Marketplace or official store

We do not claim that everything on marketplaces is counterfeit — that would not be true. What we explain is that the chain of responsibility there is longer and sometimes opaque.

Who is actually selling

A marketplace is a platform, not always the seller. The same listing may host several sellers: the platform itself, an official distributor and a third party.

Before ordering it is worth checking exactly who you are buying from. That information usually sits on the product card, in the "seller" or "shipped by" field.

The storage chain

A large platform’s own warehouse is usually controlled. With a third party, the product may be stored in a flat, a garage or a warehouse without air conditioning.

In a Georgian summer that is a real factor for fatty components and probiotics.

Expiry and batches

A seller working on market-stall logic often buys batches approaching their expiry — which is exactly why the price is low. That is not illegal, but it is something to know about.

What to check before ordering

A five-minute check on a marketplace saves a lot of trouble.

• Who the seller is and how long they have worked on the platform
• What the listing says about expiry — if nothing, that is a question in itself
• Whether the photos are real or taken from the manufacturer’s catalogue
• What the negative reviews actually say — not the average score, the specifics
• Whether the return conditions are written out clearly

When a marketplace is a sensible choice

In fairness: a marketplace is often a good option when the seller is the platform itself or an official distributor, the product comes from a large international brand and the expiry is clearly shown.