This guide will first dispel many myths of buying Real Coach Bags on eBay. Throughout the guide you will find explanations,  examples, pictures and other helpful tips so you can protect yourself from unscrupulous sellers on eBay.

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For many handbag enthusiasts, the allure of a new Coach Handbag or Purse is hard to resist. When you find one at a Great Price it is even more difficult. But, for some, buying on eBay can be a bit unsettling. How can you be sure you are getting a 100 % Authentic Coach Bag? Is it really a 100 % genunie Coach Bag?

First some Myths and Misconceptions:

Myth 1. "I bought a Coach bag from eBay, but it says 'Made in China' on the tag. I was scammed, because Coach does not make bags in China!"

FALSE:  Some people will tell you that Coach makes all of their handbags, purses and totes in the United States. This is no longer true. Coach does have factories in other countries, including China. Their foreign operations are operated in an ethical fashion and they ensure the materials and quality of their products adhere to the highest standards, regardless of the country of origin.

TIP: To be sure of the facts, you can contact Coach Customer service by phone or email, or you may visit a Coach retail store. You can also check the interior leather creed patch at your local Macy's, Saks, or other high-end retailer, where you can see first hand that some Coach bags are indeed manufactured in foreign countries. One easy way to verify this is by going to the investor relations section of the Coach website and reviewing their annual report. In this report, they discuss their foreign operations, including the countries where they are manufacturing their purses and handbags.

Myth 2. "The seller has a receipt; therefore, it must be a 100% Authentic Coach product."

FALSE: Unfortunately, in today's computer technology age, it is possible to print fake receipts from your computer printer. It seems some sellers will go to any low to deceive customers just to make a buck! If the receipt contains the name and phone number of the store where it was purchased, you can generally call the store to verify the receipt is legitimate by giving them the transaction number.

However, if a seller bought one Authentic Coach handbag and used that receipt to make copies, it could appear that they are selling an authentic handbag, when they have actually copied the receipt and are using it to back up fake bags. Often times, you can identify a photocopy of a receipt because the seller was sloppy when they cut it to size using a traditional ink jet or laser printer.

TIP: A legitimate receipt is normally printed on a type of thermal paper roll and has a natural curve to it. Most of these receipts are slightly jagged where they are torn from the cash register, as opposed to a straight cut. Coach receipts typically have a light grey Coach watermark embedded into the thermal paper, making them a bit more difficult to reproduce. The back of Coach Receipts typically have the Coach return policy and Name printed both horizontally and vertically on the back side of the receipt. See a picture of the back of a REAL Coach receipt below (pictured left) and a sample REAL Coach gift Receipt (pictured right).

Myth 3: "My new Coach Bag came with a dust bag, box, tissue paper and the tag (NWT) was still attached, and so it must be an authentic bag."

FALSE: You can easily buy authentic Coach Dust bags, boxes, shopping bags, and tissue paper very cheaply right here on eBay. And, again, with advances in computer technology, it is possible to produce a fake Coach tag. Tagging guns are also inexpensive and readily available so sellers can attach a fake tag to a knockoff purse quite easily. As in the case of receipts, there are sometimes dead giveaways with the font, bar code number and or item number printed on the tag. If the item number on the tag does not match the item number of bag, then you can be sure the tag was probably altered. Some REAL Coach tags are pictured below.

TIP: You can do a search by item number on eBay and make sure the other Coach purses that come up under that item number match the one you are considering.

So, if this is possible, how can a buyer ever really know that it is an authentic Coach bag?

First, if a seller is only selling one or two Coach Purses, this is usually not going to be someone who is running a scam. Look for sellers with lots of the Same Exact Coach bag. If there is a transaction number on the bottom of the receipt, you can always call the store to see if the buyer purchased more than one Coach Item. If not, and they are selling a LOT of the same exact bag, that could be a warning sign!

If a buyer advertises a bag comes with a receipt or gift receipt but it is not pictured, don't be afraid to ask them to email you a copy. Buyers who are not willing to email you additional photos of their items or ignore receipt photo requests present another red flag. Stay away!  Since Coach Bags generally do not go on clearance sales at your major department stores like Macy's, Saks, and Nordstrom’s, many legitimate Coach Sellers, buy their bags from authorized Coach outlet centers. Most Coach Outlet stores limit buyers so that they can only purchase 3 of any one particular style bag per day. This does not mean a seller cannot go with friends and family members and have each person buy 3 of the same bag. And Coach does not limit the total number of bags you can buy. So as long as you are not buying more than 3 of one particular style, you may still buy 10, 20, 30, even 50 bags if you'd like.

Myth 4.  "If my Coach Bag came from an Outlet Store, it must be a second, or irregular, or of cheaper quality that was made just for the outlet center and not one that was ever sold at major retailers including Coach retail stores!"

FALSE:  Coach outlet centers and other authorized outlet stores like Off Saks 5th Ave, sell real Coach handbags and purses, in the same quality and style that you would find at a Coach retail store, or other Coach authorized retailers. While, it is true that Coach makes certain bags exclusively for their outlet stores and may occasionally send them products that have a slight discoloration of the leather or fabric, nearly all of their bags are first quality and many of the seasonal overstocks are sent from major retails and Coach retail stores directly to the outlets for quick sale.

TIP: Some of the best Coach buys can be found at authorized Coach Retail outlet stores when an older style is being replaced with the latest and greatest style. In addition, if you are on the Coach mailing list or email list, they will often send you coupons for 25 Percent off any full retail item or free shipping from their website. So, it is possible to get some discounts directly from Coach's retail division. If an eBay seller does come across a rare Coach item that has a minor characteristic flaw, it should be clearly disclosed in their auction.

Myth 5. "The seller has 100% Postive Feedback, so the Coach purses and bags they are selling must be real."

FALSE: While this is generally true, sometimes a seller can have 100% feedback for other items and then start selling imitation Coach Purses. It is always good to see if a seller has a history of selling Coach Bags and be sure to review their feedback. I have seen sellers who received 100% positive feedback, where buyers have said things like "It is a fake Coach bag, but it is still nice and the shipping was fast!" Sometimes, this may just be a buyer’s opinion and the buyer may be mistaken. One way to determine a bag's authenticity is to take it directly to a Coach retailer where they can verify the authenticity of your Coach Bag or purse.

TIP:  If you do end up buying a knockoff or replica Coach bag, please contact Coach's counterfeiting department. You may report counterfeit Coach Bags via email or the phone number that can be found on their website. In addition, both eBay and PayPal have dispute areas where you can report counterfeit item purchases. Go to the help section on either of these websites and type counterfeit to learn more about the process. A link to eBay’s counterfeit reporting is listed at the end of this guide.

Myth 6. "The bag has the Classic Coach Signature C printed all over it, so it must be a real Coach purse."

FALSE: Many knockoff bags try to copy the Coach design. However, Coach makes such high quality purses and handbags, that it is usually pretty easy to spot a fake Coach bag. First, the classic signature C's usually line up perfectly, even at the seams. The CC's always come together at the top and bottom part of the C on a horizontal basis, never vertical. The C's form mirror images on this horizontal pattern, and not vertically. The C's that are vertical on Coach Bags sit side by side but do not actually touch at the top. Below is a picture of a legitimate Coach bag. You can clearly see the Coach Signature C pattern that I am referring to on a REAL Coach Bag! 

TIP: In addition, Coach does make some leather and other bags without the signature C on them, so just because you don't see the classic C signature jacquard print doesn’t mean that it is a fake Coach bag. The words Coach are usually found on a Creed Patch, imprinted on part of the metal hardware or sometimes in other more subtle places on the purse.

Myth 7. "The seller is starting the bag at only .99 cents, so it must be a fake Coach bag."

FALSE: Usually when a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. If you find a $328 Coach Bag advertised as NWT for only $39 with a buy it now, then it is probably not a legitimate deal. However, many sellers find that auctions that start at only .99 cents attract more bidders. The honest truth is that it usually does. Another truth is that sometimes sellers actually do lose money when they start their auctions at .99 cents with no reserve. However, if the auction is for a high interest item like a Coach handbag, it usually attracts enough attention that sellers can make a modest profit.

TIP: Some sellers start their items low, but put a reserve on the item, meaning the item will not sell until the bidding reaches a certain minimum sale price. For the best bargains on eBay, look for Coach Bags that have low starting prices with no reserves. Sometimes you may even get it at a deal that was better than what the seller paid!

So, with all these myths, how can I protect myself from buying a counterfeit Coach purse and getting ripped off??

Buyer Protection:

1. Make sure the seller is providing pictures of the bag, including the inside. Most Coach Bags have a leather creed patch on the inside that contains the serial number and/or style number. The style number on this patch should match the tag and the bag should be the same as other bags that come up in eBay’s search when you look for this type of Coach Bag. One exception to this is color. The same style bag can be offered in several different colors, and the color is not identified by the style number.

2. Choose sellers with a long history of selling Coach Purses and read feedback from their buyers.

3. Look for sellers with who allow returns. Some sellers say they guarantee you are getting a genuine Coach bag, but they will not accept returns.  What are you to do if you cannot return the item?

4. Look for sellers who state clearly in their auctions that the bag or purse offered for sale is 100% authentic or 100% genuine Coach. Usually sellers who stress this in their auction listings are less likely to be selling knockoff Coach Bags.

5. Look for a seller that offers a money back guarantee. Keep in mind that some sellers do not accept returns but do offer a money back guaranty if you can prove that your bag is a counterfeit Coach bag. But the burden of proof lies with the buyer. You must substantiate your claim with written backup from Coach. If you cannot prove the bag is a fake Coach, the seller will not refund your money.

6. Look for sellers who accept PayPal, as PayPal offers buyers up to $2,000 in purchase protection. If you do end up with a fake bag and have paid via money order, it will be much harder, if not impossible to get your money back.

7. Go with your Gut instinct. If something doesn't seem quite right, it probably isn't.

So, why should I even bother to buy a Coach bag on eBay?

In addion to the protection offered by eBay and PayPal, some of the very BEST DEALS on Coach Bags can be found on eBay!!

Fortunately, eBay works hard to keep fake/counterfeit/knockoff bags OFF of eBay to protect sellers. There are many more honest Coach Sellers than scams on eBay! eBay has strict rules against selling counterfeit merchandise and sellers can and should lose their account privileges for doing so! Here is eBay's policy on counterfeit merchandise:

"Counterfeits, unauthorized replicas, unauthorized items (such as counterfeit watches, handbags, or other accessories) or unauthorized copies (such as copies of software programs, video games, music albums, movies, television programs, or photographs) are not permitted on eBay. Unauthorized copies include (but are not limited to) copies that are pirated, duplicated, backed-up or bootlegged. It is illegal to sell unauthorized copies of media."

Violations of this policy may result in a range of actions, including:

Listing cancellation, Account Suspension and loss of Power seller Status.

You can report a counterfeit bag by clicking on the eBay link below:

http://contact.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ContactUs&wftype=2023&rcode=BN%P10158&subject=Replica and Counterfeit Items&bcrumb=+Home+>+Help+Topics+> Rules+and+Policies > Rules+for+Sellers > Rules+about+Intellectual+Property > Replica,+Counterfeit+Items+and+Unauthorized+Copies&instruction=&expirationDate=

Some sample "FAKE COACH BAGS" are pictured below:

The upper left picture has badly aligned "C"'s. The brown one on the right has a paper wrapped handle and a metal hang tag that is all wrong. The bottom left is in a style Coach has never made with a cheap looking Coach word and the one on the lower right is seriously misalligned!

You can see the misalligned signature "C";s and that they do not align along the seams. These are just a couple of giveaways that you are looking at a Fake Coach Bag. In addition, if you see coach bags with the wrong tags, handles wrapped in plastic, cheap metal Coach hangtags or in a style you can't find anywhere else, stay away!

You can also do a seach on "buy a replica Coach bag or a designer inspired Coach bag'' which should give you plenty of other photos of Fake Coach bags.

How about those myths? They were all FALSE. Are there any TRUE Myths?

Myth 7:  "TreasuresbyTiki always sells 100 % Authentic Coach Purses and Bags and all of their bags come directly from Coach and are New with Tags Attached."

TRUE! And, we offer a return policy with a money back guarantee.

You can see our current Coach auctions by clicking the link below:

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZtreasuresbytiki

Thanks for taking the time to read our guide! We hope you found this guide helpful Please feel free to email us with any comments or questions related to this guide, as well as any ideas as to how we can make it better! Thanks, and stay safe on eBay. 
 

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