🎁 How to spot fake shops

It is said that "being copied is the highest form of flattery." And just as there are fake profiles of many celebrities, more and more fake online shops are now appearing on the internet. While fake celebrity accounts usually only want to gain followers, fake shops are all about money.

Reputable online shops are being copied, products are offered at lower prices – but often nothing is delivered at all, or inferior goods that bear no resemblance to the pictures shown. This is frustrating for customers, and sometimes even costly. That's why it's worth taking a closer look.

Here are a few tips on how to quickly identify fake shops:

1. Check personalization

Many shops offer personalized products with configurators or input fields. Fake shops may use the images, but they lack these functions.

2. Compare images and texts

Often, photos and text are copied verbatim. With Google Lens, you can right-click to see where else an image appears online. If you come across unrealistically cheap offers, be cautious. For example: A product costs around €20 everywhere. If you suddenly see it for €6, something is very likely wrong.

3. Check the legal notice

In Germany, a legal notice (Impressum) is mandatory. If it's missing or contains fictitious addresses, that's a clear warning sign. Simply Google the address – if you end up on a motorway, that's a clear indication.

4. Question prices

A custom-printed, high-quality t-shirt for just a few euros? Unrealistic. Manufacturers, designers, and printers must be paid fairly. Dumping prices are a clear warning sign in Germany.

5. Read reviews

Legitimate shops have genuine reviews, for example, directly on the shop's website or on platforms like eBay. Shops without reviews or with lengthy, impersonal reviews should raise suspicion. A large number of English reviews for a purely German shop is also a red flag.

6. View domain names

Many fake websites have bizarre domain names that make no sense. Sometimes the homepage appears legitimate, while subpages suddenly display products that are completely unrelated.

7. Check social media

Reputable shops are active on social media, posting regularly and interacting with their community. Fake shops either have no channels at all or empty profiles with suspiciously small followings.

8. Test support

Reputable shops are reachable – by email, phone, or social media. Fake shops hide their contact information or never respond. Be wary of alleged "opening hours" as well. Opening hours for an online shop are illogical if there's no physical store associated with it.

9. Check domain

A Whois check reveals where a domain is registered. If it's located abroad with no connection to Germany, that could also be a clue, unless it's a huge company that has created an additional online presence for the German market.

💡 Conclusion

Unfortunately, it's not uncommon for online shops to be copied – it affects many brands and providers. Customer data isn't at risk, as it's solely about copied content. The important thing is to be vigilant when shopping online.

Therefore, for our products and designs: Include the address www.HalloGeschenk.de Enter the link directly in your browser or use our official accounts on eBay and Amazon. This way you can be sure that you're dealing with the original seller and will actually receive your orders.

Many things can be copied – but not our passion, the technical foundation of our configurators, our service, and our attention to detail. That's what makes the difference.

We hope you enjoy your shopping and that your purchases are always safe!

Your HalloGeschenk.de team