posted on August 24, 2001 02:11:48 PM
are there "fake" gucci and prada bags? I bought two bags this morning and I have a feeling they're not real. How can you tell? and NOW what do I do with them if they're not? can't sell them on ebay can you?
posted on August 24, 2001 02:36:29 PM
You bet there are!
Send an email to seller asking them to 100% guarantee the authenticy of the product. If unwilling or unable demand a refund. Threaten trouble for them if they don't immediately comply.
posted on August 24, 2001 06:50:11 PM
well I bought these at a yard sale today with a bunch of coach and dooney bags and those are real. but when I got to looking at the prada or gucci bags on ebay, I can't remember which one it was, it said all the metal pieces were stamped with prada. and these aren't. I just thought there would be a sure fire way to identify them like coach bags always have a serial number in them. I personally have never seen a real gucci or prada bag, I just thought maybe someone else had. Like I said, these are microfiber, so I didn't know if they cut a few corners on those or not.
posted on August 24, 2001 10:30:59 PMhow DO you tell if they are real or not?
That's kind of the kicker, is that you really can't.
Especially in the case of handbags which are basically just printed leather, it is not hard to make a very good fake - including fake serial number or whatever trivial security features that appear on the real deal - and indeed you would have virtually no way to tell its authenticity other than knowing you bought it at Saks (or whatever store sells Prada purses).
Until they start putting holograms or microchips inside Prada purses, this will remain a major problem.
>>"you would have virtually no way to tell its authenticity other than knowing you bought it at Saks (or whatever store sells Prada purses)."<<
If that's the case then a seller (unless they purchased the bag at a retail outlet) would not be able to guarantee authenticity. Purchasing the item at a retail store and selling it on Ebay is [usually] futile. So your best bet is to not sell designer bags.
I've also seen a lot of feedbacks with buyers accusing sellers of selling fakes. If there is no way of telling if the bag is fake, then they are just guessing and could be slandering the seller.
posted on August 25, 2001 02:40:35 AM
Hi cin131 --
The serial numbers inside a Coach bag actually have some meaning. It consists of 7 numbers and letter, broken into two sets (3 + 4). The last 4 numbers refer to the style of the bag. The first 3 numbers/letters refer to the actual location the bag was manufactured at. It's sort of "coded." If a bag is authentic, then those numbers/letters will correlate correctly with the location given in the creed; if a bag is fake, then the numbers/letters will NOT correlate.
