Let’s face it, kratom isn’t cheap, and depending on the dose you need, a month’s supply can cost you quite a bit. Therefore, some users may be tempted to choose a cheaper product.
Sadly, it may not always be the best route to take because you may end up getting fake kratom.
So, if you suddenly discover your kratom is not working and you’ve ruled out all the possible reasons for it being kratom tolerance, chances are that you’ve purchased fake kratom.
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Why You Shouldn’t Buy Cheap Kratom
Imagine that you want to buy a designer watch. You would have a basic idea of how much it would cost. And if you see anything considerably below that price yet with the designer logo on it, you’d immediately suspect that it’s a knock-off.
The same principle applies to kratom.
It costs a certain amount of money to buy kratom from suppliers and import it. So, if the retail price of kratom is low, it could mean the following:
- It’s fake kratom,
- It’s fake kratom mixed with expired kratom,
- Kratom is mixed with other substances, and even if they are harmless, that is not what you agree to pay for, and it won’t deliver the desired results,
- It’s old or contaminated kratom that’s repackaged and labeled as fresh,
- It’s illegally acquired kratom that likely hasn’t passed safety control.
In either one of the cases, it’s not a good idea to consume it. Especially because kratom isn’t regulated.
The FDA is advocating a kratom ban. Even though kratom is legal right now to sell, buy, and possess kratom in the United States, there are no regulations that would control the imported product.
Kratom quality control comes down to individual vendors, their values, and their code of ethics. While many vendors test each batch of kratom that they receive for contaminants and other harmful substances, not everyone does that. Simply because they aren’t accountable to anyone else but themselves.
What makes this even worse is that because there are no regulations, there is also no punishment for not selling genuine quality kratom. So, the one who suffers from all this is the end user.
Buying fake kratom is not only a waste of money but can even be dangerous.
Here are some of our tips on how you can avoid buying fake kratom.
How to Avoid Buying Fake Kratom
Do Your Research on Kratom Vendors
If you’re new to kratom or are looking for another vendor, don’t just choose the first vendor whom you come across.
Take your time to check them out. A genuine kratom vendor will have a website and may also sell kratom in online marketplaces such as Amazon and eBay. Their prices should match regardless of where the products are sold.
If you can only find the product on eBay and it’s selling for a really cheap price, this cheap kratom is likely fake kratom.
A legitimate seller should have a website. They should display information on kratom lab testing and have an easy way of contacting them. A reliable vendor will also likely have reviews or testimonials from satisfied clients.
Don’t go Crazy over Cheap Kratom and Discounts
Kratom usually stays fresh for up to six months after purchase. Stored properly, of course. If kratom vendors have a product that will expire soon, they may offer discounts.
They do so because if they follow ethical practices, they need to discard the expired product. Depending on the quantity that can mean huge losses of money.
By purchasing a product that is going to expire soon, you do not risk your health. You simply need to consume your batch soon to gain optimal effects. Therefore, we advise you not to buy kratom in bulk once it’s discounted.
If it seems that discounts are rotating, or simply put, different products have discounts at different times, then it’s likely that they sell genuine kratom. In this case, not everything they have in store will be discounted.
If, however, all their products have discounts, discounted products seem never to change, or their prices are considerably lower, it may be best to take the safe route and avoid these vendors altogether.
Check Reviews and Customer Feedback
Reviews are crucial for any vendor to make sales. As a matter of fact, 63% of users are more likely to buy a product from vendors who have reviews.
This means that legitimate vendors are going to want to display buyer reviews to boost their sales. Good vendors will also respond to customer feedback, even negative ones. Because even that forms an opinion about their brand, and a legitimate vendor will want to make sure this opinion is good.
Check if the vendor sells their product in online marketplaces as well. While vendors can control their reviews on their own sites, marketplaces such as Amazon and eBay do not allow that.
Many kratom users also use Reddit and kratom forums to talk about their experiences with different vendors.
Check all these out to get a more thorough insight into vendors.
If there are no reviews at all, or they seem to be fake or inconsistent, something may be off. Avoid vendors if you aren’t completely sure of them.
Contact Kratom Vendors if You Have Any Doubts
When in doubt, search the vendor’s website for contact information or customer support.
While not all vendors will have a customer support feature, legitimate ones will have a contact form or contact information easily available on the site. They will also try to respond to queries quickly.
However, if you cannot find any contact information or they do not get back to you, the vendor may either be fake or not care about servicing their customers in the best way possible. We advise you to look for another vendor in either one of the cases.
Watch Out for Someone Copying Existing Kratom Vendors
When something or someone is successful, there will be copycats who will recreate everything exactly in the same way as the original brand. Remember the knock-off watches that I mentioned before? The same can happen to kratom.
Fake vendors can recreate a website and the company’s branding in the same exact manner. They will have a slight tweak in the URL that you may not notice if you aren’t being very attentive at that moment.
They will sell kratom for much cheaper prices that users will be attracted to because they’ll think they are purchasing from the real brand.
To make sure that does not happen to you, make sure to carefully check the URL of the website. Is it exactly the same as it always was? Is the site secure? A secure site should have “HTTPS” in front of the domain name, not “HTTP”.
Make sure to check all that before you process any payments.
Know Where Your Kratom Comes From
Kratom is native to Southeast Asia, namely to Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea.
Kratom’s scientific name is Mitragyna Speciosa. However, there are other plants in the Mitragyna family that aren’t real kratom.
While it may look the same, fake kratom will not have the same concentration of alkaloids. It won’t be as effective and may even cause unpleasant side effects.
With slight exceptions, most of the kratom currently comes from Indonesia and the island of Borneo, which is divided primarily by Indonesia and Malaysia.
So, if you happen to come across a product that isn’t from there, it is highly likely that it may be fake kratom.
Stop Using Kratom If You Suspect that Something Is Wrong
And last but not least, keep in mind that you will be the one suffering if you purchase fake kratom. Make your health and well-being a priority, and always take the safe route when choosing kratom and a vendor.
Have you ever bought fake kratom? How did it happen? What do you do to avoid buying fake kratom?
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