If you've decided on buying a pair of Ray-Ban aviator sunglasses from eBay, then there are a few things you should know before making the purchase. eBay is a great place to buy Ray-Bans, but being armed with knowledge is the key to getting the most out of the transaction.

#1 - Fake Ray-Bans exist

Before you make a bid, there are a few things that you should do to ensure that you don't get ripped off by buying a fake pair of Ray-Bans. eBay is like any other marketplace in the world. There are many honest sellers but there are also shadier individuals who want to cheat you out of your cash.

Ray-Ban is not immune to the problem of counterfeiting. It is one of the world's most recognizable brands, so it's no doubt that some would seek to capitalize on that by selling unsuspecting buyers a pair of fake shades.

#2 - If it's too cheap to be true, then it probably isn't

When dealing with designer eye wear, price is a key factor to "watch out" for. If you see a pair of Ray-Ban aviator sunglasses with a very low "Buy it Now" price, say in the $20-$50 range, be very cautious. Ray-Ban aviator sunglasses are worth much more than that and no seller on eBay can make money by selling that low.

# 3 - Feedback... need good feedback

Always check feedback before buying. This applies to every deal on eBay. Feedback is king. Make sure that the feedback received is primarily for Ray-Ban aviator sunglasses, specifically the type you're buying if possible.

Some sellers simply want to get rid of their used sunglasses and that's fine, but it's not the majority. You'll know who they are. Others sometimes have few feedback comments (say 50 or so) and sometimes a feedback rating hovering in the 90% range. These are the sellers you need to be mindful of.

If the feedback section has even one negative comment that a pair of sunglasses was fake, then the alarm should go off. A lot of buyers simply assume they're getting a good deal and fail to check their sunglasses once they receive them. As much as possible stick to items that are in North America or in Europe. We hate to single some areas out, but that's the reality.

#4 - Return Policy

What is the seller's return policy? Ensure that the seller will give you a full refund if you are not satisfied with the Ray-Bans you're thinking of buying. You need to trust the buyer. There are enough auctions for Ray-Ban aviator sunglasses, especially the RB3025 model, that you can take your pick.

#5 - Devil in the details

Ray-Ban sunglasses have details that are very difficult to discern online. That's why high quality, heavily magnified photos of key areas are very important. A good seller will have very good photos of the areas that don't typically catch your attention. These areas contain authenticity information (bridge, hinge, temple, earpiece).

# 6 - Logo? What logo?

The Ray-Ban logo is supposed to be ETCHED into the lens and located VERY CLOSE to the top corner of the right lens. The logo is supposed to be faded, not a bright white which would indicate that it has been painted on.

#7 - Wow, nice photos!

As mentioned above, a good seller will post high quality photos of the bridge, left hinge and the temples. The bridge between the lenses should have "Made in USA" or "Made in Italy" stamped in small text right into the material. "RB" should be etched VERY LIGHTLY into the left lens close to the left hinge (many forgers do this quite well). Finally, on the inside of the temples you should be able to see model information and the "CE" symbol which means "Conformité Européenne".

#8 - No shipping to Italy

If the seller doesn't ship to Italy, the sunglasses are fake. Period, end of story. Ray-Ban's made in Italy are heavily regulated and there are stiff penalties for anyone caught dealing in counterfeits.

#9 - Is that really the item it's supposed to be?

Watch for inconsistencies in the description. We've seen many listings for "Silver Metal" aviators when the photo is actually gold. Do not even bother with these.

The end

So there you have it. Based on our experience, these simple things to look for will help protect you from being swindled. You'll be wearing your authentic Ray-Ban aviator sunglasses before you know it.