Whether it is winter time or summer time, it does not really matter;  UGG Australia footwear can be worn throughout the year.

Uggs have become very popular and are always in demand.  As a result, many sellers want to cash in on its popularity. Unfortunately, some of those sellers don’t have the best of intentions and are only out to scam people with counterfeit goods.  Buying UGGs from major online retailers like Zappos (owned by Amazon) and Shoes.com is perhaps the simplest way to ensure that you get the real thing.

If you’re planning to get a pair of Uggs as a gift to yourself or someone else, stay away from and beware of fakes! Protect your hard-earned money and arm yourself with the knowledge on how to spot fake Uggs.

Here is a checklist of 9 things that you should do before purchasing a pair of Uggs:

1. Check the labels

This may be hard to believe, but Uggs that say they are “Made In China” are actually the real deal. For 3 years now, real Ugg boots have been manufactured by one and only one company called Deckers Outdoor Corporation. Their factory is located in China. If the label says they are made in New Zealand, Australia or in any other country by any other company, they are fake.

As for the UGG Australia label on the back of the heel, compare them with an authentic UGG Australia label like in the picture above. The fake ones vary greatly from having bigger fonts, different stitching, and off-shade colors than that of real UGG Australia labels.

2. Check the packaging

YouTube member foxkm shows a real UGG Australia box, plastic, and shoe inserts

Real Uggs come in a sturdy box made of strong cardboard material. Some people say that the real box is a one-piece box with a flip top lid, but some people report also having purchased real Uggs that came in two-piece boxes with removable lids.

That piece of information is highly contested, but another part of the packaging that you can check is the plastic wrapper. The plastic that the boots are wrapped in should be made of thick, crinkly material with the words “UGG Australia” printed on it. The fake ones use low-grade thin plastic and almost always do not have anything printed on them.

Also check the care booklet, the authenticity card and other literature that the Ugg boots are packaged with. They should be printed clearly on thick, high quality paper using quality ink – they should not be fuzzy, blurry, or appear scanned. In  June 2007, UGG Australia stopped using white paper for these and switched to printing the Ugg boots care booklet and other cards on cream-colored paper.

Real Ugg boots have shoe inserts inside them to prevent them from becoming misshapen when stocked or shipped. Fake ones do not get the same careful handling and often do no come with shoe inserts.

The following things should NOT come packaged with Ugg boots:

• A brown dust bag with “Snow Boots” printed on them – real Uggs are never called snow boots
• Any sort of label that are pinned on or attached to the boots themselves. Real Ugg boots from Deckers do not have any tags attached to them.
• An Australian flag printed anywhere on the packaging materials

All of these are clear signs that the Uggs are fakes.

3. Check the fur

The fur lining in real Ugg boots have a rich creamy color and feel thick, fluffy, and soft. In fake ones, they are a greyish whitish color and feel thin, scraggly, and like plastic.

If you have a hard time telling the difference between real and synthetic fur, one way to tell is by rubbing it. If bits and pieces come off, then that means that the fur is fake.

4. Check the soles

foxkm demonstrates the flexibility of a real Ugg sole versus the rigidity of a fake one

Looking at the soles is one of the quickest way to check if Ugg boots are real or not. In the real ones, the soles are flexible and have a lot of give. In the fake ones, they are rigid and are very hard to bend.

Real Ugg boots also have 1/2-inch thick soles. Fake Ugg boots have thinner soles, having only 1/4-inch thick soles at the most.

Genuine Uggs have the registered R in a circle next to the “UGG” on the bottom of the soles. This used to be a clear way of telling apart the real and the fake Uggs, however, counterfeiters have wised up to this and have started adding this detail to fake Uggs.

Inspect the part of the sole where it meets the heel. On the real Uggs, they have a flush join, meaning the sole design gradually tapers off into a flat heel. On fake Uggs, they meet at a ridge and a solid line clearly shows where sole and the heel meet.

5. Check the size

Those who have ever bought or owned Ugg boots for themselves know that Uggs run large. It is common knowledge that if you’re buying a pair of Uggs, the best thing to do is to get a size smaller. Real Ugg boots will stretch and mold to the wearer’s feet over time. If a pair of Uggs in your real shoe size feel snug, then chances are they are fake.

foxkm compares openings of real Uggs and fake Uggs

Also check the top or the opening of the boot. It should be large and roomy enough so that you can fold them down or tuck your jeans in. The fake ones have a narrower opening and they do not roll down as easily as the real Uggs.

Some fake Uggs are shorter or taller than real Uggs. Find out the correct height for an ultra short, tall, and ultra tall Ugg boot first and compare before purchasing.

6. Check the smell

Some fake Uggs also have fake sheepskin. Fake sheepskin will smell of the dye that was used to color them.

Check for a chemical or a synthetic smell. This indicates paint or lacquer was used and that the Uggs are fake.

7. Check the overall quality

When you’re purchasing footwear that costs nearly 200 dollars, it’s a good idea to set aside ample time to shop for them so that you can inspect them thoroughly. Here’s how to check the overall quality of Uggs:

• Inspect the stitching. Make sure that it is even and no threads are unraveling.
• Check the width of the boots. Fake Uggs are narrower than real ones.
• Inspect the suede and/or leather. They should be smooth, made of quality material, and not have any unnecessary markings on them
• Note the tip of the boot. A real Ugg boot gradually slopes downward while a fake one has a pointier toe.
• Note the heel of the boot. They should gently taper towards the rest of the shoe and should not be in any way crooked.

8. Check the price

Real Uggs are made of quality materials and quality comes with a price. If an Ugg boot is selling for an absurdly too-good-to-be-true price, then that alone should serve as a warning sign that they are fake.  Some discounted UGG Australia bags and shoes can be found at Amazon’s discount website 6pm.  However, normally UGG Australia will not allow their most popular products to be discounted.

9. Check the seller

Lastly, UGG Australia only sells UGG boots through their flagship stores, their website www.UGGaustralia.com and authorized retailers.  If you are located in the US, you may prefer to buy from Zappos or Shoes.com.

Click here to locate an UGG Australia authorized retailer nearest you.

Click here for a complete list of online UGG Australia authorized retailers.

Remember, these authorized retailers are not allowed to sell Ugg products on eBay. Almost 90% of the Uggs being sold on eBay are fake. A real seller will mention that the boots are Deckers Uggs. A counterfeiter will leave out anything about Deckers Outdoor Corporation.

If a seller tries to sell you Uggs that have a low price because they’re straight from the China factory, know that Deckers Outdoor Corp. does not sell and is not allowed to sell any of UGG Australia’s products straight from the manufacturing site.

If you think you have been duped into buying fake Uggs, contact UGG Australia by emailing them at uggip@uggaustralia.com.

Shoes.com – Authorized UGG Australia Retailer