I accidentally bought fake Px7 S2e headphones. Here is how to avoid my mistake
So I wanna start by saying I had no idea fake B&Ws even existed. I would've expected it for AirPods Max or Sony, but definitely not B&W.
I picked up the package from a locker and the first thing I noticed was how light the box felt. The real ones are way heavier. Also, the fake box was made of thin, flimsy cardboard, whereas the originals come in a really solid, hard cardboard box.
The headphone box was wrapped in a thin, clear plastic film, kind of like cling wrap, and on top of it there was a sticker that read "Manufacturer: Terre de gastronomie", a French address, and underneath that, an Outlook email address that looked totally Chinese (I'll get into more details about this in a bit).
The box also had a gold "ANC" sticker on it, which isn't on the genuine products (as far as I know).
On the original models, once you slide off the outer sleeve, the box itself should say "Bowers & Wilkins". On the fakes, there's nothing written on it.
Then, inside the box, you'll find the carrying case. The case should also have "Bowers & Wilkins" written on it. On the fakes I received, there was no logo at all. (First I ordered black and than blue, that's why the colors are different).
Now, inside the case, there should be a magnetic compartment where the cables are kept. The fakes don't have this magnetic compartment.
And inside the box, under the case, you're supposed to find the exact manual for the model you bought, packaged just like this. I bought the Px7 S2e, but it came with a quick start guide for the Px7 S2 and Px8.
When it comes to the design of the headphones themselves, there's not much of a difference or at least I couldn't see any, which is why I didn't even take a photo.
BUT you can definitely feel the cheap plastic, they don't sit flush against your ears and just kind of hang loose, and I don't even need to mention the sound quality.
The icing on the cake, and probably the easiest way to check if they're legit: the Bowers & Wilkins app. The fakes aren't recognized by the app at all and can only be connected directly through your phone's bluetooth.
Now, I want to add one more thing: I'm from Romania and I bought them off eMAG (which is our local equivalent of Amazon). There are multiple sellers on there, and rule number one is to only buy directly from official well known stores. I broke this rule and bought them from a ghost seller registered in France, which actually turned out to be a front for a Chinese shop (I found this out later).
These are pretty much the main things I noticed. Feel free to add anything else.