About time we covered this topic to look at another step we can take to tackle it. This not only applies to brands but also creatives etc.
Please note, one point doesn’t exactly make a brand a scam. See this more as a collective of points where the brand is showing more than one red flag.
READ BEFORE YOU BUY
Before you buy anything, make sure you read any details about the product first.
A lot of brands may take long to ship due to how they have to manage their brands. 9/10, this is stated on their website and social media pages.
Remember they are not Amazon. They are small brands with small teams and often they are run by 1 person. So be patient with brands, their shipping times and any delays.
Ensure you read:
- Exactly what you're getting (images, product, descriptions etc)
- Their refund policies
CHECK THEIR COMMENTS
A few signs you want to take note of:
- Negative comments of complaining customers
- Comments that are off
- Comments that are being deleted
CHECK THEIR TAGGED PHOTOS
Past customers who have bought from the brand will show in tagged photos, if the customer decides to post them. This is a good sign of credibility. Some brands even have a highlight dedicated for customers or reshare customers on their stories. So look out for those.
P.S some brands can take time to build up that credibility, so it's not always an instant red flag if you don't see any customer photos on their page.
RESEARCH
You can research these brands online on spaces such as discord and reddit. These are only some of the spaces since you can also use other forums sites, Twitter, customer reviews or google in general.
Chances are, you're not the only one searching the brand as other people would have bought that information up.
IN THE EVENT YOU GET SCAMMED, HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN DO...
Firstly, screenshot all sorts of receipts and information regarding your order and evidence of your situation.
Report that information to us, If it's proven they scammed, We'll shadowban the brand and if you'd like to escalate things we can report it on our news page.
You can also report it to the fashiondemik subreddit, where the issue will be bought up by him. It's a platform where he covers news around fashion.
Please ensure you have good evidence and you're not doing this maliciously. A lot of brands have had their credibility falsely affected due to bad intent or simply a misunderstanding.
As for brands, just don't scam. And don't be shady. Clearly state any info regarding shipping, refunds and your brand in general. Try to be patient with customers and ensure you get back to everyone. Good customer service is key.
Feel free to check out our collaborative post with whatsthebuzztv.