Identifying a Bootleg

I just posted this on my blog- sayenmillaray.w...

As Most of you have noticed, Bootleg figures have become a big problem recently. Heck, My very first figure was a bootleg.

This needs to stop, and the only way this can happen is if people don’t buy bootlegs.

Some tips for Identifying Bootlegs

General

• More than 30% below retail price. It is SO hard to make a profit with most figures if the figure is priced this low and real (Not to say that all figures below 30% are bootlegs.)
• Material – Many times bootleggers can’t get the same kind of material the original was made out of, so many times the material is shiny or the wrong shade (like yellow)
• Selling before the actual product is out- I think that’s self-explanitory
• Different positions- Eyes facing wrong way, hand pointing wrong way, etc. This is also true in the packaging, originals tend to face straight ahead.
• Cracked or extremely fragile bases

Nendoroids
It is IMPOSSIBLE to sell a nendoroid for less than $20 and still make a profit (excluding petits)

• Nendoroid joints may fall off easily or be hard to pose

Sellers (Ebay)

• Use offical shots – be sure to ask the seller for pictures of the product, otherwise they just use “official shots”
• Has less than 98% seller feedback. even so, I personally wouldn’t go ordering without checking at 99.5% even more so if they’ve sold over 200 Items.
• Please check feedback please though. I know a seller who sometimes got bad feedback on issues that Should have contected him first, and that severely hurt them.
• check for official sticker on the box!
• I (personally) always check if they say that they are selling authentics, because if they do, chances are better that they are than not. (I have yet to see a seller who says they sell authentic items but really doesn’t.)

Thank you very much for reading this, please, ALWAYS BE CAREFUL!!!

Special thanks:
mememo

Additional Thanks to:
De-JaY
Singer_Yuna

Lamlam is the master of fakes... oh, that awful red background. XD

I definitely second that tip on if they say it's real. I've never seen someone sell a fake and say it's real. Fake sellers won't ever say it's fake, but they won't say it's real either.

MarshmallowpieLamlam is the master of fakes... oh, that awful red background. XD

I definitely second that tip on if they say it's real. I've never seen someone sell a fake and say it's real. Fake sellers won't ever say it's fake, but they won't say it's real either.

That's not necessarily true. I once saw a bootleg seller claim the Ryogi Shiki they were selling was authentic. There are sellers out there who honestly don't care. Some have posted pictures of the actual bootleg figure itself so it would be difficult for someone to dispute it because the pictures match the product that they're selling. But your right that sellers won't outright advertise that they're selling a bootleg.

Anyone know if this guy sells bootlegs? I know the pictures are not of bootlegs, but most of them don't even post pictures of the real item. He has very high feedback and sells tons of nendos. The only reason I question him is because he sells from Hong Kong.

I really don't want to pay normal price or more for a bootleg.

myworld.ebay.co...

No enterheart is very trustworthy

I bought some figures there and never had any trouble

Another Bootleg Seller: atv888rad

@LilSeebs: Would be cool if you could make the list alphabetical

will do! :)
thank you very much!

Here is a list of fake ebay sellers that me and xxangelchanxx added to the Figure shop and site review club a while ago

addy-king
asahitoys
bestfriendship
crystalquick
demonjk
df_collection
extrememodel
freddy20102010
free-club
guessmood
gordonlamlam
globalartsite
gundamit
globalgiftdepot
jlccy
jackyauball
jackyauball99
Japan Hobby Figure Super Store
knxstore
kenny_le
lightcamp
miyasugar
michellelead
marydisplay
milkybank
milkycheck
marthk123
minikiki_e
quicksaver
QPICK-ZONE
redhothit
RedHotHit
sungenerator
teresalabel
tinatube
toygalera
toy2btoy

Update

caamandapush
rolexplore
jackaubull
esthertool
budgetcaptain
Seasonjoy

shop.ebay.es/ne... Newtpo...I believe this germany guy had been trying to sell the bootlegs he got previously...but neither miku mikku nor Moka arent real (no sticker)

Thank you all very much!
I'm glad too see people contributing!

I have a question but not too sure were i should have asked it.
Well since e2046 makes recasts of official resin kits are all the figures they made recasts of have a bootleg version now?

I have a question too. I got a figure from a Hungarian auction site without a box or anything to show autenticity. Can bootlegs be pulled to pieces and be reassembled again? Beacuse the bootlegs I have met couldn't be, but I am not sure this child isn't one. Can somebody help me? The figure is quite well-made and looks just like the original. ( Asuka Momoko from Motto Ojamajo Doremi in patissier outfit and I know there are bootlegs from that TT_TT)

RakkitonboI have a question too. I got a figure from a Hungarian auction site without a box or anything to show autenticity. Can bootlegs be pulled to pieces and be reassembled again? Beacuse the bootlegs I have met couldn't be, but I am not sure this child isn't one. Can somebody help me? The figure is quite well-made and looks just like the original. ( Asuka Momoko from Motto Ojamajo Doremi in patissier outfit and I know there are bootlegs from that TT_TT)

Well were talking about a trading figure here,so not having the box is more understandable then if it was completed model.
Yes bootleg's can be unassembled (like my Rei. :D)
But It's also common to see unassembled trading figures.
It would be easier to help you if you provided a picture of yours and a picture of the fake that you say there is.

The figures I have are here:PICTURE #26030
And the bootlegs I know about are these: PICTURE #26028
Thank you for your help.

RakkitonboThe figures I have are here:PICTURE #26030
And the bootlegs I know about are these: PICTURE #26028
Thank you for your help.
Those bootlegs are keychains,i don't think yours was a keychain since it came with the base and the quality is looking pretty good.

Thank you. You never know with keychains, since there are keychain bootlegs from Sailor Moon Set 1 and also figure ones..But those cannot be pulled to pieces.

I think slim_snake also sells bootlegs on ebay. link

Naruto figures are fake, because I have Gaara from Ultimate 1 set. link
And here are slim_snake's figures. link It looks different, the 'ai' mark is missing and also the base is silver with leaf mark, not the 'sand'.

know anything about this site? www.salesmanb2b... some products are too cheap but other seems to have the right prices..... dunno.... strange site

Loaded with bootlegs.

Chobits fakes on it...The fake figures and keychains...
Bootleg Sailor Moon sets..
The Lucky Star figs seem fake to me as well..

AVOID!

nemophobiaknow anything about this site? www.salesmanb2b... some products are too cheap but other seems to have the right prices..... dunno.... strange site
That's probably one of the #1 sites to avoid,All of their mechandise is fake,and they have some authentic figures but way to highpriced.