Friday, May 9th, 2008

I Got it on eBay!

Let’s face it, now and days the truth of the matter is, we want our designer handbags and we want them at the lowest price that we can get them at. Because of this mentality more and more consumers have turned to places like EBay in search for the best bargain designer bag. Admit it, if you haven’t bought one on EBay, then you have at least looked at them on EBay.

So what’s the problem you ask? Well, how do you know if the Gucci bag you’re getting for $300 that was originally $1200 is real? While I personally haven’t purchased a designer handbag on EBay before, these are cautions tips and red-flags and were told to me when I was considering it.

1.       Do your Research

          -  Physically go to the retail and department stores and check out the merchandise first hand. Feel the texture and familiarize yourself with the latest styles out by this designer. Look into the company. Where are their factories? Where are the majority of the bags made?

2.       More is not Better

         -  Great! You know the bag you want and you found a listing on EBay. But WAIT! Check to make sure the same seller hasn’t listed the same item multiple times. IF he/she has it’s a sign that what’s they’re selling is a fake.

3.       Home Country

         - Where is the item coming from? Be careful to see if the seller is from overseas. Stay clear of bags coming straight from overseas, but be aware that most designer bags do have factories in third world countries such and China and Italy.

4.       Exercise Active Reading Skills

         -  Leave the “I don’t want to read” attitude behind. When shopping on EBay, EVERY word COUNTS. Be careful of descriptions such as “Designer Brand (insert name) inspired” or “just like designer brand (insert name)”. This can be tricky and problematic later when you want to file a claim against the person for selling you a fake bag.

5.       Be Anal

         - Look for as many items as possible to support the authenticity of the bag. Designer bags usually come with tags, booklets, care cards, and warranty cards. Also ask for the designer tissue paper, the dust bag, and gift boxes that come with the bag when purchased at an authorized reseller store.  Even go as far to ask if they kept their purchase or gift receipt.

6.       20/20 Vision

          - Make sure there are pictures! Then make sure they’re crystal CLEAR! The more pictures the better. Are they just images on the website or where they physically taken? Many of the ones that are taken manually will include the Seller’s ID in the picture. Look at the quality and consistency of stitching in these pictures. Also look for pictures with the serial numbers, patches and designer engravings. Beware of Photoshop! IF IN DOUBT ASK FOR MORE AND CLEARER PICTURES!

7.       Interrogate the Seller

         - Look for seller’s return and exchange policy. You want MONEY BACK guarantee. Make sure they offer safe methods of payments such as PayPal. Buy from sellers that offer insurance and tracking.

8.       Slow down Horsey

         - Many counterfeits auctions end early, so beware of auctions that only last 1-3days. Be wary of PRIVATE listings. Why can’t you see their ID, unless they’ve got something to hide? Look at shipping costs as well. If they have an inflated amount and their policy doesn’t include the cost of shipping in their refund, you might want to reconsider.

9.       CONFIRM ALL INFORMATION WITH THE SELLER.

10.   If in doubt ask questions. There is no such thing as too many or a stupid one.

Truthfully, I’ve seen auctions for designer handbags and the amount they end at, and usually you really don’t save that much from even retail stores. If anything you might end up paying more.  So, word of the wise- try the outlets first for your designer bag. It just may be cheaper and you’ll save yourself the worry in the long run- cuz peace of mind is worth a lot these days.