Buying toys on Amazon and other marketplaces: fakes and what to check

Big marketplaces sell a lot of sex toys, and plenty of them are genuine. The problem is the ones that aren't: counterfeits of popular brands, and no-name toys that won't say what they're made of.

Why fakes matter more here

A fake phone case is annoying. A fake toy is a mystery material going in or on your body, a battery with no safety testing, and no warranty when it dies. This is why we only list specialist shops, and why our listing policy excludes shops that sell counterfeits.

Checks that catch most fakes

• Who's selling it. "Sold by" the brand or an authorised retailer is what you want. "Fulfilled by" the marketplace says nothing about where the stock came from.
• The brand's own stockist list. Most toy brands publish one.
• Price. A premium toy at half its usual price is not a bargain.
• The material. No named material means no.
• Reviews that mention smell, a different box or a charger that doesn't fit.

Returns

Marketplaces often inherit the seller's hygiene exemption, so an opened toy may not come back at all. If it turns out to be fake, report it to the marketplace and, in the UK, to Trading Standards via Citizens Advice.

When a specialist is better

• You want advice before you buy.
• You care what's on the parcel and the statement.
• You want someone to talk to if it's faulty.

The shops on our UK chart and US chart all publish their packaging, billing and returns rules, which is more than most marketplace listings will tell you.