Thank you for taking a moment to read my guide, I will try to be as exact as possible and not write too much, I don't want to bore you, I want to educate you!

With ever growing popularity of designer handbags, there is an even greater number of manufacturers out there attempting to create the same handbags. Replica handbags are not just illegal to buy & sell, they insult the very designers that work hard to create bags that suit each woman's desires. Replica handbags are usually found at road side stands & flea markets, and they are available to those who cannot afford the real thing, and for this reason I understand the need for them, but many sellers are not just selling these bags at a discounted price, they are jacking up the prices and attempting to pass them off as authentic. For those of us who save up our money so we can afford the real thing, getting ripped off is the last thing we want to happen. If we are going to spend an upwards of $400 on a Coach bag, you bet I want it to be authentic. The average replica handbag can be purchased for $20-$40, $40 being the most pricey, and if you ask me, which if you are reading this, you are :-), even $40 is too much to spend on a knock-off.

The designers of these replica handbags are getting better & better, and they are using better manufacturing so it is getting more difficult to tell them apart from the real deal. There are, however, a few things that these knock-off (rip-off) makers cannot replicate, and that is the quality of the materials they use. The materials are what makes the authentic bags more expensive, so this is one thing they just cannot duplicate. Especially with Coach, Coach products are made from the most supple leather available, the original maker started because of a simple baseball glove, he wanted a better leather, and that is how Coach got its start (but that is another guide all together, and you can read that story on any Coach insert that comes with the AUTHENTIC items).

Comparison List, use these marks & signs to determine if the Coach item you purchased is authentic, or if you got duped;

1. The Leather: if you purchased a leather product, the feel of the leather is like butter, compared to a more stiff, and thick piece on the fake. If it has leather or suede trim, you can feel the difference in that too, feel the strap, smell it, there is a clear difference. In addition, all leather Coach products have at least 1 Coach stamp on it, whether it be on the lower end of 1 side, or on the leather that attaches the shoulder strap to the bag, look for it, it is there, if you find it examine it closely, make sure the word 'Coach' is outlined and beneath it is says 'Leatherware' and beneath that is has '1941'. If the leather stamp it is sewn on, or has stitching around it, it may be fake.

2. Coach Jacquered Signature Fabric: whether it be the original signature collection or the mini-signature collection,  the 'CC' design varies just a slight amount on the replica, the 'C' is either slightly elongated or is too narrow and the way they face each other is slightly off, and again, the fabric is a bit thicker and on the replica it is NOT stain resistant, if you pour a little bit of water on the authentic bag, it bubbles up on the replica it seeps in. You can tell by looking at the quality of the fabric, use your best judgment, if it looks fake it probably is.

3. The Inside Emblem Tag, Creed Patch: This is where the knock-off designers are getting better, they are taking actual imprinted tags and copying them exactly, the wording USED to be different, but todays replicas have actual wording in them (the good replicas do anyway) if it is missing a serial #, it is obviously a fake. The leather is always the same soft supply feel, and a lot of times, if the bag is from a Coach Store (outlet) it will have a small stamp on the corner, it will look like a hole punch, without puncturing the leather. This little circle is a good indication the bag is authentic.

Here is how to tell if the Creed is fake:
            Creed Examples:

4. The Stitching: On authentic Coach bags the stitch they use on and around the leather is very small & tight, it NEVER is uneven, on the replicas there is always larger stitches & they almost always are crooked in at least 3 spots, especially on the interior around the Coach leather tag. But this is getting better on newer replicas.

5. The Fob: More & more these designers are getting REAL Coach fobs & putting them on a fake Coach bag, so never judge a bag solely on its fob. However, the fake fobs are EASY to spot: A fake metal fob will peel (it is not a solid piece it is almost always plated), a real one is stamped on the front & on the back is a tiny stamp horizontally across the edge. The REAL leather fobs, again, have perfect stitching, and a fake one does not, the stitching tends to be all over the place and often times a lonely thread will be sticking out where the last sloppy stitch was placed. Fake fobs also tend to be a bit chubbier, they appear thicker. The font on the fakes is also off, you can always tell the difference by holding a fake & an authentic fob next to one another- the fakes font is TALLER and looks weird.

6. The Hardware: Any authentic Coach hardware is stamped with the word 'Coach' with an outline, the word is boxed in- on the replicas it is either not stamped at all, or if it is stamped it is not boxed in, if it is boxed in the word 'Coach' will appear taller than the authentic stamp, the authentic stamp in comparison is shorter & wider rather than tall skinny letters. But again, the Coach emblem is always stamped on every piece of hardware, and buttons bear the 'Coach*Est.1941'. If the bag or accessory has any 'O-Rings' they will be continuous circles, and they are made very well, you will not be able to tell where the break in the circle is because they are welded and do not spin, and if the strap has a key hook on it it will be the same color & the same size as the O-Ring. The fake bags O-Rings always spin & you can see the opening, not to mention it is usually plated to look like brass, where as the real bag is made of actual brass or heavy duty metal.

7. Interior Lining:  Authentic bag are usually lined with either cotton or satin fabric. If it is the silk 'CC' signature fabric (refer to telling the difference in the signatures) it is probably real, fake bags do not make good quality signature satin, so they avoid using it (it is a dead giveaway). If the interior is a solid cotton material the authentic bag will have a THICKER feel & has a horizontal line pattern. If the satin material is stamped with the 'Coach' emblem (refer to the elongated taller letters), but this material is usually reserved for the coin pockets of their wallets & is sometimes used in solid leather bags (older ones) but it also will say 'EST 1941' under the diagonal of the larger leather item with this interior, and rarely used otherwise, so if the entire interior has the word 'Coach' stamped diagonally over & over again, that is an indication it is a replica (if you still have questions, or have an example you want me to look at- email me). Also, interior fabric usually contrasts the exterior color, unless it is a classic design. Classic designs usually have an interior to match the exterior. Also, research the bag you are looking at and find out what color interior it is supposed to have. Every Coach design, each style # has a specific interior color depending on the exterior color & pattern, you can have 2 of the same bags, but if they are different colors then the interiors will be specific to that exterior.

8. Zippers: if the zipper says RTK, or something of that sort, it is a fake bag, Coach zippers are never stamped with anything aside from YKK (NOT RTK). Also, actual zippers are being used less & less. Instead you are being given a zipper pull, and it is a lot of the time, a small strip if leather (usually the same color leather used on the bag) and has 1 - 2 stitches to anchor it in place. If the zipper pull is a chubby piece of leather that is sewn together, examine the bag closely because this is also a common pull used on replicas. There is often a small round Coach button on zipper pulls as well.

There you have it, some of the ways to tell a knock off Coach bag. If you have questions, please email me, I will help you in any way I am able to. Happy shopping!

I have a Coach Authentication Service that I provide. If you purchased a bag & doubt its authenticity let me help you determine if it is real. I will provide you a notarized letter with my findings. I want to prevent YOU from getting ripped off, and if you did, I want to help you get some justice!

Remember, it is ILLEGAL to sell replica handbags! It is a trademark infringement! You are protected under certain laws!

If you bought a fake bag REPORT it to Coach as well!!!! They have established a way to report counterfeits!

Call Coach counterfeit at 800-396-1807

Email Coach at  counterfeits@coach.com

You can remain anonymous!!

When calling or emailing, send them the information I will list below

1. Where is the location of the seller or their store?

2. What kind of location is it (i.e. retail, street vendor, flea market, internet, factory, etc.)? If you are reporting an internet auction seller, please provide the seller name and item number of the item at issue. If the seller has multiple listings, include each number.

3. What quantities and styles are being sold?

4. Are counterfeits of any other companies present? If so, which companies?

5. Do the items bear any Coach trademarks (Coach name, logo, beaded chain and hangtag, Signature C), or are they confusingly similar to Coach designs and trademarks?

Help me help Coach! Together we can stop these scums from selling counterfeit items! THEY are the reason prices are so high! Counterfeits cost the designer industry BILLIONS of dollars each year!! Our economy cannot afford this, or any other illegal sales.

I am only 1 person, but if we all work together.. maybe, just maybe, we can put a dent in these illegal sales!