Fakes

Welcome to my brief purse guide!  This guide summarizes the "dos" and "dont's" of purchasing premium handbags on EBay.

EBay is plagued by fakes of all kind.  Some of the fakes are "bad" fakes and some of the fakes are "good" fakes. 

I classify "bad" fakes as the fakes you can buy on the streets of New York and Philadelphia for $20 and up.  These fakes, a large number being Louis Vuitton, all have hardware stamped with LV or other designer creeds and fake serial numbers.  Fakes also come with fake boxes, fake sales tags, fake authenticity cards and fake dust bags.  Fake receipts can also be easily produced.  These fakes are usually incorrectly colored. 

LOUIS VUITTON

Here is a quick guide to look for when purchasing Louis Vuitton (many of these points to look for can translate to the other fake products):

• FAKE - Stiff, inflexible canvas.  Some authentic bags will have inflexible canvas because the bag is reinforced such as the Popincourt and the Alma.  AUTHENTIC -  Authentic LV will be supple and flexible.
• FAKE - Uneven LVs or squares with the Damier series.  AUTHENTIC - LV stamps and squares should be even.
• FAKE - Tan perforated (with small holes) stiff suede lining.  AUTHENTIC - The lining should be smooth tan lining (like you would find in an LV Looping purse), smooth red lining (like you would find in an LV Sonatine purse), brown material (like you would find in the Damier collection or the Speedy) or the rich honey brown suede (like you would find in a Musette).
• FAKE - LV stamps on the fakes are too dark, in some cases every crevice on the canvas is filled in.  The fake LVs tend to have a greenish tinge to the stamps on the brown signature and the Multicolore tend to have colors that don't exist or are stamed too strongly.  AUTHENTIC - The LV stamps are even and lighter.
• FAKES - The handles, piping, or accents will not darken with time and are rigid.  The handles, piping or accents are usually not leather.  When you spill water or another liquid substances on these areas it runs off.  If you have a bag for a year and the handles have not darkened you have a fake.  The Damier collection are an exception to this rule, since the handles, piping and leather accents are already dark.  AUHENTIC - The handles, piping and accents should be leather.  The leather will darken and become a rich honey color with time.  If you spill something on these areas it will show up, such as a water mark.  If you spill a more substantial drink on them, such a sugary soda or beer this will show up as a stain on the leather.
• FAKES - The stitching will be uneven and will end in the middle of a handle.  With time the stitching will come loose or undone.  AUTHENTIC - This stitching will be even and will end at a place that makes sense, at the end of the handle.  You will not see the stitching end in the middle of a handle.
• FAKES - The red edging that encases the sides of the leather areas will be bright red and uneven.  Some fakes have red marks in the middle of the handles where they have spilled or dripped this edging.  AUTHENTIC - The red edging can be fairly bright, however the red lining will be fairly even and there will not be random red marks in the middle of a handle.
• FAKES - The zippers will catch, rust, and just not feel smooth.  AUTHENTIC - The zipper will be smooth and flexible.  

I classify "good" fakes as the high quality fakes.  With these fakes it can be extremely difficult to tell if they are authentic.  However, with these fakes still have quality issues.  I purchased a Louis Vuitton purse from a website based in Asia that claimed their products were authentic.  Upon receiving the purse I could tell it was fake, but it was a very good fake.  The only website that is Louis Vuitton approved and is the exclusive seller/distributor of new Louis Vuitton products is eLuxury.com.      

If you are considering buying premium name brand purses check the feedback from the EBayer seller.  Avoid purchasing from sellers with less than 10 pieces of feedback.  Avoid purchasing from sellers who don't let you view their feedback.  If you are considering purchasing a Louis Vuitton product please check out the approved sellers from My Poupette.  If you are a new seller and are considering selling premium products start slowly to build up positive feedback, avoid listing too many items to start with.  If you plan to purchase a Louis Vuitton product from a website other than EBay, eLuxury.com is the only Louis Vuitton approved website that sells Louis Vuiton products.  

PRADA

Here is a quick guide for what to look for when purchasing Prada purses.  My knowledge is not as extensive with Prada:

• FAKE - Most fakes come with controlato registration cards.  This is not a sure way to know that you have a real bag.  AUTHENTIC - All authentics come with a controlato registration card.  If the seller can also provide the original tag (and you can tell it came from Saks Fifth Ave., a retail Prada store or another reputable retailer) and an original receipt this would be a safer purchase.
• FAKE - The Prada logo or metal plate will not be complete.  It will not have all of the correct edges.  For example, the banner portion of the logo will not be complete.  Compare your logo to a close up of a Prada logo online or a Prada bag in a retail store.  The rivets will have definite edges above the metal plate logo also.  AUTHENTIC - The log will be complete.  The logo plate has different levels in the writing and edging.
• FAKE - The stitching will come apart with time, usually very little time.  You may have loose stitching initially.  AUTHENTIC - Stitching will be high quality and firm.          

My Products

All of my merchandise is guaranteed authentic or your money back.  My merchandise is all purchased at a retail store.  For example my Coach products come from a Coach retail store and my Banana Republic products come from a Banana Republic store.  My Louis Vuitton products come from My Poupette sellers or from Saks Fifth Avenue.