Beware of Fakes

An alarming number of headphones sold in India are either fake, smuggled or refurbished.
Learn how Headphone Zone protects you.


It is you, the online shopper who is most vulnerable to getting duped and ending up with a counterfeit product. Headphone Zone, in co-operation with its partner brands, has launched India's first campaign to educate all our consumers about the risks of counterfeit headphones in India. Headphone Zone and its promoters have been in the business of marketing headphones for the past fourteen years. Unfortunately, in India, there exists a rampant grey secondary market for headphones and audio equipment. And in recent times, a drastic increase in the number of fakes available have been observed.

Be alert and wary when you shop for headphones and follow these best practices.

 

1. Fakes may look original but will not sound original


Many people who have bought fake or duplicate items don't realise it until they have a problem. Plastic mold and headphone designs are easy to duplicate, but the engineering, thorough research and development done by international brands to develop the world's best acoustics is invaluable. The intricate architecture of a good headphone from its driver unit to its speaker chambers down to the nuts and bolts are all inimitable. Protect yourself by purchasing from an authorized dealer.

2. Claiming warranty, service or support is impossible on a dubious purchase


Fake or duplicate headphones will most likely stop working within a few months. This is because they are questionable in quality and do not use the premium materials of an original. Their users have no support or after-sales service. Worse still they will not be able to claim warranty on such items. Headphone Zone actively engages with each of its partner brands directly to ensure that you receive a brand new, sealed and 100% genuine product with all the service and after-sales support that you may need.

3. Put your faith in verified, legal and authorized retailers


Many brands discourage consumers from buying products on dubious online marketplaces and some do not even honour warranty on purchases made. It is advisable to purchase headphones from only trusted retailers. Ensure every purchase is accompanied with a legal tax invoice which can be used to claim warranty. Every high-end headphone manufacturer usually imprints/assigns a serial number on each of their pieces for identification purposes. These serial numbers are used to authenticate the product and register it with the brand. Check for any scannable barcodes, logos or trademarks.

4. Don't choose your retailer based on the discount alone


Choosing a headphone retailer merely based on discounts is probably not the best thing to do. If you know that a product is unreasonably discounted, it's more likely that the headphones are fake, stolen, or worse, smuggled. Many people don't realise the headphones they are using is fake until it is too late. You may also be putting your hearing health at risk with a fake.