Perfume bottles displayed on packaging box, checking for authenticity

It carries more risk than buying from an authorised retailer, simply because there’s less accountability if something turns out to be counterfeit or degraded, though plenty of market and independent sellers do trade entirely legitimately.

What genuinely varies here

Some independent and market sellers source genuine stock through legitimate wholesale or clearance channels and sell it honestly, sometimes at a good price precisely because their overheads are lower than a big high street chain. The risk comes from the fact that this market is also where a disproportionate amount of counterfeit and improperly stored stock ends up, and it’s genuinely harder to verify a seller’s sourcing on a market stall than through an established retailer with a paper trail and a returns policy.

How to protect yourself

  • Check the packaging, batch code and seal carefully before buying
  • Ask where the stock has come from, a seller with nothing to hide usually has an answer
  • Be wary of prices that feel too good to be true relative to standard retail

Our guide to spotting fake perfume and complete guide to perfume go through this properly.