From experience, I would not recommend buying iphone 5 charger cords on ebay. They are all in the trash. Even the one in a Belkin box that looks legit and has the symbols on it. Some work for awhile and then they stop being recognized. Not sure why. Maybe the coating wears out on the plug or something.
One reason I am thinking of switching back to an android or blackberry is this whole cord issue. I am not going to pay 20 dollars for a cord.
Update.
The cord that came in Belkin box continues to work. However it often will say that the accessory is not compatible. If I plug and unplug it seems to work. Sometimes I have to disconnect it from my USB port and plug it into the wall.
I do have to say the wall plug adapters that come with some of the generic cables come in handy and may be worth the price. Also one of the vendors from China actually sent me replacement cords quickly. Unfortunately most of them also stopped working.
Further update
Did some research and found some articles on a couple people in China killed by a generic charger. Hmmm.
I also found this older article on snopes that discusses this topic as well. snopes. I have to say I could believe an improperly wired device could cause issues.
Hold on. I just realized something. Voltage in the us household plugs is usually 110 v. On China it is 220 v. Yeek. 110 v is dangerous enough but 220v ! I would not mess around with that. Other countries in Europe have the same voltage.
Also read that Apple usb plugs have a chip on them to identify authorized cords. One article says the generic cords may not regulate the power properly and could cause damage to the iPhone insides. Hmmm. Maybe.
What possibly in the piece of wire regulates the power? I don’t see a big block in the middle of the wire. Hmmmmm.
One thing I realized is when traveling in a 220 v country be mindful it could pack a punch.
Update.
One of my cords fell apart and I see there is a microchip on the end that goes into your iphone.
I bought an iphone certified cord at Ross. It works reliably. Look for the iphone iPod symbol.
I again bought more iphone like cords on ebay. I bought 10 for about $6 with free shipping. A number either stopped working or never worked but about 4 are working fine.
Probably better just to get a certified cord from a discount place like Ross. I think I paid $10.