How to Avoid Counterfeit Products When Shopping from China
Chinese marketplaces sell a huge range of genuine goods: unbranded clothing, Chinese and Korean brands, factory basics, home goods, accessories. They also carry listings that copy Western brands. This guide shows how to tell them apart, what your agent checks and what it does not, and what the risks are if a counterfeit ends up in your parcel.
Updated 13 October 2026: rewritten for Oopbuy, with Oopbuy's inspection rules and counterfeit policy as published on that date. Earlier versions of this page referred to a different agent.
Where counterfeits show up
Higher risk: luxury fashion and bags, branded sneakers and sportswear, watches, branded electronics and accessories, Western cosmetics and perfume.
Lower risk: unbranded clothing and basics, Chinese domestic brands, home goods, craft supplies, and items honestly sold as "style similar to" without a logo.
Red flags in a listing
Price
A branded item at a small fraction of its retail price is not genuine stock. That is the most reliable signal there is.
Wording
"1:1", "AAA", "top version", "same factory as", "mirror quality", or a brand name written with a deliberate typo all mean the same thing.
Photos
Only official brand photos, logos blurred or cropped out of the main images, or the same photos used by many unrelated shops.
Seller
A new shop with few ratings, generic five-star reviews posted in clusters, or a seller who avoids questions about origin. On Taobao, seller levels (hearts, diamonds, blue crowns, gold crowns) show accumulated positive ratings; they say a shop is established, not that its goods are genuine.
Good signs
- Detailed measurements, material composition and real photos of the product, including labels.
- Buyer review photos that match the listing.
- Official brand stores on Taobao (marked as such) for genuine branded goods.
- Honest "no logo" or "similar style" descriptions.
What Oopbuy's QC check covers
Oopbuy opens incoming parcels, checks them for prohibited items, then verifies quantity, colour, size and specification and photographs the goods. According to its own inspection rules and registration agreement:
- Colour differences, size deviations and how a product performs are not inspected.
- The function, model and spare parts of electrical and digital products are not inspected.
- The check is "limited to superficial visual inspection" and does not include authenticity identification.
- 1688 orders only get "limited random sampling inspection".
So the QC photos help you catch the wrong item, a defect or a wrong size. They do not certify that a branded product is genuine. Our QC pictures guide shows how to read them.
What happens to counterfeits
In the warehouse. Oopbuy's Terms of Service and registration agreement forbid buying goods that infringe trademarks or copyright. If its inspection finds obvious counterfeit features, Oopbuy may destroy the goods without asking you first; goods payments and service fees are not refunded.
At customs. Customs authorities in the EU, UK and US can detain and destroy counterfeit goods. Oopbuy's customs page and terms put customs seizures, fines and returns on the buyer, and insurance excludes confiscated parcels.
That is the honest summary: with a counterfeit, the risk of losing the money sits entirely with you.
Marketplace-specific tips
Taobao. For genuine branded goods, buy from the brand's official store. Read reviews with photos and compare the label photos with the brand's own.
Weidian. Fewer reviews and less seller history, and a common home for replica sellers. Be extra careful with anything branded and rely on QC photos for fit and condition.
1688. Factories sell unbranded goods well; branded goods on 1688 are a red flag. Order one sample before a quantity order.
Before you order: a checklist
- Is the price plausible for a genuine item?
- Does the listing avoid brand names, logos and "1:1"-style wording?
- Do the review photos match the listing?
- Do you have measurements, not just a size label?
- Are you prepared to lose the money if the item is stopped? If not, do not order it.
After the item reaches the warehouse
- Compare the QC photos with the listing: colour, print, stitching, labels, size tag.
- If something is unclear, ask Oopbuy support before the parcel ships.
- Return or exchange before you ship. Oopbuy's first return or exchange each month is free of its service charge.
Further reading
- Is Oopbuy legit?: company, fees, reviews, sources
- How to declare on Oopbuy: customs declarations done properly
- 1688 vs Taobao vs Weidian
Sources: Oopbuy Terms of Service, User Registration Agreement, Inspection Information and Customs and Taxation pages, read 13 October 2026 (linked from our Oopbuy review).
