How to buy authentic designer fragrance online

Designer fragrance is one of the most heavily discounted categories online, and one of the easiest to fake or resell outside official channels. These habits lower your risk. None of them is a guarantee.

Know the three kinds of seller

The brand itself and major department or beauty retailers buy from the brand or its distributors. Discount retailers often buy stock through other channels, so the product may be real but not covered by the brand's usual guarantees. Marketplace sellers vary widely and need the most checking.

Warning signs

• A price far below every other seller for the same size.
• No clear return policy, or "all sales final".
• Photos that look copied from the brand, with no photo of the actual item.
• A seller with no contact details or a very new account.

What to check when it arrives

• Sealed, neat packaging, with text that is sharp and free of spelling errors.
• A batch code on the bottle and the box that match each other.
• Consistent bottle and cap quality, and a spray that is fine and even.

If anything seems off, contact the seller and the payment provider promptly. Keep the packaging and your order record.

Use a discount without taking on the risk

A promo code is safest at a seller you would trust at full price. A smaller discount at a trusted seller is usually better than a large one at an unknown seller.

We are working on pages that show which retailers are brand-authorized and what each really discounts. We will add them when the data is real.