Buyers Guide To OPI Nail Polish - The Facts And The Fakes! by a former OPI master educator and licensed nail technician for over 14 years
OPI, originally named Odontorium Products Inc., was a small dental supply company purchased by George Schaeffer in 1981. Shortly after taking over the company, Schaeffer was joined by Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI’s Executive Vice President and Artistic Director. Schaeffer and Weiss-Fischmann partnered with a chemist and created an acrylic system that Schaeffer sold door-to-door to local nail salons. Eventually, they changed the name to O.P.I. The rest, as they say, is polish history...
1. Internet Sales and the Fakes - Supply and demand. Simply put, a brilliant way to make money in any market. Nothing wrong with that, right? Now, what if I was to tell you during my research I found out the following:
A. It costs approximately $1.62 to make each "fake" bottle of nail polish.
B. Even with adding on shipping costs from overseas, which is where they are produced, sellers advertising these same bottles are making as much as 150% off each bottle they sell! And the unsuspecting buyer gets a poorly made knock-off that chips excessively and really doesn't match the original color on closer inspection.
Understanding a Fake and what to look for: (Please also see my post on counterfeit OPI)
Certain manufacturers overseas aren't as easy to spot as some bottles used on many nail blogs. They are getting very, very good at making the fakes. Learning from their past mistakes, if you will....which brings me to OPI and DIVERSION.
OPI has recognized the problem of their polish being "faked" and are taking a radical stand. They have asked each licensed distributor and licensed online e-tailer's to immediately halt the selling of any and all OPI nail polishes online through retail AND professional sales. Some didn't adhere to this demand and are now being sued for non-compliance. I kid you not! At first I was really aggravated by this. I used to be able to go online and order the new OPI collections through the licensed pro sites, making buying a lot simpler. BUT, now I get it and I understand that OPI is eliminating online sales to help stop the fake trafficking! For more information, visit OPI's website and click on "About OPI" and scroll down the list and click on "Diversion".
A buyers guide to OPI and Online auctions/platforms:
Let me just say here that the following interpretations are mine alone and are gathered from my own research and questions/suggestions from my nail clients. The reader, and or buyer, is encouraged to use the following as a guide and to make their own judgement going forward.
1. When dealing with a seller: Are there pictures of the actual bottle and label you are bidding on or buying? This is very important as the batch # is quite unique to the series or year the polish was produced. If there is not a picture of the actual label on the bottom of the polish, simply ask the seller to send you one. If there are scratched off serial numbers on the bottle in the picture then skip to #6
2. Are the pictures featured on the listing original (taken by the seller)? Bloggers everywhere are extremely upset by the fact that some sellers of polish are using their images on listings....without PERMISSION. This is, in essence, stealing someone else's hard work. It's a long process to be sure....but it adds credibility to any listing.
3. Know your seller. Read their personal ebay, amazon, etc. page (click on their member name) Did they take the time to fill out information about themselves? What about the listing page....did they take the time to accurately describe the polish and give details that every potential buyer should know? Think of it this way...would you be more likely to buy a new car from a reputable dealer with knowledgeable staff or from a corner car lot that seems to have no salespeople to help you? Cars and polish aren't the same things, but it's still YOUR money, right? Any listing on the internet takes A LOT of time, or IT SHOULD. Multiples are much easier to do, but again, this system leaves out too much information, but that's just MY opinion.
4.Why buy an American made product (OPI) from anywhere except America? The only exclusions to this rule is the Netherlands which covers most of Europe (again OPI) If I live in either of these places, then why would I buy a nail polish being sold in TIM-BUK-TOO?
5. Ask Questions! If you have questions about a listing or an auction then ask the seller. This is part of their responsibility as a seller. Sellers should be grateful that you took the time to reach out to them! They should also respond in a timely manner...
6. Are the sellers selling "damaged" or defaced products? Distributors are strictly prohibited from selling OPI polish online. OPI has started putting batch numbers on the bottles in order to track their sales and who is selling them. This is also essential if there is ever a recall on an OPI product. In order to get around this, distributors will scratch off these same batch numbers in an effort to "hide" their illegal activities. I have even seen some sellers advertise these same bottles as coming from the distributors or licensed beauty supply stores this way. Not true. It is illegal to tamper with a firearm's serial number and it is illegal to tamper with any products serial codes. Please report any defaced bottles directly to OPI. Also, look for labels that have been tampered with. Serial numbers are on the paper labels, as well, and unethical sellers will blot that number out. That is unethical and again damaging a bottle. If you see a serial number that has been blurred out through editing software, or by hand, again report them directly to OPI. (see separate post for pictures of counterfeit (defaced) product)
Every time I sell a bottle of OPI polish, I have the satisfaction of knowing I saved someone from potentially buying a fake or conterfeit product. Not everyone selling online is perpetrating a fraud. There is a list on OPI's website of safe places to buy their products.
