I was at the salon this morning, when my hairdresser mentioned that the nail lady had a whole supply of faux Coach handbags.  I wanted to see them up close, so I walked over to the shelves where they were displayed.  I examined several bags while the nail lady was in the back room and determined that the bags were fakes,(very poor ones,indeed) not replicas. 

Replicas are copies that are practically indistinguishable from the original.  A replica designer handbag is one that copies every detail down to the tags, authenticity cards and serial numbers.  Manufacturers of these products claim to use the highest quality materials, including "cowhide leather," and brass.  Although the makers claim that the prices of these bags are well below that of the actual designer bags, they are not cheap.  Prices start well over $100.00.  I've seen some as high as $300.00.

Fake handbags are easy to detect, provided you are familiar with the original ones.  The Coach handbags I saw had the familiar tell-tale signs:

1.  The signature fabric was of poor quality.

2.  The signature C's did not look right; they were poorly formed, irregular in size and were not lined up correctly.

3.  The center seam (down the signature bags) did not go through the center of the C's.

4.  Stitching was slightly crooked and irregular in some places.

5.  Patent leather or discolored leather.

6.  Poor quality metal zippers and clasps.

7.  The lining was made of thin cheap fabric.

8.  The embossing of the faux "creed" & serial numbers on the inside were not neat and clean like they should have been and the stitching mirrored the poor quality seen everywhere else on the bag.  The leather was thin and slightly discolored.

9.  The coach tags, leather or metal, just didn't look as nice.

10.  There was a white tag with "Coach" on it, but the size of the letters was not quite right.  The price written in ink pen on the opposite side of the tag was a dead give away.

11. And frankly, I thought the handbags were so inferior that they were flat out "ugly"!

IT IS ILLEGAL TO MANUFACTURE AND TO SELL FAKE AND REPLICATED HANDBAGS!

Any bag that displays the designer's trademark unauthorized is contraband. Even if there is a disclaimer that states the bags are for "entertainment purposes only".  It is illegal in this country to use someone's trademark and name without their permission (that's rarely granted), but that doesn't stop the black market trade.  Don't support the manufacturers of these bags or the people who sell them.  You can do that by not buying one! Selling them is not harmless as some "replicators" claim.  Why?  Firstly, no matter what the manufacturer or seller of these faux bags claim, they cannot quarantee the quality of them.  And any "quality" other than that of the original's hurts both the seller and the buyer.  Secondly, using someone's trademark is theft.  It isn't any different than walking into a Coach store and lifting a handbag. 

I doubt that there is much eBay sellers of designer handbags can do to curtail the expansion of the black market, but we can educate the consumer and we can keep up-to-date with the distinguishing characteristics of these fake and replicated handbags, no matter how small or subtle the details.  And that's my major concern.  

One used to be able to tell a fake and replicated handbag by its lack of the creed, authentification cards, and serial numbers.  Since we can't rely on that anymore,  I have some additional suggestions to those offered in other guides.  I do not wish to be redundant, but I think they are important to restate:

1.  Most authentic Coach handbags that are purchased at a factory outlet, will say so on the white sales tag.  You will see "COACH" in brown letters and underneath, "FACTORY," in smaller type.

2.  Look for the bar code on the reverse side of the white tag.  It will be upside down, facing the opposite direction of the "COACH" on the top side.  Above the bar code will be a number in black type that coincides with the style number.  For example if I have a Coach Holiday Patchwork Demi Bag, the number should read FS7071.  Following the style number, there will be four numbers or a combination of letters and numbers in smaller type, the first two followed by a forward slash followed by the last two.  Ex. -  B4/MC.

3.  If you are a seller of Coach handbags, be sure to take pictures of the front and back of the aforementioned tag, so that potential buyers can verify the authenticity of the handbag.

4.  Look at the price.  Does it seem too low?  Since replicated handbags are not necessarily cheaper, check out the going price of the same style handbag on eBay.  

5.  Check a potential buyer's feedback number.  How long have they been selling?  What is their feedback rating?

6.  Try to determine from where the bag originates.  Some authentic Coach bags are made in China, but so are alot of fake and replicated ones.  The rule of thumb for sellers is to stay away from distributers that get their handbags from Asia.  That advice goes for buyers as well.

7.  If the seller shows only a stock picture, it is best to ignore that listing.

I am not affiliated with Coach,  but I appreciate the quality and workmanship of their handbags.  I am careful and vigilant in verifying the authenticity of each Coach handbag before it is listed.  I do not and have never purchased a faux or replicated handbag. And I do not have any affiliations with anyone that does!  

I invite you to visit my store...you can bid confidently with Mia Bela Fashions.   Mia Bela Fashions