Part II: How to Buy a Designer Handbag Online
It’s International Handbag Day! I love made-up holidays that celebrate frivolity and the things we love.
If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you know that I am an unabashed accessories addict. No matter how much you weight or how you feel, your handbags, shoes, and other accessories will always fit. I like that kind of loyalty. #thesebagsareloyal
In honor of International Handbag Day, I will rate the platforms that I have used to purchase luxury items online.
In Part I, I talked about some things to look for to make sure what you’re looking at is authentic. I will add two more tips. The first is to just ask if the item is authentic! You will be surprised by how many people will simply be honest and tell you “No.” The second tip is pay attention to the response to your question. If they say “yes, and it was a gift” BEWARE! The gift line is an often used excuse so that they don’t have to admit that they’re selling you a counterfeit item. Walk away.
Now let’s get into the platforms:
Ebay: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
The original resale website with a large inventory.
Ebay is easy for beginners: search, bid, win but you must be comfortable self-authenticating or using third-party authenticators.
I like the dispute process on eBay. The presumption is always in your favor as a buyer.
If you receive a fake, I recommend opening a claim and then calling ebay immediately to explain your case. I have never had a transaction closed against me if I am returning something that is not authentic.
Fashionphile/Ann’s Closet/Yoogi’s Closet ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
I categorized these three together because they’re interchangeable to me. I believe they all started as ebay stores but they now have physical locations as well. Fashionphile now has a partnership with Neiman Marcus!
Their prices can be a bit higher than ebay, especially if the item is rare, but you can be assured that your item is authentic. They package items beautifully and have great customer service. Occasionally they have sales as well. Fashionphile also offers a layaway option.
Generally, returning items to these three stores is generally not financially beneficial so make sure you like what you purchase and that you really want it. Recently, however, Fashionphile has introduced a price back guarantee which allows for returns after a few months
Tradesy: ★ ★ ★ ★
Tradesy is becoming one of my go-to platforms. Sellers typically use the shipping label provided by Tradesy, and then ship your item to you, which means shipping is typically slower than ebay.
Tradesy now authenticates items before they’re shipped, so if they think an item is fake, they will cancel the transaction. This will reassure a novice buyer but they are sometimes wrong. If you’re still skeptical, I recommend a third party authentication service.
I have seen fake items on the platform so you still need to do your due diligence.
Vestaire Collection ★ ★ ★
This website like ebay has individual sellers and that means there are opportunities for good deals. Their items tend to be authentic.
The Real Real ★ ★ ★
It’s ok. I have nothing negative to report.
LetGo/Craiglist/Instagram: ★
I have a friend who purchased an authentic Chanel bag from Craigslist believe it or not for a great price!
I once bought some authentic Louboutin’s from Craigslist California [I had hunted those specific shoes for years and was not going to let them go].
In general, these platforms are for people who are very very comfortable authenticating items themselves. Make sure to use paypal to make sure your purchase is protected. It’s hit or miss and not really made for high end luxury items.
Poshmark: ★ ★
I have purchased high end items from Poshmark but generally I would not recommend it.
I do not recommend Poshmark for high end items unless you are very comfortable authenticating items yourself.
There is an extremely high amount of counterfeit items on Poshmark.
I think this platform is moreso suited to low cost items like clothing.
Hope you find this guide useful and happy bag buying!