Spotting a replica or knock-off handbag can become quite hard seeing as there are so many good ones out there. Here are some key points to spotting a fake right away.

1. Are you buying from an authorized seller? If you are buying from an auction site or some other site that is not the actual company you want to beware. Here is a tip, there are no legit wholesalers for any of the fallowing, Coach, Tiffany, Chanel, Juicy Couture, Versace, Gucci, Fendi... and many more. If you are buying from a seller who states they have more than 1 or 2 of these you want to beware.

2. Does the item actually exist? Although the bag may be adorable and has the name Coach stamped all over doesn't mean it is an actual coach bag. There are many replica items that don't even exist. A good example is Juicy Couture. There are bags for sell that Juicy doesn't even make. A good way to see if the bag exists is go to the actual web-site and look it up. If the item is there, it exists but it doesn't mean the bag you are buying is real.

3. Do the patterns match? Any designer that has a repetitive pattern such as Coach or Louis Vuitton has a distinct pattern that will ALWAYS be the same on every bag or item. Coach always has lines of symmetry so both the left and the right should look exactly the same. Here is another tip, count the C's. Examples: Medium Coach Carly (4) C's across... if there are more or less it is a fake. If it looks slightly different it is fake!

4. Does the bag have an awkward smell? If the bag smells of something other than leather or a department store you are probably dealing with a fake.

5. Are the threads loose? If there are any threads what-so-ever coming out of place you are dealing with a fake.

6. Did your bag brake? If you are carrying around a very good fake and it has broken you are probably dealing yet again with a fake. Fakes may look nice but they are just not funded to be made with the same craftsmanship as a designer bag.

7. If you still are not sure if the bag you have is fake. You can always take it to an authorized dealer and they will let you know.

8. DO NOT BE FOOLED! There are fake EVERYTHING! Fake receipts, dust bags, care cards, price tags, sku numbers, Tags, Just because it looks like it could be real doesn't mean it is... DO your homework and research before you buy.

My best advice is to not even bother with any online shops. If you are going to buy a designer bag, make sure you are getting what you pay for. Get one off the actual web-site or in a department store. Not a boutique, an actual department store that has contracts with the designer and are authorized to sell their products.

Learn more about this author, Tanea Jimison.
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