Are Mall Pull Out Perfumes Authentic?

Today we find ourselves chatting about something that’s been popping up quite a lot again lately - mall pull out perfumes. Sellers claim that these are the perfumes straight from the factory, overstock, or items that have minor defects, hence the considerable markdowns on the prices. But before you snag that deal, let’s have a little heart-to-heart about what you're actually getting into and why it’s a better choice to stick to the official retail stores.

What Are Mall Pull Out Perfumes: The Claims

So, we’ve all seen them, right? These perfumes claiming to be the real deal but at a price point that almost seems too delightful. Sellers assert that they are offering original fragrances at a fraction of the cost because they’ve managed to pull them out straight from the factory, bypassing the usual retail channels. They also typically claim that the perfumes are unsold mall stock direct from the brands which they’re trying to dispose of surreptitiously.

Too Good to be True

Now, we all love a great bargain, but when it comes to perfumes, the “too good to be true” principle often applies. The big question here is authenticity. While some sellers may indeed offer legit products, the vast majority swim in murky waters, giving you something that's a far cry from the original masterpiece crafted meticulously by expert perfumers.

So let me tell you: it is usually against the interest of brands - especially luxury brands - to devalue their image by selling products at a steep discount. They would rather destroy or throw away the products than sell them at a tiny fraction of the cost. At most, they will do a friends and family sale to dispose of unsold stock, but this is only for their employee pool and their family and there are limits as to how much each person can buy. They don’t want anyone reselling huge quantities of their products and undercut their own retail efforts. That’s just dumb.

Brands do go on big sales every once in a while, and resellers descend on these sales for inventory, but stocks would only be limited and won’t trickle down to a random online seller from the other side of the world with a suspicious amount of stocks on hand. Plus the prices won’t be crazy low compared to retail.

If it’s too good to be true, it probably isn’t. When you see a seller claiming they’re selling mall pull out perfumes and the price is way lower compared to retail, you’re getting a fake.

Spotting the Not-So-Real Deals

Let’s chat about how you can spot the fakes from the genuine items. Often, the perfume packaging gives away a lot of hints. Check for misspelled words, blurry logos, or uneven wrapping. The authenticity of a perfume can also be tested through its longevity; originals linger, while fakes tend to dissipate quickly. They also leave a strange, sweaty, rubbing alcohol note that’s typically not in the original perfumes in my experience.

These days though, with the growth of the perfume industry during the pandemic, it has become much harder to spot fakes. Counterfeit factories can copy the bottle, the box, even the receipts near to the original! Your only tip off would be the fact that the sellers label it “mall pull out” or “factory overstock/surplus” and of course the suspiciously low price.

It’s really always best to buy straight from the store when it comes to luxury goods.

The True Essence of a Perfume

When you buy a perfume from an official store, you’re not just buying the scent; you’re buying the experience, the story behind its creation, and the expertise that went into crafting each note to perfection. It’s an art form, one that deserves to be experienced in its purest form.

We often say, why settle for less, right? Perfumes are an extension of our personality, a signature that we carry with us wherever we go. Would you really want to settle for a dubious version that doesn’t truly resonate with who you are?

But what if you don’t mind fake products?

Far be it for me to dictate how you spend your money and what makes you happy. If you don’t mind buying fakes, I won’t judge you. What is important is that you know that you are in fact acquiring a fake product and to manage your expectations based on that. Yes, the fake perfume looks AND smells almost like the real thing. But it’s not the same thing because the smell will be off in some way as perfumes are hard to exactly copy.

At the end of the day, we all get to decide what’s worth our money. This piece is just to help you with your decision.