Authentication
At Merchsell, we take an end-to-end approach to authentication, ensuring that every item on our platform meets our rigorous standards.
How we authenticate:
Before listings go live, they undergo assessment through a combination of human review and machine moderation. Items considered high-risk are reviewed by our expert moderators, while other items are processed through machine moderation. Additionally, Merchsell partners with trusted vendors whose items meet our authentication standards.
Identifying authenticated listings:
Look for the authenticated identifier on the listing page.
Digital Authentication:
Items reviewed by our expert moderators and determined to be authentic.
Our digital authentication process:
- Utilizes human moderators who review high-risk listings before they are published.
- Offers comparable reliability to physical authentication while saving you time, money, and providing environmental peace of mind.
Why digital authentication benefits both buyers and sellers:
For buyers:
- Assurance of authenticity without the need for physical authentication.
- Eliminates the need for items to be shipped twice, saving time and resources.
For sellers:
- Listings that have been digitally authenticated are more likely to sell and at a faster rate.
- The extra effort put into getting your listing authenticated through our digital process is worth it.
Merchsell Moderators:
Our team of brand and marketplace moderators, located around the world, provides round-the-clock evaluation. They are enthusiasts and users of the platform trained extensively in authentication and counterfeit detection.
Trusted Partners:
We vet sellers who either authenticate their own items or source directly from manufacturers. Merchsell moderators do not review or authenticate listings from these trusted partners.
What our digital moderators look for:
They examine:
- Design characteristics, craftsmanship, and detailing.
- Authenticity indicators such as wash tags, logo size, shape, embroidery, and accuracy of item description.
Listing Process:
- High-risk items, as determined by Merchsell, require photos with authenticity indicators to be published.
- All high-risk items must undergo digital authentication before going live.
Identifying high-risk items:
High-risk items are determined based on various factors including:
- Brand or style susceptibility to replication.
- Estimated value of the item.
- Listing price compared to estimated value.
- Account activity and history.
Community Lookout:
If you come across a listing with suspicious characteristics or suspect an inauthentic item, click the “Report Listing” button on the listing page. We take every report seriously and aim to review them within 24 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have more questions? Contact us.
At Merchsell, we've developed a comprehensive moderation process combining human expertise with cutting-edge machine learning technology to ensure the highest standards of quality and authenticity across our platform.
Moderation is the cornerstone of maintaining quality standards at Merchsell.
- Human moderation: Our knowledgeable moderators digitally review high-risk listings to flag inauthentic items, ensuring the integrity of our platform.
- Machine learning: We utilize advanced data analysis to detect suspicious activity and flag listings with potential risks.
Machine moderation at Merchsell is designed to ensure that every item listed meets our rigorous authenticity and quality standards.
Requirements for machine moderation:
- Data from the listing
- Relevant data from similar items in our database
- Seller's activity and community feedback scores
Our moderators digitally authenticate items by meticulously reviewing the images and details provided in each listing. They carefully scrutinize design characteristics, craftsmanship details, pricing accuracy, naming conventions, and more.
Yes, at Merchsell, every high-risk listing undergoes thorough digital review for authenticity. Listings are reviewed by our moderators or our machine learning moderation process, ensuring round-the-clock monitoring.
If an item is found to be inauthentic, it will not be approved for listing. The listing will be deleted, and the seller may be warned or have their account frozen, depending on the severity of the violation.
Answer to help your customers feel more comfortable completing their purchase.
We assess the seller's track record on Merchsell and take appropriate action, which may include deleting or freezing the account.
If you have any concerns regarding the authenticity of an item you purchased, please contact our customer support team immediately. We will work with you to resolve the issue, and if the item is determined to be inauthentic, you will be covered by our Purchase Protection Policy.