Handbags

[pommom]

I was out and about running errands and stopped by the local Goodwill just to snoop around.  Had nothing in mind, but when I saw the Fossil pebble leather satchel behind the counter, I took a close look.  It was in mint condition.  The tags were still on it.  It was selling for $15.99 because obviously the person cutting open the box went a little too deep.  There was about an inch slash on the bottom.  I bought it anyway.

Came home and used Elmer's Glue on the cut and - VOILA! - I have a new spring bag.  It is green. 

[bonnielu]

Love Goodwill.  Got a new one a few miles away. However in our area, believe it or not they are pricey.  When I visit my daugher in Roanoke Va seems there is a Goodwill on every corner and the prices are awesome.  Poor kid, everytime I visit I insist we hang out at Goodwill, every last one of them.  She thinks I am crazy.  

[Q4u]

I'm excited you were able to find such a good deal and that you were able to fix the slice in the leather~!  That always feels so good to get a great bargain!!  

Just be very wary of GW, they will sell counterfeits.. LV is as well as Gucci, Fendi, Chanel, Dooney, et al (I've never seen a fake Fossil btw)  and they have no compunction about selling them even though it is against Federal Law to do so~!  It is unequivical that the Seller MUST authenticate a designer item (not just purses) and make sure they are authentic PRIOR to sale.  There is no defense for this within the law.... not even selling them for Charity, it's simply and completely not allowed!  

When I lived in So. Calif the GW by me had a locked case full of counterfeit very high end handbags.  I was actually shocked.  I handled each and every one and every single LV there was a counterfeit!  Their prices on these bags were not cheap, $200, $400, etc.  I (actually did this nicely and innocently thought they didn't know)... told the Manager about the fakes in her cabinet and was nastily asked if I had a problem helping the poor!  I cited Federal Law and she walked away from me.

From then on I've been to several other GW's and also their website and that's pretty much all I see (occasionally a few real ones!) or else they hide some of the most identifying features from the on-line photos so I can't tell.  

So it's from Corporate.... if they know (how could they not?) they sell them anyway and if someone has informed ICE (I wouldn't and haven't done that).... there's a blind eye to what's going on.

My only advice.... be careful with designer items at GW, all thrift shops and re-sale shops....  

[henderson]

You should report GW if they are selling counterfeits.  I can't remember which agency to contact, but I'm sure you can "google" it.  Now is it really counterfeits or just knockoffs?  Big difference.  I know they sell counterfeits on Canal St. in New York City as my son's girlfriend picked me up a Louis Vitton.  I didn't ask her to buy me one.  It eventually fell apart!

[Sister Golden Hair]

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@Q4u wrote:

I'm excited you were able to find such a good deal and that you were able to fix the slice in the leather~!  That always feels so good to get a great bargain!!  

Just be very wary of GW, they will sell counterfeits.. LV is as well as Gucci, Fendi, Chanel, Dooney, et al (I've never seen a fake Fossil btw)  and they have no compunction about selling them even though it is against Federal Law to do so~!  It is unequivical that the Seller MUST authenticate a designer item (not just purses) and make sure they are authentic PRIOR to sale.  There is no defense for this within the law.... not even selling them for Charity, it's simply and completely not allowed!  

When I lived in So. Calif the GW by me had a locked case full of counterfeit very high end handbags.  I was actually shocked.  I handled each and every one and every single LV there was a counterfeit!  Their prices on these bags were not cheap, $200, $400, etc.  I (actually did this nicely and innocently thought they didn't know)... told the Manager about the fakes in her cabinet and was nastily asked if I had a problem helping the poor!  I cited Federal Law and she walked away from me.

From then on I've been to several other GW's and also their website and that's pretty much all I see (occasionally a few real ones!) or else they hide some of the most identifying features from the on-line photos so I can't tell.  

So it's from Corporate.... if they know (how could they not?) they sell them anyway and if someone has informed ICE (I wouldn't and haven't done that).... there's a blind eye to what's going on.

My only advice.... be careful with designer items at GW, all thrift shops and re-sale shops....  

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@Q4u If they don't know if it is real or fake but has a cheap price, do they still have to tell you if it is real or not?

I have been in many Goodwill's here in Missouri but their prices are cheap.

Does this go for all second-hand stores?

[Q4u]

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@henderson wrote:

You should report GW if they are selling counterfeits.  I can't remember which agency to contact, but I'm sure you can "google" it.  Now is it really counterfeits or just knockoffs?  Big difference.  I know they sell counterfeits on Canal St. in New York City as my son's girlfriend picked me up a Louis Vitton.  I didn't ask her to buy me one.  It eventually fell apart!

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I mentioned it in my post.... you report counterfeit sales to ICE.... .  

[Q4u]

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@henderson wrote:

You should report GW if they are selling counterfeits.  I can't remember which agency to contact, but I'm sure you can "google" it.  Now is it really counterfeits or just knockoffs?  Big difference.  I know they sell counterfeits on Canal St. in New York City as my son's girlfriend picked me up a Louis Vitton.  I didn't ask her to buy me one.  It eventually fell apart!

---

If a designer item is being counterfeited, it is using the logo of the manufacturer and not a "play" on the logo, like a DD logo for DB (Dooney and Bourke), or a LU (instead of aN LV), they are also stylized to look like the original logo and they use the exact coloring and style, that's a counterfeit.

A "knockoff" is a counterfeit because they are copying the designer item down to the logo exactly.  Knockoff is merely another word for a counterfeit.

A "Designer Inspired" item uses the same style and coloration and uses the "play" on the logo (as I mentioned upthread) but never uses any form of the authentic Designer logo, only optical illusions and is LEGAL.  

So any item you see with an actual logo on it looking like the authentic logo, it is considered counterfeit.... 

For future reference.  the Louis Vuitton company manufactures their own PVC Vinyl. They also manufacture their own canvas products and that's why their Monogram and Damier canvas lasts so long and rarely splits.  

They never license out their product to other manufacturers to make any part of their product.  The only time this ever happened was with the French Company LV items (which were Louis Vuitton) but made by the French Company for about 20 years from roughly '75 to '95.  There's a big difference in styling and quality with those items and LV has regretted that licensing ever since.  Today, LV is totally responsible for their product.  NO ONE else makes any part of it.  You also can't buy anything with their logo on it, like fabrics.  They do not and will not sell them.  Their product is also never wholesaled or distributed by anyone else! Their products never (ever) go on sale and are never (ever) clearanced.  LV only sells their items at full retail price.

LV employees are also the only ones allowed to sell their product.  Even in upper end Department stores.   LV leases the counter space and provides their own LV employees!  They maintain absolute control over their product.

So if you see a brand new item on a website that is below LV's retail pricing you can be certain that it's not authentic!  If you want to resell LV's..... you won't be able to resell new ones because wholesalers are selling counterfeits.

[Q4u]

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@Sister Golden Hair wrote:

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@Q4u wrote:

I'm excited you were able to find such a good deal and that you were able to fix the slice in the leather~!  That always feels so good to get a great bargain!!  

Just be very wary of GW, they will sell counterfeits.. LV is as well as Gucci, Fendi, Chanel, Dooney, et al (I've never seen a fake Fossil btw)  and they have no compunction about selling them even though it is against Federal Law to do so~!  It is unequivical that the Seller MUST authenticate a designer item (not just purses) and make sure they are authentic PRIOR to sale.  There is no defense for this within the law.... not even selling them for Charity, it's simply and completely not allowed!  

When I lived in So. Calif the GW by me had a locked case full of counterfeit very high end handbags.  I was actually shocked.  I handled each and every one and every single LV there was a counterfeit!  Their prices on these bags were not cheap, $200, $400, etc.  I (actually did this nicely and innocently thought they didn't know)... told the Manager about the fakes in her cabinet and was nastily asked if I had a problem helping the poor!  I cited Federal Law and she walked away from me.

From then on I've been to several other GW's and also their website and that's pretty much all I see (occasionally a few real ones!) or else they hide some of the most identifying features from the on-line photos so I can't tell.  

So it's from Corporate.... if they know (how could they not?) they sell them anyway and if someone has informed ICE (I wouldn't and haven't done that).... there's a blind eye to what's going on.

My only advice.... be careful with designer items at GW, all thrift shops and re-sale shops....  

---

@Q4u If they don't know if it is real or fake but has a cheap price, do they still have to tell you if it is real or not?

I have been in many Goodwill's here in Missouri but their prices are cheap.

Does this go for all second-hand stores?

---

According to the law, these items should never get into the store to be sold.  The law is clear (but often not followed up) that the seller HAS to authenticate prior to selling. 

In my experience I don't think they know, or if they do they don't bring it up to the customer.  I've actually been asked to authenticate LVs (that's my specialty) at second hand stores back in San Diego when they've asked me.  I've also done the same for friends who know I do this who were estate dealers.  Estate sales are notorious as well and one friend of mine (and why he called me) sold a fake to an eBay dealer at one of his sales.  The eBay seller got reamed by HIS customer leaving a neg and a dispute, had his ratings lowered and then he went after my friend (the estate dealer) and took him to court~!  He lost and had to pay the customer a sum of money.  So he didn't want a repeat of that.  The times I helped him with estates I did not find even one authentic LV.... all were fakes.  

I've rarely ran across authentic LVs that were "cheap".  Usually the owner will consign such a pricey bag but of course if someone passes away the family may not know what it is and donate it, but I think that's rare.  

[Sister Golden Hair]

@Q4u  I found a LV at a Goodwill for $9.00. When I got home, I started checking everything and from what I read, it is real. It was a man's bag but that didn't make any difference to me.

It wasn't even behind glass, just hanging on a rack. I don't think that they knew what it was price wise.

Another bag I found was a MCM. Very cheap price and it is real.

When people donate to thrift stores, they may not know what a certain bag might cost.

[Q4u]

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@Sister Golden Hair wrote:

@Q4u  I found a LV at a Goodwill for $9.00. When I got home, I started checking everything and from what I read, it is real. It was a man's bag but that didn't make any difference to me.

It wasn't even behind glass, just hanging on a rack. I don't think that they knew what it was price wise.

Another bag I found was a MCM. Very cheap price and it is real.

When people donate to thrift stores, they may not know what a certain bag might cost.

---

Exactly.... someone passes away and the family has no idea these bags are so valuable.  Exciting that you found such great items.  I LOVE MCM bags!  Such quality!

Things to remember regarding LV handbags.  LV never lines their goods in real leather.  Linings are typically canvas (brown (Mono) or red (Damier), their Alcantara lining (which looks and feels like suede but is actually a polyester).  

Date codes are either embossed into the lining or embossed onto a leather strip. When embossed the date code is usually along a seam line (upper zipper) or inside the pocket along a seam.  They are tiny and sometimes extremely hard to find.  Date codes are an inter-factory coding system that allows the  employees to tell where and when an item was made.  It is not a serial number and many, many items can have the same Date Code.  Looking at the coding, noticing the font style, spacing and how it has been applied can determine a fake over an authentic item.  

it's exciting going through thrift stores and I love it.... been one since a kid when my Mom and I would scour them for things we could use.....