One of the most popular hair straighteners in the world is without doubt those created by GHD. Their most recent upgrade the MK4 is avaialble in a wide variety of styles to suit everyone from professional stylists through to the normal home user.
The problem is that GHD have become a victim of their own success with bootleggers and counterfeiters, many of which from overseas copying the irons but using sub standard components to cut costs down. To some it might be attractive to have a would be pair of ghd hair straighteners at a fraction of the normal cost but in truth, they will not function like the real thing and in fact could actually be dangerous.
It is advisable to take extra care when making a ghd purchase, there are many web sites which despite looking very credible are in fact passing off these fakes as genuine. Particularly when buying online it can be nearly impossible to be sure that the irons you are buying are genuine. In some cases the counterfeit items may even carry the same looking packaging and even the hologram ghd add to their genuine irons for authenticity.
Along with concerns about the reliability and quality of the fake irons, safety must be a consideration. The fake irons use cheap components. The result of using these cheap components is that not only is there an increased likelihood they will break down, the safety measures that are present in genuine ones will not be in place either. Quite literally the end result could be catastrophic, the heat that the irons are capable of generating is more than enough to cause fires and burn hair.
Without any doubt most people buying ghds want to be sure they are buying the real thing, but with so many fakes on the market how can you be sure you truly are getting the real thing. Here at FixMyGHDs we often have the unfortunate task of contacting customers that have sent what they believe to be a genuine item, and let them know that in fact they have been duped with fakes.
Follow these simple points when making a purchase and you will greatly reduce the chances that you too will be tricked:
Always purchase from an established and well known store. Try to stay away from buying the product from overseas or worse still an online auction site such as ebay or amazon. It can be very hard to track these rogue traders down. Buying from a reputable merchant will ensure you get the right service and genuine ghds.
Check on the official GHD web site. GHD work very hard to police the counterfeit market of their goods. Not only does it cost them sales, but it tarnishes their brand and as we all know the genuine thing is of a very high standard. In the first instance check that GHD have not reported the store you wish to make your purchase from as a fake site. Also, once you receive the irons be sure to go and register them for the 2 year manufactuers warranty. If you have been sold fake ghds their system will reject the serial number. The sooner you realise you’ve been sold the wrong thing, the better the chance that you will be able to get your money back.
Tell-Tale signs of fakes are often a case of common sense. Check the look and feel of the irons. The real thing is clearly of a quality build. Check that the hinge pins are made from metal and not plastic. Genuine ghds use the high quality metal so any sign of plastic is a definite no-no. Check for the hologram both on the cord and and the inner body of the straighteners. Although fakes often carry these stickers, genuine holograms are once again of a high standard, if they don’t look quality then don’t buy them.
Compare the products features. Genuine GHDs all have the same features, and some have extras in the case of special edition sets. If there seems to be certain functions missing from the pair you are being offered this is more often than not because they didn’t start life in the ghd factory.
One of the most obvious giveaways with these fakes is the price. If the price is much cheaper than you would expect to pay direct from ghd, then as the old saying goes: “if something seems to good to be true – it probably is”. Genuine irons are generally in the £80 – £120 price bracket. If someone offers you them for less than that be cautious. There likely to be fake or stolen.
Although the cheaper price might make opting for fake ghds tempting you really should always remember the reason you wanted a pair in the first place. By cutting corners on the parts and materials the counterfeiters might be able to offer you something that looks the part, but the simple fact is they wont act the part – you would be better off spending the same money on a less expensive manufacturer and at least having the peace of mind that the irons you are using are safe.