Fake or reproduction boxes on eBay

[VegHead | 127]

Hey all.  I've been looking at some higher end titles on eBay, and I've noticed that more sellers are now offering fake/repro cardboard boxes for some of these games.  The boxes are looking much closer to an authentic box, with grey interiors and clear printing.  I am concerned these are getting too good, and before long we won't be able to distinguish the two.  Has anyone encountered someone passing one off as a legitimate box (on purpose or accident)?  I don't want to give these guys pointers by telling them what's wrong with their product, but when the price difference is hundreds (thousands?) of dollars difference between a loose and complete game, what are the options?

[Code Monkey | 2,005]

I think I will always be able to tell the difference once I feel it.

[DoctorEncore | 3,690]

I haven't had an issue with this (that I know of...), but your concern is valid. In general, it seems that even the high end repros are usually just a tad off in color and detail. That being said, I've never directly compared the grey repro boxes to legit boxes. After I finish my NES set, I'll probably drop some cash on repro boxes from different sellers and write a comparison article.

[MovieTom | 39]

Yeah I see them all the time. Its annoying to me only when they don't say on the boxes anywhere they they are a repro. If you're going to make a repro box. you could be clever and say, remove the UPC numbers and replace them with "reproduction". Its not that difficult and it doesn't detract from the look of the box. 

[nrslam | 474]

Just keep reporting them as counterfeits, or, better yet, buy the fake, then report it as a counterfeit and the seller will be out shipping both ways or will have to give you a refund. The best way to put a stop to counterfeiting is to make it a money-losing endeavor.

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,011]

My understanding is that the cardboard from the 80s and 90s doesn't exist anymore. Like, the manufacturing process is unable to be replicated. So to have 1:1 fakes is basically impossible, though theyll try as hard as they can to bridge the gap 

Hopefully someone can chime in with more facts.

[austin532 | 467]

I believe paperboard is the correct term but yeah it seems like the old ways of making boxes are gone.

[Andy_Bogomil | 815]

A few dead giveaways are how glossy they always look. Even some of my mint CIBs don't have the same sheen to them as a lot of these repro boxes. They are usually over saturated in color as well. Also, surprisingly to me, they are almost always listed as reproduction boxes now. They may have figured out it's easier to sell fake shit as is than trying to play it off as real and scamming. The other golden rule is that if it's too good to be true (price) then it probably is. You click on any newly listed Nintendo item on eBay that's a good price and that little banner will come up "45 people have viewed this in the last hour" and it's been online for 5 minutes.

Edited February 15, 2020 by Andy_Bogomil

[NierAutomata | 23]

I make my own boxes through laser printing when the box is too expensive, even laminate the box in the end, but they always end up looking very different, too glossy, doesn't have the right bending corners, fonts are different to make similar, etc, but these new boxes seem to be made with a different type of printing.
Could still be laser printing, but not semi-professional, that's for sure. 


 

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,011]

7 hours ago, NierAutomata said:

I make my own boxes through laser printing when the box is too expensive, even laminate the box in the end, but they always end up looking very different, too glossy, doesn't have the right bending corners, fonts are different to make similar, etc, but these new boxes seem to be made with a different type of printing.
Could still be laser printing, but not semi-professional, that's for sure. 


 

 

• Please stop

Edited February 16, 2020 by RegularGuyGamer

[Tanooki | 4,930]

On 2/15/2020 at 2:22 PM, NierAutomata said:

I make my own boxes through laser printing when the box is too expensive, even laminate the box in the end, but they always end up looking very different, too glossy, doesn't have the right bending corners, fonts are different to make similar, etc, but these new boxes seem to be made with a different type of printing.
Could still be laser printing, but not semi-professional, that's for sure. 


 

Do you enjoy them much or just for show?  I know it's not popular around these parts and I was wondering if anyone else was going to post something like this, but I'm fine with what you did there.  I mean it's your stuff do whatever you want you know?  The laser printing is probably your issue.  Some years back I made a few friends online in the repop/reproduction side of things and they usually would find a high quality office printer that's non-laser would fabricate the look far better.  It just came down to the quality of the equipment as much as the materials. There are a few makers online who do a solid job of labels as well, not just the boxes, probably better though as most boxes end up being that newer white paper type and the old stuff was more of the gray-ish pressed cardboard type I guess you'd call it.

[NierAutomata | 23]

22 hours ago, Tanooki said:

Do you enjoy them much or just for show?  I know it's not popular around these parts and I was wondering if anyone else was going to post something like this, but I'm fine with what you did there.  I mean it's your stuff do whatever you want you know?  The laser printing is probably your issue.  Some years back I made a few friends online in the repop/reproduction side of things and they usually would find a high quality office printer that's non-laser would fabricate the look far better.  It just came down to the quality of the equipment as much as the materials. There are a few makers online who do a solid job of labels as well, not just the boxes, probably better though as most boxes end up being that newer white paper type and the old stuff was more of the gray-ish pressed cardboard type I guess you'd call it.

I enjoy making them and they're basically for gameboy games only, basically for games I have with cart + manual, like superstar saga on gba, fire emblems, and gb games whose box are waaaay too expensive these days (like TMNT III, kid dracula, ninja gaiden shadow, etc), I am NOT paying 50+€ for a box only, especially if I can get a cart+ manual+ cart holder for less than half the price of a CIB game. 
I completely understand when people don't like em, we know what repro stuff 95% of the time is for, scamming other people into believing they are real (even though the people who buy them can't be arsed to do a 10 minute google search before to check for stuff or ask in facebook groups), but in the end when you are a player first and a collector second (I don't consider myself a collector, I want to play my games and am fully aware carts will damage, cds will rot, and we won't live forever), you end up avoiding wasting too much money on some  CIB games and a nice printed box does the job cheaply. Why would I pay over 500€ for a Kid Dracula or 200€ for a Radical rescue when I repectively bought them for 50€ and 40€ cart + manual and made a nice box? 
Even though real boxes have demand like anything else in collecting, their prices and can be expensive, in the end they are just that, cardboard. Prices for sealed stuff may increase over the years but we've already seen that is not the case for CIB games. Will the people who hate these boxes keep theirs (or their CIB stuff) or end up selling them before prices drop? 

[Tanooki | 4,930]

Yeah we're of the same mind.  It's why I sit at 11 Virtual Boy CIB games, 13 w/no box (3D Tetris and Nester), and 1 with neither(Jack Bros.)  I find the prices of the paper on those, last in particular nauseating.  Takes me good time to save up that kind of amount of dough to fritter on cardboard I'd need my head examined.   I just haven't felt the need to ever really make a box enough to do the work, but I could.  Manuals and labels though, not a problem and not that hard to pull off once you know the materials needed, where to get them, and what to use/settings to do it.  I've had cases where I got a game and I've turn around and just sold the box since some people just want to fritter their money on that instead of something to play and that's fine, their choice.

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,011]

I hear the argument I just don't get the mental gymnastics a person needs to do to enjoy fake boxes. Like, do you print Michael Jordan rookie cards? Do you go to home Depot and lacker up some cedar and tell people it was from the old floor of the staple center? Do you go down to China Town and rock fake a Rolex and Gucci? 

It comes down to having it and just looking like you have it. Printing a box and throwing a game in it isn't special. It's embarrassing. Would you buy a Pontiac fiero and put a Lamborghini body kit on it too?

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/288230444877229667/

[DoctorEncore | 3,690]

13 minutes ago, RegularGuyGamer said:

I hear the argument I just don't get the mental gymnastics a person needs to do to enjoy fake boxes. Like, do you print Michael Jordan rookie cards? Do you go to home Depot and lacker up some cedar and tell people it was from the old floor of the staple center? Do you go down to China Town and rock fake a Rolex and Gucci? 

It comes down to having it and just looking like you have it. Printing a box and throwing a game in it isn't special. It's embarrassing. Would you buy a Pontiac fiero and put a Lamborghini body kit on it too?

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/288230444877229667/

I think you're being too harsh and a bit illogical. Extending your argument to other mediums doesn't help your case. If I print a Michael Jordan rookie card or create any of the other fakes you mentioned with no nefarious intention, why would you care? As long as these items are not being sold or presented as legit, there is it literally no negative effect on you or society as a whole. And this is coming from someone who has paid for some big ticket items because I prefer the real thing.

Live and let live. Everyone should collect how he/she/they want to.

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,011]

26 minutes ago, DoctorEncore said:

I think you're being too harsh and a bit illogical. Extending your argument to other mediums doesn't help your case. If I print a Michael Jordan rookie card or create any of the other fakes you mentioned with no nefarious intention, why would you care? As long as these items are not being sold or presented as legit, there is it literally no negative effect on you or society as a whole. And this is coming from someone who has paid for some big ticket items because I prefer the real thing.

Live and let live. Everyone should collect how he/she/they want to.

People can live I'm just going to throw shade where I see fit. It's a pay to play hobby. Like every other hobby. If a person wants to print boxes, that fine but they're not in the video game hobby they're in the paper craft hobby. And that's fine just don't claim to be collecting video game accessories. Again, I don't see the mental gymnastics a person as to do for it to be ok.  

 

My examples are unreasonable but my logic is sound. Paper craft items is not a member of the set of video games and video accessories. And, in my most humble opinion, it's embarrassing and I cringe when I think about people doing it. It's like watch Fergi sing the national anthem.  

https://youtu.be/CMA2iF6RuXk

[Tanooki | 4,930]

Yeah and that kind of makes you a bad person you are aware right?  Telling other people what to do with their time, money, and interests because they don't align with yours isn't right.  Make your business yours, not everyone elses yours too.

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,011]

7 hours ago, Tanooki said:

Telling other people what to do with their time, money, and interests because they don't align with yours isn't right. 

 

7 hours ago, Tanooki said:

Make your business yours, not everyone elses yours too.

But didn't you just tell me what to do?

OP is about concern with fake boxes. The opinions expressed in accordance with the OP should not be a surprise (oh shit I just told you what to do). If people wana enjoy paper craft, that's on them. Ther s plenty of Pinterest pages for them to post on, or hobby lobby bloggers that will encourage them. But they won't find it from me. Printing materials at home is cringetopia.

Fake boxes, manuals and labels are the participation trophy of the hobby. I'm not taking them away from anyone. I'm just letting the readers know that's not what most of us are here for. 

[CodysGameRoom | 2,008]

It's not really about mental gymnastics or trophies for everyone. Maybe someone just likes how they look on a shelf?

[O.G. CIB | 415]

I’m not into fake printing anything UNLESS a box was never created for it. I keep the list below so I know what I have that is a repo and to clearly point it out to my family should anything happen to me and they have a list that disclosed what’s not 100% authentic.  The issue is as I’ve seen over the years most people who get into repro boxes etc start off with good intentions and realize they get better and better at it. They then decide they can sell them to make money which promotes fraud especially when they don’t print anything to clearly state it’s a repro. No way around it. 

Reproduction items

• NES: Miracle piano - box
• NES: Super V-ball/World Cup - Box
• NES: Super Mario bros / duck hunt - box 
• NES: world class track meet - box 
• NES: Super Mario / duck / world - Box
• SNES: Star Fox weekend - box
• SNES: Super Mario All-Stars / Super Mario World - Box
• SNES: Miracle Piano - Box 
• SNES: Super Scope 6 - Box 
• TG16: Keith courage - box
• TG16: 3 in 1 - case & insert
• Saturn: Nights Xmas -  case & insert
• Wii: Wii sports 2 in 1 - case & insert
• Wii: Wii sports - case & insert
• Wii: Links Crossbow - case & insert
• NEO Geo MVS - shock boxes & inserts (7)
• Atomiswave genesis inserts (25)
• IGS PGM shock boxes & insert (9)
• Jaguar: Aircars - Box 

Edited July 27, 2022 by Mr. CIB

[GPX | 1,369]

4 hours ago, RegularGuyGamer said:

 

But didn't you just tell me what to do?

OP is about concern with fake boxes. The opinions expressed in accordance with the OP should not be a surprise (oh shit I just told you what to do). If people wana enjoy paper craft, that's on them. Ther s plenty of Pinterest pages for them to post on, or hobby lobby bloggers that will encourage them. But they won't find it from me. Printing materials at home is cringetopia.

Fake boxes, manuals and labels are the participation trophy of the hobby. I'm not taking them away from anyone. I'm just letting the readers know that's not what most of us are here for. 

I think there are 2 separate issues here:

- can a person do whatever they want in their own home, as long as it’s legal and not harmful to themself or others? Yep!

- is reproduction boxes/games bad for the collecting hobby? Yep! (I agree with you here).

I believe if the intent is to create repro boxes and never to resell them, then that’s fine. The problem is that if the repro box looks near authentic, and they go for sale, they will likely reach a buyer with evil intent to scam future unsuspecting buyers thinking that they’re buying the real thing. It sets up a high probability of a negative outcome. 

Also, it peeves me a great deal seeing some repro games/boxes being listed on eBay as “brand new”. Scum sellers!

 

Edited February 19, 2020 by GPX

[kuriatsu | 65]

I feel that a reproduction box is not something to strive for, unless it falls under 4 categories.

1. Its blatantly a reproduction box. An example is, using good looking fan art for the box art with the word "reproduction" on it.

2. it says reproduction on it somewhere clear. Such as saying reproduction just over the UPC or down at the bottom or top of the front of the box.

or 3. a box was never made for it in the first place. Such as a box for Radical Dreamers: Nosumenai Hoseiki or the NWC 1990 cart.

If it's not a legitimate original box, and it doesn't say reproduction on it and its not labeled as reproduction, then its just a terrible disingenuous seller.

edit: there is a 4th category I thought of after making this post originally.

4. A box in a different region that was never made. An example is a Pokemon Green box for the gameboy in the style of the pokemon red, blue and yellow western releases.

Edited February 19, 2020 by kuriatsu
adding information.

[Nes Freak | 584]

you can always tell a fake from a real.  cause real always smell of an old closet or musty.  im not a fan of reproduction boxes  the only time i think there necessary  is if the box alone cost over 1k to get.

[Tanooki | 4,930]

I could put a twist into the never made box, Blockbuster years ago made their own mario tennis boxes for Virtual Boy to rent it out.  They're in the wild now, not the same materials as the other 13 boxes the US had.  I've got one, thankfully my system came with it which was awesome dumb luck.  It had the quality of the high tier knockoffs you get now print quality/ink style wise and allt hat yet it's not cardboard but one of those white style boxes the repops and even I guess GBA used too in time.

[attakid101 | 267]

14 hours ago, CodysGameRoom said:

It's not really about mental gymnastics or trophies for everyone. Maybe someone just likes how they look on a shelf?

Yeah and that’s the problem with you goddamn kids today. As long as it looks good for Facebook and instagram who fucking cares right? 
 

Bunch of superficial ass, vacuous, tail chasing, morons.

/rant