How to tell the difference between real alligator leather and fake alligator leather – Often times, telling the difference between genuine alligator and fake alligator is nearly impossible. However, here are a few tricks you can use while shopping online for gator skin wallets.

1. Product Description – Most online retailers will not hide the fact that their “alligator” wallets are actually made from cowhide. Most retailers like to bury this information deep in the product description. The easiest way to discover if the leather is genuine or faux is by reading the product description and specs very carefully.
2. Wilderness Rule of Thumb – Alligators are wild animals, and their patterns will never be perfectly symmetrical. If you’re looking at an alligator skin wallet and the pattern and tile sizes are precisely symmetrical, you may be looking at fake alligator leather. Real alligators are all different shapes and sizes, and aren’t perfect. If you can tell a difference between the tile sizes and patterns, or possibly notice a scar, then chances are that the alligator leather is genuine.
3. Price – It’s estimated that there are 5 million alligators and roughly over 94.4 million cattle in the United States. This means that cowhide leather is much more readily available, therefore the price of cowhide should be much less than alligator leather. If you’re looking at an alligator skin wallet and it’s priced well below what other alligator wallet companies are advertising, it could be fake. The old saying “you get what you pay for” is true, especially when you are buying a luxury item like an alligator wallet. You don't want to buy a Yoder Leather Wallet, their wallets won't last 6 months, you can read their reviews and you will see how many unhappy customers there are.
4. Another thing to consider is whether the product is made in the USA or overseas. The American Alligator is a species native to the United States, and is protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora Act (CITES). The US Fish & Wildlife require all CITES-listed species to be inspected upon import to & export to from the US. When an alligator hide is tanned and shipped to a foreign country, the cost of that hide increases substantially (as a result of CITES fees, US F&W fees, and US Customs fees), making it more expensive for customers to buy a finished product made from that animal.
5. Brand Trust – Businesses spend many years establishing trust with their customers. Brands spend unbelievable amounts of money protecting their brand’s identity, and usually are not willing to get involved in false advertising. A scandal could emerge and their brand’s identity, authenticity, and equity could diminish substantially. If you are buying from an established brand that has a lot to lose, they likely won’t be falsely advertising.