Caveat dancer: A Public Service Announcement about Online Vendors

We all hate getting cheated.  We are devastated when we pay money we worked hard to save, only to be cheated out of it by fraud.

And, when the fraud is taking our money for a costume, or other dance purchase, it hurts ten times worse.

Now, imagine that the item in the photo used for the fraud was one of your creations.  That is the pain some of my friends feel right now.  Online “Vendors” are using photos of the other people’s costumes, veils, etc. to try and sell YOU an item the online vendor does not have and will not have.  All they have to do is take your money, then run to the other end of the internet.

Fraud will happen, sadly.  But, here are some tips on how to tell the good vendors, the REAL vendors, the REPUATBLE vendors from the fake ones.

Reputable vendors will have:

1.     Actual contact information on their Facebook page or website.

2.     Links to websites that will work when you click through.

3.     Links to the sites where they list with eBay or Etsy, where you can check their reputation.

4.     A solid reputation with your friends or online forums.  They may even have an established online presence on the internet forums (Bhuz.com, Bellydanceforums.net), and Facebook groups.  You may even find out that the person behind the business is a friend of a friend. Which is how I met the lovely Silkdancer, who was kind enough to let me use her FB page as an example of signs of a REPUTABLE Vendor:

I learned about Silkdancer through friends.  I checked her reputation at Etsy.  I saw raving recommendations from happy customers, both there and on Facebook.  I saw my friends happily credit her in their photos where they posed with her veils.  She offered great customer service when I asked questions, and never, ever rushed me to make a purchase.  I ordered a veil and was delighted.  And, I should disclose that I met her and she is even sweeter in person!  I am happily waiting for my second veil from her!  Silkdancer exhibits all of the “good” traits one wants to see in an online vendor.

Which is why I get angry when I see other “Vendors” use her photos to “sell” “their” goods.

Now, without getting into specific “Vendors” who prompted this post, there are some red flags to watch for:

1.     Lots of photos, with few descriptions.  If you are really selling something, you tend to advertise it.  You’ll have details like sizes, shipping costs, and payment methods accepted.

2.     Divergent styles.  Costume makers have a definite “style” – if you are reading this, you can probably tell the difference between tribal and cabaret, and maybe even the difference between an Abla and a Bella.  Someone who makes hand painted veils typically does not also make bedlah with skirts.  (They might; but, there would be stylistic traits that unify the pieces.)  If it is a dance clearinghouse, that is one thing – but, if it looks like a contemporary, well made piece, next to a contemporary, completely different well made piece, something is up.

3.     Cheap prices.  If it seems too good to be true, it IS.  $106 for a fully beaded dress?  Really?  With shipping?  From some unspecified country to your (oh they never asked?) country?  Warning sign!

4.     Blurred water marks.  It probably means they stole the photos.

Now, when “real” Vendors are just starting out, they may not have all of the “good” signs.  Not all reliable Vendors have all of the good traits; not all of the scary ones have all of the bad. But, starting with a free site like Facebook and suddenly having hundreds, if not thousands of photos of costumes at rock bottom prices that can be made in any size . . . 

Watch out, dancer, somebody’s after your money.