Fact Check: NSW Fair Trading Investigation.
At Cosette, we understand that trust is everything, especially when it comes to luxury. In recent times, questions have circulated online about the authenticity of our products and how we can offer product at a discount to other boutiques. We take these concerns seriously and believe it's important to address them openly, with verified information from official sources.
What Happened
In 2023, some media and online discussions made some incorrect claims about the authenticity of the products sold by Cosette, based on findings by since discredited third party authenticators. This led to significant uncertainty among customers, some of who ultimately complained to NSW Fair Trading regarding Cosette's operations. NSW Fair Trading initiated an extensive investigation into our business practices, product authenticity, and supplier chain.
What NSW Fair Trading Found
Following a 14-month investigation, Cosette engaged transparently with NSW Fair Trading and, ultimately, NSW Fair Trading found NO evidence that Cosette had sold counterfeit goods – as we had always maintained.
As part of its investigation, NSW Fair Trading independently sampled product from Cosette (including product returned by concerned customers) and verified their authenticity, together with our supply chain and documentation, directly with the luxury brands. The brands included Prada, Burberry, Saint Laurent, Gucci and Balenciaga, each of which confirmed that our products are genuine.
Importantly, NSW Fair Trading also raised public doubts about third party authentication, cautioning consumers to be aware of the limitations of online authentications. These limitations including not standing behind their findings and not being affiliated with the brands.
You can read the full details in the official media coverage:
What This Means for Our Customers
This outcome validates what we have always said and what our customers can attest to: every item sold by Cosette is 100% authentic.
We source directly from European brokers and retailers and perform multi-point verification, including tracing the origin of products sold back to the brand itself.
But how do we offer better prices than other boutiques? The reality is that there is surplus product in the European market – the home for many of the luxury brands. We parallel import this product as permitted under Australian law and, in doing so, can set our own retail prices. We genuinely want to make luxury more affordable and purposely share the benefit of that pricing flexibility with you.
Our commitment is to provide:
Moving Forward
We recognise that misinformation can spread quickly online. Our focus is to continue earning your trust through transparency, quality, and exceptional service.
We encourage customers with questions about authenticity to reach out directly via support@cosette.com.au we're always happy to verify your purchase or provide documentation.
To learn more about our sourcing and authentication process, visit our Authenticity Page.
