When buying retired Beanies though, there are no official retailers to go to, so follow these tips and they could help you avoid the fakes. Always have a Beanie you know is authentic to compare tags, and at least a picture of the actual Beanie you're buying to check nose colour etc. The Ty site is the best place to go for this. Many fakes can be spotted immediately as the poor quality production gives them an 'ugly' look. Eyes should be evenly placed, and on bears, the nose should be right in the centre where the seams meet.
Embroidery is often very poor on fakes, so check it carefully.
Overstuffing is also common, making fakes appear larger and stiffer than the real thing. All Ty beanies have the same, glossy, soft fur, even when they're old. All authentic Beanie's ribbons are shiny on both sides and are sewn fastened. Check a real one for width and colour, these are common mistakes with fakes. Shades are often wrong, but you'd need to compare with a real one to see.