This guide will focus primarily on the velour handbags but some aspect of it can be used to identify other Juicy Couture bags. I will pick one bag to use throughout the guide for consistency, but most of the points can be applied to other velour bags as well.

First, the basic things that you should know before even looking at the pictures of the bag. These are:

• 90% of Juicy Couture handbags sold on Ebay are fake--I do a lot of searches and see loads of them
  

• Seller feedback--if Seller has negatives, look at them to see if the comment shows complaint of fakes

• Item location--if it comes from China, Hong Kong, or Singapore, then it's most likely fake although some that come from a US state are fake

• Seller's other items: does the Seller seem to have about a hundred Juicy velour bags of the same style up for auctions for such low prices? If so, then he or she is most likely selling fake bags.

Now you want to ask the Seller if the bag is authentic. Some Sellers don't put in the listing whether their bags are authentic--those are the ones to be wary of because they are trying to avoid the authenticity issue. The ones who ignore your question and not respond are usually guilty of selling fake bags too. So you send them an e-mail:

Buyer: Hi, is this bag authentic?
Seller: Yes, this bag is authentic!

Well of course it's authentic...an authentic bag because you're not buying an imaginary bag! So they will mislead you with the wording if you ask if the bag is authentic. It's definitely a real bag, but not a real Juicy Couture bag. So you should ask if the bag is an authentic Juicy Couture. They will usually say something like "It's AAA quality bag!" That translates into "good fake bag."

The best way to tell a fake is to actually have held one before. You will know a fake simply by holding it and touching it. It feels very cheap and is different from an authentic one. Unfortunately, you can only rely on pictures and the Seller's honesty on Ebay.

Look at the pictures very carefully. The stiching should be almost perfect with no loose hanging thread sticking out or crooked stiching. The velour will look and feel stiff and rough--similar to how a velour jacket would feel after you wash it and put it in the dryer for a few times. The real bag will have a nice feel to it. Some velour bags can also be identified by color. The fake ones usually have a slightly duller, lackluster shade than the authentic one, but you must look carefully because of flash from camera, natural light, monitar calibration, etc.

Here are pictures of a fake one (exterior):
Upon closer look, there are loose threads poping out with some crooked words that are stitched poorly

The "J" looks slightly crooked when zoomed in

Now here's a real, authentic juicy:
Stitching is very neat with meticulous attention to detail--it doesn't look sloppy in the slightest.

"J" looks neat and bag has a nice sheen to it

Now the interior. The inside should be made of cotton that feels smooth and flexible, not hard and rough. The fake interior are made of synthetic material which is very cheap (that's how they can afford to make the bag and sell them for profit) and won't hold up. Also, some bags will have a different interior pattern so you can definitely tell that it's a fake.

For example, the real fairy tale velour shoulder bag has this interior pattern:

The fake one has this design:
Also notice the bright shiny metalic pouch that shines with a cheap glimmer

The "I am the fairest" letters on the strap should be embossed, meaning the letters should look like they are engraved into the strap, not printed on or glued on. The fake ones look like they have no depth.

Juicy Couture only makes a set number of colors for each bag, so if you see a Seller offering like 14 different colors for the bag and the colors look hideous and uncharacteristic of Juicy Couture--then you know it's fake. Juicy Couture only has this style in 3 colors.


Some Juicy Couture bags come with dust bags and others don't. The one I'm using as an example doesn't come with one, so if the listing says "dust bag included," that means there's a possibility the bag is fake. The dust bag may be fake but the bag is real, but that's unlikely. Juicy makes their dust bags with heart leather pullstrings. The dustbags are usually made out of a thin flimsy material that is coated with cotton with regular cotton drawstrings.--no hearts.

Here's the cheap dust bag:


If you see a bag you like on Ebay, go to your department store (if possible) like Nordstrom or Bloomingdale's and look and touch the bag to have a good feel for it. Notice the impeccable detail and authentic air to it. Then go back on Ebay and compare that image to the pictures on Ebay.

Be patient and be meticulous when shopping for Juicy Couture handbags on Ebay or online. Read the listing carefully and ask questions before bidding on the item. Don't be fooled and shop wisely!
 
Please vote if this guide was helpful at all so I may continue writing guides to help you, the buyer be more informed about shopping for items on Ebay. Thank you.