by Lacey Husbands
There are a number of questions that you should be asking yourself before you go out spending money on that Designer Handbag or Purse you wanted. Is the bag or purse you want really authentic or just a cheap replica? How do you tell the difference between them? With the current economic crisis more and more people than ever (both online and offline) are trying to get the uneducated shopper to buy designer purses for cheap that are actually replicas. This article has been specifically written for those who are thinking of buying at eBay, however, some of the tips offered in this article may prove useful and help to protect you in most offline transactions.
As a great many of us know already, eBay offers a unique place where designer purses and handbags can be purchased at highly discounted prices. To put it simply, eBay offers you the chance to save money on some of the best known brands compared to anywhere else. I myself, have over the years saved thousands of dollars on purchasing not just designer bags, but accessories and clothing through eBay. However, there are still some unscrupulous sellers on eBay who are claiming that the products they are selling are genuine but which are in fact fakes.
You should keep in mind that eBay has a zero tolerance policy when it comes to these kinds of sellers. Yet even so every so often one can slip through the net and take advantage of the unsuspecting buyer. In this article I provide some steps that you should take to help avoid these kinds of sellers on eBay and to make sure that the designer purses for cheap you see are the real thing.
Step 1. DO YOUR HOMEWORK
Learn as much about the designer brand and model that you are thinking of buying. I would suggest you go to your local department store or boutique to look at the handbag you want and study its various characteristics. The other option you have is to visit a website that has the handbag you are after. Most of the online retailers including Nordstrom, provide a number of pictures of the bags they carry. If you cannot find the exact bag then you should look at one that closely resembles it. After finding the bag you are thinking of buying now is the time to do your due diligence and spend time comparing the following characteristics with the designer purse or handbag that you have carried out research on previously.
Color: Make a note of what color the item displayed at the auction site is. Is it the same color as the authentic designer purse or handbag you’ve researched? A great way of determining this is by visiting the manufacturer’s website to see if they offer that particular style of handbag in the color shown on the auction site.
Seams: Study the stitching and seams of the purse being auctioned. Do the seams meet in the same manner as the known authentic? Is the stitching proportioned evenly across the bag? If not, chances are its a fake.
Exterior Material: Almost all Designers use leather accents, NOT plastic.
Markings or Logo: Every designer will place their brand name or logo on the leather or hardware of their purse or handbag. Make sure that you check that the letters or the logos are displayed in the same way exactly as that shown on an authentic one. If the mark from the manufacturer is on the leather it should be engraved. If it has been printed rather than engraved you will know you are looking at a replica. Plus, you will also notice that most designers like to put their brand name or logo inside the bag on the lining somewhere.
Hardware: Take a close look at the purse or handbag’s hardware and make sure that each of the pieces color matches. Also, look to see if the logo is engraved in to the hardware. If it has been printed or embossed then the chances of it being a replica are high.
Step 2. FINDING A TRUSTWORTHY SELLER
Location: Please be cautious of sellers that are located in Asia. There are a lot of factories that produce replicas in that region of the world.
Large Amounts Of Same Item: Look out for those sellers who have a large number of listings where they are selling the exact same bag. However, if they are selling several different styles of Juicy Couture handbags you should be alright. Always be wary of a seller who has 20 listings of the exact same juicy couture model, especially when they have “Buy It Now” at a price that seems too good to be true.
Seller Feedback: This can help you to quickly identify those sellers you can trust to be selling an authentic designer purse. I would recommend that you never purchase high end items from those sellers who have no more than 15 to 20 reviews and whose positive feedback score is below 98%. To put it in simple terms, a reputable seller on eBay will not risk getting their feedback damaged by selling you a replica purse or handbag.
Step 3. INSPECT THE PICTURES
Verify Their Authenticity: Look to make sure that the seller has included one picture that clearly shows the designer’s logo or brand name engraved on to the bag. If the pictures provided by the seller are fuzzy or none have been included ask them to post some better ones for you.
Ask For More Pictures: Any reputable eBay seller will include a number of pictures of the bag showing it from a variety of angles to help you verify that it is an authentic designer purse or not. Use these photos to check the authenticity of the seller’s designer purses for cheap. Don’t forget to compare the characteristics mentioned above. the seller’s designer purses for cheap . Also if you don’t feel enough pictures have been provided as them to post some more, but be specific to exactly what pictures you want. If you would like to see the base of the purse or a close up then ask for these pictures to be taken.
Hopefully, you haven’t been discouraged by me from shopping on eBay for cheap designer purses. Generally, you will never find you have a problem, but it doesn’t hurt to take some precautionary steps to avoid the pitfalls of others, especially when you are thinking of spending quite a bit of money.
So to recap, before you buy design purses for cheap, make sure that you do the following to verify it is authentic. Do your homework, find a seller you can trust and make sure that you review all pictures supplied. Taking these steps you can be confident in knowing that you are buying a genuine designer purse or handbag rather than some cheap knock off.