UPDATES SINCE ORIGINAL 2006 POSTING:

1/15/08 UPDATE:  The Kooba DYLAN, HARPER & CARLY are being replicated so be careful when buying this style bag on Ebay.   Please visit thebagaddiction . com or Ioffer . com to see a ton of fakes that are made.   Please see my separate guide with more pictures of some fakes. These are all fake:

9/4/07 UPDATE:  This should be old news to most of you but just to clarify, the Kooba zipper pull being thicker at the end does NOT mean anything anymore!  Only the really old fakes will not have the zipper pull that is thicker at the end now.  A long time ago, this actually meant something when looking for a fake.  But most ALL of the fakes now have this type of zipper pull and Kooba written only on one side.  I see sellers with FAKE bags telling people how to spot the fakes by looking for the zipper pull details.  Just ignore this, it means nothing now. 

7/7/07 UPDATE:  There are many FAKE Charlies, Natashas & Parkers being SOLD on EBAY. The counterfeiters are keeping more current so BEWARE of ANY and ALL Kooba handbags being sold if you are not extremely familiar with the style.  Go to IOFFER . com to see all the new FAKE Koobas! Here is a FAKE Charlie:

PLEASE GO TO IOFFER . COM  or TRADEKEY . comto see if your bag is found there! If so, it might be FAKE! The overwhelming majority of bags on Ioffer are fake so its a good way to see what styles are being counterfeited!

Okay, back to THE GUIDE!

Hi, I'm a Kooba fan who, like most of us, wanted to save a little money so I decided to look for a Kooba handbag on Ebay.  When I saw "100% Authentic Kooba, Money Back Guarantee",  I assumed it was a genuine Kooba bag.....WRONG! 

Buyers BEWARE of some of the Kooba handbags being sold as 100% Authentic!  While you CAN find actual REAL Kooba bags on Ebay, MANY are FAKE!  They are called "mirror-image replicas" and many of the Kooba bags (about  50% or more) on Ebay are THIS TYPE OF BAG!   And they are NOT the same quality as a GENUINE KOOBA! (DO NOT let the term "replica" fool you!)

If you DO attempt to buy a Kooba handbag on Ebay, make CERTAIN the seller offers a MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE.  TAKE YOUR BAG TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER IMMEDIATELY if you are unsure of its authenticity in case the seller has a limit on time for returns.

HINTS ON SPOTTING FAKES:  There have been lots of changes since I first posted this guide Summer 2006 but I'm still including some older info since the older fake bags still appear on Ebay.  Counterfeit bags were much easier to spot back then.  Initially, you could spot a fake Kooba by looking for anything other than the "brown string" attached to the Kooba tag.  Now, most of the fakes have the brown string also.  BUT 99.9% of the brown Kooba tags that have anything other than a brown string attached are FAKE!  

TAGS:The 2006 Kooba tags are two-sided & folded and the string is connected in the CORNER. Most 2007 tags are two sided & folded and the string is connected in the MIDDLE. Late 2007/2008 bags have a single sided tag AGAIN with the string in the middle.  Authentic Koobas from previous seasons had the single sided tag (so you may find an authentic pre-2006 Kooba with the non-folded tag). Counterfeiters use both types of tags so be careful.  NOTE: Some sellers will STEAL a real (folded) tag and put it on bags for photos so ask to a see a close up of the inside of a folded tag to make sure the info matches the bag you are bidding on.  They may also photograph an authentic bag but ship out a fake one. BE CAREFUL!

ZIPPER PULL: The metal zipper pull on authentic Koobas is THICKER at the end.   On some of the bad fakes, it is the same depth from top to bottom. 

BUT most of the FAKES now have zipper pulls that are thicker at the bottom like authentic Koobas so this doesn't mean much anymore. If you have one that isn't, its a pretty old, bad fake. Also, some of the bad FAKES have Kooba written on BOTH sides of the interior zipper pull.  REAL Koobas only have it on ONE side of the zipper pull.  

   NOTE: Some older style authentic Koobas had leather zipper pulls!

MADE IN CHINA: Both REAL AND FAKE KOOBAS are made in CHINA and will have a MADE IN CHINA TAG in the interior seam.  Older models may not have this.

KOOBA LEATHER: Authentic Pebble Grain Koobas are RARE but they have been made. Kooba leather is usually textured in some way (some styles have smoother leather) but MANY (not ALL) pebble grain Koobas on Ebay are fake so be careful. You need to know if the style you are purchasing was ever made in pebbled leather before purchasing it. Kooba bags may have sections of a bumpy texture (sometimes LARGE bumps) but there will also be sections of SMOOTH leather or crinkled leather. Some of the Fall 2006 bags have HUGE bumps all over (i.e. Teak leather) but nothing like standard handbag pebbling. The leather that is evenly pebbled all over (like an old Dooney) even the straps, is the biggest clue of a fake Kooba! Ask for a CLOSE-UP photo of the leather. Most Kooba leather will have variations in the texture (some sections smooth, some bumpy, some crinkled).  Even the color may vary slightly in different sections. If it is bumpy, the bumps will VARY in size.    The fake leather looks like this: 

NEW UPDATE!! The counterfeiters are now making textured leather other than the pebbled type and it is getting increasingly more difficult to detect fakes in photos because of this.  Some people who aren't familiar with Kooba are fooled even in person (you can tell by the positive feedback being left for these FAKE bags).  GET YOUR BAG AUTHENTICATED IF YOU ARE UNSURE OF ITS AUTHENTICITY!

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Real Kooba handbags may have the plastic covering that protects the Kooba plate from scratching and white paper protecting tassles, etc., but I have never seen a real bag with plastic covering the handles.  This is usually a dead giveaway of a counterfeit handbag in ANY brand. 

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DUSTBAGS: A dustbag and tag mean absolutely nothing.  Most all of the fakes have them.  One thing to look for on MOST (not all) genuine NEW Kooba dustbags is that the drawstring ends have glue on the tips to keep them from fraying (some may not have this as it can wear off of used bags but new bags should have this).  Find the knot in the string (one on each side) and feel to see if the ends of the string feel "hard" (you can't SEE the glue but you can feel it).  They will feel like they have been "sealed" in a type of glue.  Almost ALL of the fakes are missing this little detail on the dustbag. But again, this can wear off with use so a used authentic dustbag may have this feature missing.

2007 DUSTBAGS have changed dramatically!  They are now dark brown twill (instead of white felt) and have dark brown drawstrings that are heavily waxed (to keep from fraying).  They have white Kooba lettering.  But AS USUAL, so do the fakes.  I have not seen a fake dark brown dustbag in person so I'm not sure if the strings are waxed or not.  They real ones have a shiny appearance to them.  If ANYONE has any info on the fake Kooba 2007 dustbags please let me know.

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LINING: Authentic Kooba handbags DO have linings in colors other than lavender (brown, olive) and some bags NEVER had lavender lining! And the authentic lining is NOT suede!  It is SUEDE-LIKE.  It feels and looks just like suede, only softer.  The fakes and the real ones both have this interior but it is much nicer on the real ones. 

*2007 bags have a new dark brown twill interior and dustbag.* And so do the new fakes!   **Older Kooba bags (before 2005) had a canvas type interior with Kooba written all over it. There was also a striped pattern in very early years along with a couple of floral patterns. Most fakes will have lavender or "bronze" (looks more brown to me) suede-like lining since they weren't counterfeiting them before they got popular. Older bags also had cloth interior labels instead of metal plates and Kooba was stamped (embossed) on the outside instead of the metal plate. None of the pointers in this guide apply to the older bags. 

SIENNAS: The BRIGHT WHITE evenly pebbled Siennas are ALL FAKE.  Real Siennas are IVORY (off-white, not WHITE).  Carlas, Gingers & Haydons are WHITE and have tiny pebbling (and many are fake so be careful). On Siennas, the two side pockets that have the braided drawstrings should gather evenly. Many of the fakes have uneven gathering or they are not gathered at all Also, the sides of the leather will fold in smoothly above these pockets.   Ask for a side picture of the bag, this can be a clear giveaway of a fake!  (Exception is the super bumpy or embossed bags, they may not be as gathered or fold in as smoothly). 

BELOW is a photo an an AUTHENTIC KOOBA SIENNA IN IVORY:

This is the COLOR it should be and this is the way the folds on the side should look when the dogleash is connected inside. 

BELOW is a photo of a FAKE Kooba Sienna in Ivory (White).  Notice the color difference?  But more importantly, look at how the side folds are. See the difference?  Ask for a SIDE picture of the bag is the seller does not provide one. The BIGGEST clue to a fake handbag is the QUALITY.  Does your handbag FEEL or LOOK like a $500-700 handbag?  You should instinctively know if something seems "off".  Kooba handbags are incredibly well-made.  Upon sight, you will know an authentic Kooba if you are familiar with them.  So, to all of you who have fake ones, people who carry real ones will know they are fake!

I'm not even sure all of the fakes are even real leather.  Some of them look like "droopy skin".  I've noticed that many people who have purchased fakes on Ebay will comment on how incredibly SOFT the leather is.  Well, Kooba leather is wonderful, nice & sturdy and soft as in Italian Leather/Lambskin soft but it is not squishy & droopy.   Again, some of them are made of real leather, just a MUCH lesser quality than what Kooba would use.

Besides the pebble grain leather used in the fakes, they also use a non-pebbled "distressed" type.  It wrinkles up (in a bad way) more than authentic Kooba leather.   So, if you look at yours and think "mine isn't pebbled" that doesn't mean it isn't fake.    AGAIN, does it look like $600 leather?   REAL KOOBA LEATHER is stunning!  UPDATE: Some FAKE bags NOW have textured type leather so BE CAREFUL!

Here is a FAKE Cognac Sienna in the non-pebbled leather:

BELOW IS A PHOTO of an AUTHENTIC KOOBA SIENNA in DESERT. 

This more accurately shows Kooba leather is supposed to look. See the nice side gathers?

Another small hint:  BEWARE of Kooba listings that say "100% Genuine Leather Kooba" and "100% Satisfaction Guaranteed".  They are saying your SATISFACTION is guaranteed but not the AUTHENTICITY!  They are also saying it is GENUINE LEATHER, not a GENUINE KOOBA!  But again, they may say 100% authentic and still be fake.  Siiiiigh.

Ask the seller WHERE THEY PURCHASE THEIR BAGS!  If they seem vague in their answer "a boutique in Seattle", ask "WHAT" BOUTIQUE?  Then find out if this is an authorized retailer (contact Kooba).  Also, sellers who seem annoyed by questions of authenticity are usually selling fakes.  If they say they purchase them from a "supplier"- RUN! These are generally ALWAYS fakes unless they have a retail store and then the only SUPPLIER is KOOBA!

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Highly counterfeited bags are the Ruched bags (Dylan, etc.) Carly, PLEATED BAGS (Charlie, etc) & Avery (see Ioffer . com).  Older bags: Sienna, Ginger, Marcelle, Lucy, Ada, Carla, Mia, Scarlett, Brynne, Paige & Braeden (basically MOST of them).  Anytime you see a brand new, current season bag that is drastically reduced in price (more than 70%) you can be almost certain it is fake. But you can find some great deals on authentic Koobas from previous seasons. I strongly suggest knowing exactly what an authentic Kooba is supposed to look like.  Many Kooba buyers have never seen one in person. People read about them in magazines and then they get on Ebay and receive a fake and they have no idea because they've never seen a real one in person.

ADA:   HERE IS A REAL ADA (see the leather?)!! 

Also, this is by no means 100% accurate but I've noticed that most sellers who use the word "awesome" (i.e. "Awesome White Kooba Sienna Bag!") in the title are selling fakes.  Not all but usually people selling handbags of this caliber would not describe them as "awesome".   I have YET to see an authentic Kooba handbag on Ebay with "Awesome" in the title!  Same goes for "Classy".  Usually people who use the word "classy" have no class (i.e., sell fakes).  Although, at some point, some seller with absolutely no taste might describe an authentic Kooba as classy & awesome. 

DO NOT think that just because a bag has a high buy it now price that is authentic.  I saw several white Siennas sell for $595 buy it now and they were all FAKE!  KNOW YOUR BAG!

ABOUT SELLERS:  DO NOT think that just because a seller has good feedback that he/she is selling authentic merchandise!  Many people don't even know they received a fake and will leave GREAT FEEDBACK!  I've read hundreds of WONDERFUL feedbacks on 100% FAKE KOOBA BAGS!  There are sellers on Ebay with 100% positive feedback who are selling ALL FAKES!  Many POWERSELLERS are selling FAKE KOOBA BAGS (and call themselves "trusted")! BEWARE OF SELLERS WHO USE "PRIVATE" LISTINGS OR WHO HAVE THEIR FEEDBACK "PRIVATE".  MOST SELL FAKE BAGS!!!

Some misinformed Ebay sellers have just been lied to by the people selling these counterfeit bags and may not even realize they are selling fakes.  But many sellers DO KNOW they are selling fakes. And again, ONLY buy from sellers who offer a 100% money-back guarantee. And take time to read ALL of their feedback.  Hints to look for in feedback...obviously anyone saying "fake handbag".  But more subtle hints are: "thanks for the refund".  While this doesn't necessarily mean the handbag was returned because it was counterfeit, it is a big clue if you see several "thanks for the refund" and they are all Kooba handbags or if it is a "private" listing (so you can't see it was a Kooba handbag).  Again, couple this with tags that have those plastic loops (instead of brown string) and pebble grain leather and you can just about figure they are selling fakes. IF YOU RECEIVE A FAKE HANDBAG REPORT IT TO EBAY & TO KOOBA!

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ANOTHER BIG THING TO LOOK FOR: A seller with a VOLUME of Kooba handbags for sale.  Most sellers selling authentic merchandise will only have a LIMITED number of styles and colors for sale. You may have an honest seller with 10 Koobas for sale and they will probably all be in different colors and/or styles.    If you see a seller with more than 5 of any one color BEWARE!  Also, look at their "completed listings".  If they have already sold a ton of Kooba handbags BEWARE!   BEWARE OF ONE DAY AUCTIONS!   BEWARE of PRIVATE listings!

ABOUT RECEIPTS!!  Unfortunately, they have stooped so low as to include fake receipts also.  Some of the "online" receipts are just photo copies and there are people who actually sell just fake receipts if you can believe it!  Someone may have an authentic store receipt but do not rest assured that a bag is real just because it comes with a receipt.

****RECOMMENDED EBAY SELLERS:  PLEASE SEE MY SEPARATE GUIDE FOR A LISTING OF RECOMMENDED SELLERS****

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND contacting Kooba to find an authorized retailer nearest to you.  Go in person, examine the bags, FEEL the bags and know the product.  That is the best way for you to figure out whether any bag you get off of Ebay is authentic or not.  I promise, if you become familiar with their handbags, you will know a fake immediately upon sight! I am NOT associated with Kooba in any way, I'm just a fan of their handbags and was stunned to discover the fakes on Ebay.  

Also do a GOOGLE search for "kooba mirror image replica" to   see how many counterfeiters are clearly admitting they are selling these! Most are made in Asia (as are Kooba but at a TOTALLY different type of factory) and they use child labor to make them cheaply. DO NOT SUPPORT THIS HORRIBLE PRACTICE!  Sellers buy these replica bags for less than $100 and re-sell them for sometimes hundreds of dollars. It is very profitable for people who have no conscience or morals.   If you see a $600+ Kooba handbag that is described as NEW WITH TAGS for under $250, I would be very careful and ask questions.

*IMPORTANT NOTE!!:  The Kooba items that appear in my guide (to the right) are selected by Ebay and may or may not be FAKES!  These are NOT selected by me! Ebay puts these items into the guide strictly based on doing a matching search of the word "Kooba" that is found in my guide.  They do this strictly for sales and I have no control over this. Sorry!

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE TO ANYONE WHO IS SELLING OR PURCHASING COUNTERFEIT HANDBAGS:  It is actually a CRIME! Its not just tacky to sell/own counterfeit handbags, IT IS ILLEGAL!

*Please let me know if you found this guide helpful by registering your vote.  I will be updating this guide periodically to help keep you better informed. Thanks for reading my guide!

I'm VERY sorry but I am no longer answering questions regarding authenticity free of charge as it is taking up too hours of my time.  If you would like for me to look at an item and give my opinion on the authenticity, please send via Paypal $2.00 for each item number. Put the item number in the note section of your Paypal payment.  Send to: christid2303 at AOL dot com.  Please expect up to 3 days for a for a response (don't wait until the auction is almost over).  Include the item numbers in the note section of your Paypal payment.