Before you buy: request the complete picture
- Front, back, and base of the actual bottle; cap, sprayer, and visible fill level.
- All relevant carton panels, plus a clear close-up of each manufacturing mark.
- The purchase history and available receipt, with private payment and contact details obscured.
- Clear photographs with enough surrounding context to identify where each mark appears.
A stock image or a cropped code leaves the item’s history unresolved. Keep the listing and seller messages. Our authenticity explainer describes why a code is only one limited observation.
Run the right code and save the limitation
- Use the location guide to distinguish the manufacturing mark from a barcode or Ref number.
- Select the correct brand, preserving leading zeros and uncertain characters in your notes.
- Save the typed input, returned date or candidate years, confidence, source note, and check date.
- If Unknown appears, follow the troubleshooting guide; do not describe it as a counterfeit finding.
If two tools disagree, retain both estimates and use the date-conflict checklist. Choosing the newer result does not resolve the evidence.
Compare age with what the seller actually claims
Ask whether “new” means unopened, unused, newly purchased, or recently produced. These are different claims. An older estimate prompts questions about storage and provenance; it does not automatically disprove an unused condition claim. The storage guide explains why production age is not an expiry test.
For a vintage or discontinued fragrance, confirm the exact name, concentration, volume, and packaging version. If a proposed year seems inconsistent with documented product history, investigate the date interpretation and the product identity. A discrepancy is not, by itself, proof of misconduct.
Be careful with decants, travel sprays, and refills
A transfer label may record a decanter’s lot or filling date rather than the original house production batch. An outer bottle’s code cannot establish which liquid is currently inside after refilling. Ask what container the code belongs to and what documentation connects it to the contents.
Original packaging can preserve useful production clues, but even sealed-looking packaging is not something ScentDecoder can validate. Seller history, the applicable return process, and a qualified physical assessment when warranted provide context beyond typed characters.
After delivery
- Compare the received item and marks with the listing photographs.
- Document discrepancies before extensive handling or use.
- Keep the packaging, messages, and purchase record while any return process is relevant.
- Separate “code reads A47” from “tool estimated January 2024” in your notes.
This checklist helps organize questions. It does not certify a seller or bottle, provide a valuation, or replace product-specific assistance. Have the seller’s batch photo? Estimate the production date on ScentDecoder →
Frequently asked questions
Should I buy only perfume with a recent batch code?
A recent estimate does not establish condition. Consider the product you want, the storage record, the seller’s explanation, and available return terms. Vintage interest may intentionally involve older bottles.
Why do many sellers show the same batch code?
A batch identifies a production run rather than an individual bottle. Shared codes are not inherently decisive, and copied codes are also possible.
Does a missing batch code mean counterfeit?
Not automatically. It makes production research harder. Ask for clear photographs and the product history instead of assuming a conclusion.
Can ScentDecoder authenticate my eBay bottle?
No. ScentDecoder estimates production timing for supported inputs. It does not inspect the seller, packaging, liquid, or whether a container has been refilled.