FAKE TITLEIST PRO V1 BALLS - BE WARNED : eBay Guides

JUNE 2008

Updated 18th June 2008.

I have just worked out the cost of importing balls from Hong Kong or China and this should also be considered in addition to the following guide. The total would be approximately £15 on a purchase price of £30 to include Customs Fees, Duty, VAT etc. If  the balls need to be returned for any reason such as not as described, counterfeit or refurbished etc then these costs are NOT recoverable. In addition under Paypal rules the refund does NOT include return postage which is approx £12 for a dozen balls and £28 for 3 dozen. Therefore if you think you are covered if you buy balls from these countries that turn out to be wrong you stand to lose at least £42 and possibly a whole lot more. I have imported many golf items in the past but you have to know your seller inside out and take precautions. Always be wary of someone stating that they can get around customs charges etc as this is not the case and once the items are in customs it is YOUR responsibilty and not the seller to pay all the fees. 

THE FOLLOWING IS A SIMPLE GUIDE TO AVOIDING POTENTIAL COUNTERFEIT PRODUCTS, SPECIFICALLY TITLEIST PRO V1 GOLF BALLS. THIS APPLIES NOT ONLY TO EBAY BUT ANYWHERE YOU MIGHT SEE GOLF ITEMS FOR SALE.

PAYING WITH PAYPAL OFFERS PROTECTION BUT IF YOU END UP WITH A COUNTERFEIT PRODUCT IT IS YOU THAT HAS TO PAY THE COST OF RETURNING THEM TO THE SELLER IN ORDER TO GET A REFUND. THIS IS BAD ENOUGH BUT WHEN DEALING WITH COUNTERFEITERS THE COST OF THE RETURN INCREASES AS YOU WILL NEED TO SEND THEM SPECIAL DELIVERY TO GUARANTEE THAT THEY ARE DELIVERED. IF SOMEONE IS HAPPY TO SELL YOU FAKES THEY WILL HAVE NO ISSUES WITH DENYING THEY RECEIVED THEM BACK. THIS MEANS THE COST CAN BE PRETTY SIGNIFICANT. IF YOU HAVE READ MY OTHER REVIEW ON THIS SUBJECT YOU WILL KNOW THAT I HAVE LEARNED THIS FROM EXPERIENCE..... IT COST ME OVER £20 TO RETURN 3 DOZEN FAKE TITLEIST PRO V1 BALLS TO A COUNTERFEITER.

READ THE FOLLOWING LISTING TYPES AND ASK YOURSELF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS. IF NOTHING ELSE I'LL BE HAPPY IF IT HELPS ONE PERSON AVOID BUYING  SOMETHING THEY REGRET.

LISTING -        3 DOZEN NEW TITLEIST PRO V1s FOR £29

QUSTION -      WHY SO CHEAP???????

LISTING -        4 DOZEN FOR £39

QUESTION -    WHY SO CHEAP??????

LISTING -        LISTED ONLY ON THE US SITE WITH DELIVERY ADDRESS IN THE UK

QUESTION -    WHY NOT ON EBAY.CO.UK IF A UK SELLER??????

LISTING -        30,40, 50, 60 DOZEN OR MORE AT A TIME ON MULTIPLE LISTINGS

QUESTIONS -   ARE THEY A GOLF SHOP, DO THEY HAVE OTHER GOLF ITEMS AND HAVE THEY A TRACK RECORD OF SELLING THIS PRODUCT???????

LISTING -        THE SAME PHOTOGRAPH BEING USED BY DIFFERENT SELLERS AT THE SAME TIME TO SELL A SIMILAR PRODUCT AT A STUPIDLY CHEAP PRICE?

QUESTION -    WHY HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT SELLERS GOT THE SAME PHOTO & WHY ARE THEIR LISTINGS SO SIMILAR ??????

LISTING -     A LISTING AT AN UNBELIEVABLE PRICE.

QUESTION -  WHY HASN'T AN EBAY POWERSELLER OR SHOP OWNER WHO SELLS GENUINE TITLEIST BALLS NOT BOUGHT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM WHEN THEY ARE AT PRICES SOMETIMES LESS THAN 40% OF THE WHOLESALE PRICE??? SURELY THEY WOULD HAVE BOUGHT THE LOT AS THEY WOULD MAKE A LOT OF MONEY VERY QUICKLY.

MY THOUGHTS -

IF I BELIEVED THAT THIS TYPE OF LISTING WAS OFFERING AN AUTHENTIC PRODUCT I WOULD HAVE BOUGHT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM AND WOULD BE BEGGING THE SELLERS TO GIVE ME ALL OF THEIR STOCK. TO OFFER BALLS AT THESE PRICES CAN ONLY MEAN ONE OF 3 THINGS.

1. THEY ARE COUNTERFEIT

2. THEY ARE STOLEN

3.THE PERSON SELLING THEM HAS A GREAT NEED TO GIVE AWAY MONEY

UNLESS YOU ARE SURE THAT NUMBER 3 APPLIES THEN BE CAREFUL. AT THESE PRICES IN THESE VOLUMES I WOULD DRIVE FROM GLASGOW TO ANYWHERE IN THE UK TO COLLECT THEM IF I THOUGHT THEY WERE THE REAL THING. I HAVE OFFERED TO DO THIS WITH A FEW DUBIOUS SELLERS AND WAS NOT SUPRISED WHEN THEY DIDN'T ANSWER MY QUESTION......

THAT IS MY LAST TIP - IF IT LOOKS UNBELIEVABLY GOOD ASK THE SELLER SOME QUESTIONS. A GENUINE SELLER WILL ALWAYS REPLY, MAYBE NOT INSTANTLY BUT THEY WILL COME BACK TO YOU AND THEIR RESPONSE WILL TELL YOU A LOT ABOUT THEM. MOST GENUINE SELLERS SELLING IN LARGE VOLUMES WOULD ALSO BE HAPPY TO PHONE YOU TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS SO WHY NOT ASK THEM TO GIVE YOU A CALL ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE THINKING OF SPENDING A LARGE AMOUNT.

UNFORTUNATELY AS AT JUNE 2008 THERE HAS BEEN A SPATE OF LISTINGS THAT LOOK LIKE THE ABOVE AND ARE VERY TEMPTING TO UNSUSPECTING BUYERS. UNFORTUNATELY EBAY DOES NOT HAVE THE RESOURCE TO CHECK EVERY SINGLE LISTING THAT IS ON THE SITE NOR CAN ANYONE EXPECT THEM TO. EBAY IS A GREAT PLACE TO BUY AND SELL AND IF NOBODY BUYS FROM A COUNTERFEITER THEN THEY WILL SOON LEAVE. 

AS LONG YOU TAKE SOME SIMPLE PRECAUTIONS ESPECIALLY WITH BRAND NEW QUALITY ITEMS YOU WILL SAVE ON HIGH STREET OR PRO SHOP PRICES.

I AM DETERMINED TO TRY AND STOP COUNTERFEIT TITLEIST PRO V1s BEING SOLD ON EBAY AND IF YOU FEEL THE SAME WAY PLEASE VOTE FOR THIS REVIEW SO THAT IT APPEARS IN THE LISTINGS. THIS HELPS PEOPLE AVOID COUNTERFEITS AND WILL MAKE EBAY A SAFER PLACE FOR GOLFERS.

WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME??

I BELIEVE THAT EBAY IS A GREAT & SAFE ENVIROMENT TO BUY AND SELL GOLF PRODUCTS AT VERY ATTRACTIVE PRICES. THE ISSUE WITH COUNTERFEITS IS THAT THEY STOP PEOPLE FROM BUYING ONLINE AND THEREFORE DAMAGE MY BUSINESS. THIS IN TURN STOPS ME FROM OFFERING MY CUSTOMERS EVEN BETTER PRICES. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP COUNTERFEITERS IS TO STOP BUYING THEIR PRODUCTS. EXPERIENCED GOLFERS ARE PRETTY GOOD AT KNOWING THEIR PRODUCTS AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GOOD DEAL AND A STUPIDLY LOW PRICE. THEY ALSO KNOW THAT STUPIDLY LOW PRICES DON'T EXIST. I HATE TO SOUND LIKE EVERY CLUB PRO IN THE UK BUT THE PROFIT MARGIN ON GOLF EQUIPMENT IS NOT BIG AND GOLF SELLERS RELY ON REPEAT BUSINESS TO MAKE AN INCOME. ONE PERSON WHO IS CONCERNED ABOUT BUYING ONLINE IS ONE LESS POTENTIAL CUSTOMER AND THAT IS WHY FROM A BUSINESS POINT OF VIEW I THINK THIS GUIDE IS IMPORTANT.