What Online Authentication Can and Cannot Tell You | Scope and Limitations

Online authentication lets you submit product information and photographs for review by professional authenticators. It offers a way to seek an assessment remotely, but photographs cannot communicate every characteristic of a physical item.

Understanding the scope helps you prepare useful materials and interpret the outcome appropriately. This guide explains the role of photo-based authentication with reference to MODE EYE’s service information. About Online Authentication

Photographs Can Show Visible Features

Clear photographs provide information about an item’s overall shape and details such as logos, stamps, hardware, and stitching.

A single logo or stamp is not a universal basis for assessing every product. Required images vary by category and brand, so follow the instructions for your item. Category- and Brand-Specific Photography Guide

Photographs Cannot Fully Capture Physical Characteristics

Information outside the frame, or information that requires touch or operation, may remain unavailable. Examples include:

• Odors, stickiness, and material stiffness.

• Weight and tactile qualities.

• Zipper and clasp operation.

• Concealed construction or hidden damage.

• Changes occurring after the photographs were taken.

These are limitations of the photographic medium. If you also need to understand condition or usability, ask the seller specific questions or consider an appropriate physical inspection.

Additional Images May Be Needed

Dark images, reflections over stamps, blurred details, or missing areas can limit the available information.

MODE EYE sends requests for additional materials through My Page when the submitted materials are insufficient. Check the requested areas and retake the photographs as instructed.

A request for more images is a request for evidence. It does not, by itself, indicate whether an item is genuine. Photography and Additional Materials

The Photographs Must Correspond to the Item

A photo-based assessment concerns the item represented in the submitted materials. It does not automatically apply to a different physical item.

When buying pre-owned goods, compare the listing photographs, the item received, and the product information on any certificate. Avoid mixing photographs or certificates belonging to different items.

Authentication Is Different from Valuation or a Condition Guarantee

An authenticity assessment serves a different purpose from estimating a purchase or resale price. An item being assessed as genuine does not, on its own, establish that it is free from wear, will remain fault-free, or can be sold for a particular amount.

Identify whether you need help with authenticity, condition, or value, then check the service’s scope.

Check Certificate Requirements and Current Status

MODE EYE issues a certificate when an item is assessed as genuine and the issuance requirements are met. Applying does not guarantee that a certificate will be issued.

Certificates record product information and the assessment at the time of issuance. Use the number or QR code to check the product details and current status rather than relying solely on a saved image or PDF. Certificates & Verification

Before applying, check the supported categories and prepare the requested photographs. Ask the service operator to clarify any uncertainty about an outcome or certificate. Apply for Authentication