. Last July in Illinois, a store owner was charged after two undercover police officers discovered she was selling counterfeit designer bags. Last August in Toronto, another woman was charged for selling counterfeit items out of her home (much like these Facebook groups) and was forced to pay damages to the real brands. Selling counterfeit items that look identical to the real deal, but labeling them with cute little abbreviations as not to mention the real brand does NOT make it okay. If the photo and product is the exact likeness to another brand’s product, logo and all, it’s counterfeit. Resources will be posted at the bottom of this blog post with more links to information.

The items are often poor quality compared to the real brands. One of the reasons to buy brand name items is because they have a name and a reputation to keep up, therefore the items are usually good quality. If you’re buying a YETI Rambler travel tumbler for example, you’re buying it because you know it’s good quality and has great reviews. This is an item I often see advertised in these groups, so I ask- what’s the point of buying a counterfeit travel mug? It’s actually hilarious to me that this particular item is SO in demand in the local counterfeit markets (you know you’re in Canada when). Yes it has the brand name on it, but is it going to be the same quality? Likely not. I’ve seen people who’ve bought counterfeit sunglasses only to have the brand peel or scratch off the lens within weeks, counterfeit purses that have broken handles or peeling “leather” after a month, etc. One of the main reasons to buy the real brand is because you’re investing in a product that will hopefully last for years, not a few weeks. PLEASE remember, that when purchasing a counterfeit product, you are ONLY purchasing the brand name, not the quality. You can likely find better quality from a lower priced legitimate brand than with a counterfeit “brand name” product.
Another item I’ve seen posted on these groups over the last few years are “Beats Headphones” and other electronics. Electronics are something where you usually get what you pay for, and something that often goes on sale throughout the year, so why buy fakes?

They’re often over pricing the items. I was mind blown to see counterfeit Hunter boots being posted in one of these groups for $65!!! I just bought a REAL pair of Hunter Short Play Rain Boots from the actual Hunter website for around the same price during a clearance sale a couple months ago. It’s honestly sad to think that these women are paying so much for cheap boots with a fake logo slapped on. I was curious about the cost difference between the counterfeit 30 oz “YETI Rambler” I saw posted, and the real 30 oz YETI Ramblers, so I did some research. The counterfeit version being posted was $25 (plus whatever buy in fee they charge). The real version is $44.99 Canadian at regular price, but I found one on clearance for $21.88, making the REAL clearance version less expensive than the fake. At regular price, the real one is $20 more than the counterfeit, but with that $20 comes better quality, better materials (you know it’s up to code and not made with sketchy chemicals what will leach into your drinks), etc. If you’re curious about whether your YETI Rambler is real, there are a lot of websites and YouTube videos that will help you spot a fake. Counterfeit items may look and feel like the real thing initially, but how long are they going to last, and what happens when they break and there’s no way to get a replacement under warranty, which brings me to my next point..

The items do not come with any kind of manufacturer warranty. One benefit to buying real brands is that they come with the standard manufacturer warranty and often the option to get the extended warranty. A real brand will stand by their product and usually make it right when there are defects.

It’s insulting to the designers and creators of the real products. A LOT of work goes into creating a product. Take a pair of Hunter Boots for example: You have designers putting a lot of work into creating the design, weather testing that needs to be done, marketing, advertising costs, etc. It’s never a simple process to design any product, and people selling counterfeit versions are insulting all the work that was done to create the original.

It’s not as satisfying and just feels icky to own something that’s counterfeit. Have you ever saved up to buy something that you really wanted? Or treated yourself to something special after going through a hard time? It’s exciting, right? The reason it’s exciting it because it feels special to purchase something that’s really good quality and will last you a long time. It makes you feel confident to wear or use that quality item that you worked hard for- whether it’s a $40 water bottle or an expensive handbag. Knowing you’re walking around with a poor quality fake isn’t nearly as satisfying- and I speak from experience. I shared this story on my Instagram, but when I was 15, I went on vacation to Hampton Beach, NH. Along the beach there were several “vendors” selling counterfeit designer bags. Being 15 years old, I thought it was awesome and was excited to buy one to take back to school. I bought a fake Louis Vuitton bag and was SO excited to go back home and lie to all of my friends about it (remember, I was 15).
Once I got home and had thought about it for a while, I realized I was too embarrassed to wear it in public. I could not bring myself to walk around with a fake bag, no matter how real it looked. It just felt wrong and like I was trying to fool everyone. Also, with so many people in these groups, it’s easy to tell which items are fake and which are real when you see them out in public. The groups usually showcase certain styles only (the ones their “supplier” can get them), so everyone ends up walking around with the same thing, which takes some of that “specialness” away from it.
I TOTALLY understand the appeal- 100%. I can see why it would be enticing to pay $40 for a “Kate Spade” bag instead of spending a few hundred for the same design. It pains me to spend a lot of money on anything, and I AGONIZE over every purchase, so I get it! Wouldn’t it feel better to take some extra time and save up a bit or wait for a sale on the real thing? At least that way, there won’t be dozens of other people walking around with the exact same thing. Whenever I buy the real deal (tips below on getting good deals!) I try and steer away from the styles that are often counterfeited because SO many people have them.
If you’re a mom reading this and have teenagers BEGGING you for the latest designer water bottle or shoes, this would be a perfect time to talk about quality over quantity. It’s SO much better to have a good quality product (brand name, or not!) than it is to have a fake item that needs to be replaced after a few months. Remember, there are LOTS of great less expensive brands out there selling quality items that last. If your kids absolutely drive you crazy and insist on you buying them brand names that just aren’t in your budget, make them earn it, mama! If they’re old enough to be begging for designer, they’re old enough to save up their allowance or get a job to pay for it.

The counterfeit make-up and skincare being sold on these groups is DANGEROUS!! So gross and so dangerous! Right before the holidays I often see counterfeit Kylie Cosmetics lip kits being advertised, counterfeit eyeshadow pallets, etc. MAJOR CRINGE! Cringing at the sellers of these products, and crying for the buyers. I get it, you’re a mom to teenage girls who NEED the newest make-up pallets, but do you know what your teenager doesn’t need? An eye infection. Merry Christmas- enjoy your infected face. No thank you. In February this year, CBC did an investigation on counterfeit products, and do you know what they found? One product they investigated showed 751 times the amount of lead Health Canada considers acceptable in cosmetics. One of the fake lip kits showed double the amount of mercury that Health Canada sees as avoidable in cosmetics. No lie, after writing this post, I saw someone post that their knock-off mascara came in, and it was broken and clumpy- that’s because it isn’t an authentic product. Just because it says “Too Faced” on it, doesn’t mean the product is similar quality at all. In that situation, you are better off sticking to the tried and true drugstore brands that we all know and love.
* Side note: If you’re planning on gifting counterfeit items to someone, please be transparent about it! Gifting counterfeit products and trying to pass them off as real is not good for several reasons. First of all, in the case of counterfeit make-up, you could be giving someone a product full of damaging ingredients that don’t agree with their skin. Second of all, it’s not fair to the real brands that may get bad reviews due to poor quality counterfeit items. If someone is given a fake designer bag that they believe is real and it breaks a month later, they’re likely going to contact the manufacturer or leave poor reviews online. The person you’re gifting the item to also may be morally against the selling of counterfeit products, which just creates an awkward situation for everyone. Also, you do NOT have to buy real brand name products for anyone. There are a lot of ways to get real brands for less (as I will outline below), but please do not feel pressured to purchase expensive items after reading this just because you don’t want to support the counterfeit business. There are SO many good products out there (great make-up, great quality purse brands, etc) that aren’t expensive “designer” products.

Whether they mean to or not, they target women on a budget. These groups specifically title themselves to attract women (usually moms) on a budget. The owners of these groups are probably well meaning, but they are also creating these groups to make a profit. I am someone who LOVES a bargain. I very rarely if ever buy something not on sale. There is nothing wrong with joining a group that might help you save money- I’m a part of many budgeting groups on social media. There is also nothing wrong with a legitimate business (as these groups claim to be- accepting money in exchange for goods) selling items at great prices. The issue is that many women are lured in by these amazing brands at great deals, only to find out that they are counterfeit. Or worse, they don’t find out and purchase the items anyway.
Like I mentioned above, the description of these groups may have a small blurb stating that the items aren’t always the “original” brand, but the buys themselves rarely have a disclaimer like this. The “events” for each presale will have a photo of the product (with the full brand name showing), the price, and a size chart if its clothing, but will not have anything stating that the items are counterfeit. That on its own is sketchy. Are they assuming everyone already knows? Are they purposely hiding it? Even if they aren’t stating the brand’s name in the title of the post, they are showing a photo with the exact likeness of the original brand’s product that shows the brand name on the label. People my age or younger will most likely realize the products aren’t real because we are internet savvy and have seen these groups before- BUT what happens if someone’s mother or grandmother gets invited and she’s on a budget. She sees these buys and gets so excited that she buys knock off purses for all the ladies on her Christmas list. A few weeks later, the purses start to fall apart and someone tells her what happened. How disappointed and devastated would she be to realize her mistake? She thought she was getting real brands at great wholesale prices, but was really spending her only shopping money on fakes. It’s sad.

Most importantly- your money is going towards supporting illegal and poor working conditions. Counterfeit products are often created in a sweatshop that is more often than not in violation of child labor laws, anti-sweatshop laws and lacking basic human rights. It’s illegal to create these products, so imagine HOW they are producing them. Writing this post has made me realize that I don’t know where a lot of my products come from or how they are produced, and I will be researching this and doing much better with future purchases.

You can get really good deals on REAL brand name products if you’re willing to wait and shop around, so there isn’t really any reason to purchase fakes, unless you’re really trying to impress someone with that fake brand-name label they have. Whenever I see people commenting on certain items in these groups, I wonder to myself if they actually tried shopping around for the real thing. The items in these groups often take WEEKS to arrive because they are coming from overseas, so in that time frame I bet if you really looked, you would be able to find the real deal on sale somewhere.

How can I Find REAL Products at lower prices?

There are SO many ways to get real brand names for less money! If you have your eye on a particular product and no other less expensive brand name will suffice, here are some tips to finding the real deal for less. Keep in mind, when it comes to high end designer, these tips likely won’t work, as they don’t usually go on sale- that being said, I do not recommend buying counterfeit high end designer just because it’s out of your price range. These tips will work for items such as: household items, electronics, brand-name clothing, mid-range designer, etc.

Sign up for emails. When I wanted to buy my son an LL Bean backpack for school, I waited for the “25% off” email to hit my inbox before purchasing. If you don’t need the item immediately, you’re more likely to hit a better sale by waiting.
Shop end of season sales. Pretty much every store is going to have discounts at the end of a season because they want to get rid of old stock to bring new stock in.
Make bigger purchases on Black Friday, Boxing Day, etc. If you can wait for Black Friday, you’re more likely to score awesome deals for much steeper discounts. This seems to be especially true to electronics! Over the years, my family has bought TVs, cell phones, headphones, cameras, laptops, etc by waiting for Black Friday sales and we always find really great deals. I also was able to find a Michael Kors bag on sale last Black Friday on the Michael Kors website at a very discounted rate.
Research the brand you’re interested in to get the low-down on sales. Kate Spade has a “surprise” sale several times a year where you can get up to 75% off regular prices! I always find it because the ad usually pops up on my Facebook when the sale comes around, but you can check the surprise sale website any time of the year to see if there is a sale happening.
Check stores like Marshalls and Winners (TJ Maxx in the US). These stores carry authentic designer products at very discounted prices. The products are usually out of season or old stock, but that just makes it more fun, because you get to purchase styles that you can no longer find online. In Canada, we also have The Shoe Company, which sells discounted brand name shoes and handbags. If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I have been obsessed with The Shoe Company lately (not sponsored, I just love them). They have a really great rewards program that allows you to earn points with every purchase, and those points lead to cash rewards that you can use on future buys.
Shop the different tiers of your favourite designer or brand names. Most designers have a few different levels of price points that they offer under various brand names. For example, when you shop at factory stores and outlets, those are often lower “tiers” of those specific brands. The only Factory Store I have in my city is the GAP Factory store, so I’m going to use that as an example. GAP stores and GAP Factory stores are going to have very different price points. The clothing sold at GAP Factory stores is often made with less expensive materials but still fairly good quality, which allows them to price the products lower. GAP Factory clothes will not be sold at GAP stores, and vice versa. The Factory stores still have that GAP logo or style that you love, but at a much lower price. There are YouTube videos from various YouTubers showing the difference between outlet stores and the “regular” stores in terms of quality for various brands. If it’s just the brand name you’re looking for (which in the case of buying counterfeit it always is), you are much better off shopping the outlets. That way, you are still supporting your favourite brands, getting real products and not participating in the support of counterfeit items.
Most brands also have a hierarchy of brand names under one company. For example, Ralph Lauren has Polo, Lauren by Ralph Lauren, Chaps, Club Monaco, etc. Department stores, and stores like those I mentioned above (The Shoe Company, etc) will often sell the less expensive brands from these hierarchies. I was able to get a Lauren by Ralph Lauren purse for around $5 with free shipping using some points and shopping the clearance section. I love anything with navy and white stripes, so I wasn’t specifically looking for a brand name bag when I found this, but I am SO happy with my purchase. It’s great quality and I was able to get that classic Ralph Lauren style at a low price point.
Search for coupon codes. I like to search Google, but also YouTube and forums for coupon codes. Influencers will often collaborate with brands and have codes to offer subscribers, so searching YouTube for codes is a great way to find good deals.
Shop thrift stores! With thrifting, you have to be careful because a lot of the fake counterfeit junk ends up at local thrift stores after a while. If you’re shopping in a thrift store and see something you love, take a moment and google how to spot a fake for that specific brand to see if you’re getting the real deal or not. Thrift stores often do not take the time to figure out if a product is counterfeit, and therefore will mark it as if it were the real price. This is why it’s so important to do your research, or shop stores that promise authenticity.