Is Louis Vuitton outlet store really exists? Can we find an outlet for Louis Vuitton products? Can we find the information of buying Louis Vuitton products at a discount price? Seeing the following content, you may find the answers to the questions above. Maybe there really exists some Louis Vuitton Outlet www.louisvuitton.com .

When we talk about “outlet”, we will think of many big brands such as Nike, Prada, Gucci, Fendi, Armani and so on, they all have an “outlet”. Lots of women are trying to find secret places where they can buy their dreaming luxuries goods. Sometimes, they can get some discount information on special seasons, but can they find an outlet for Louis Vuitton on special seasons since they have long dreamed of owing Louis Vuitton sale?

Louis Vuitton is so popular and exclusive in the world, as a luxury product, they may believe that discounting would affect their branding reputation in the fashion world and position in their fans’ heart. One part of Louis Vuitton consumers will think they don’t need an “outlet” since the producers insist on that the quality of each one of their products is highly warranted. They can compete with other brand name luxury goods by virtue of its quality advantages.

Louis Vuitton vendor has their own market orientation, they emphasized on their fashion design and top quality. They don’t want to win the market by sales promotion or set up many “outlets” in the world. Even though lots of women hope that Louis Vuitton can have an outlet , there are still lots of women who don’t think it is a good piece of news for them to hear that Louis Vuitton have outlets. They even said that “If Louis Vuitton has outlets; they will not buy the products of Louis Vuitton any more.” Anyway, it’s the feeling of one part of Louis Vuitton consumers.

There truly exist Louis Vuitton outlets. You can buy these Louis Vuitton products at a fantastic discounting price. High quality can be guaranteed. All the products in Louis Vuitton outlets can be the symbol of your special elegance and unique taste. If you see the samples of those Louis Vuitton products, including Louis Vuitton purses, wallets, clothes, bags, shoes and jewelries, you will absolutely believe that the price is very attracting and reasonable. Things are so easy as long as you come and see our Louis Vuitton outlets.

Now pay attention, owing a wide range of Louis Vuitton for sale is no longer a dream, as long as you come to our Louis Vuitton outlet and join our Luois Vuitton discounting sale, finally, you will perpetually own your long-cherished Louis Vuitton products at a surprising discounting price.

Don’t be hesitant, it’s the right season, the right time and the right place for you to choose those Louis Vuitton products. Owing these products is very easy, come and see our Louis Vuitton outlets, you can just achieve with no effort. The latest kinds and styles, so many are here for you to choose. Never miss such a good opportunity, our Luois Vuittons outlets will bring you unbelievable surprise and pleasure. Welcome to our Louis Vuitton outlets, welcome to choose you dreaming products, welcome to deliver this information to your best friends.

QUICK TIPS to AUTHENTICATE that DESIGNER BAG (GUCCI, PRADA, LOUIS VUITTON, CHANEL, MARC JACOBS)

IS THIS BAG AUTHENTIC?  Your first clues…

-Quality of craftsmanship.  High-end bags should be well-made from quality materials and have no flaws or inconsistencies in the workmanship. 
-Where, when, and for how much was this bag purchased?  What is the backstory?  Receipts are helpful to both buyers and sellers.   Authenticity Cards are also good, but can be faked.  
-Do some research.  There is so much information online about luxury handbags: manufacturer and retailer websites, blogs, chat rooms, fashion sites, etc.  Do a quick web search using whatever information you have to find out the style name and go from there.  Compare measurements, hardware, logos, lining fabric, and other specifics.

-GUCCI sells lesser quality bags at their outlet stores, but most high-end companies do not compromise their line this way and do not sell “seconds”.  These are almost always fakes.
-There are some specific clues to look for in every line. 
PRADA – The PRADA logo is very distinctive, especially the “R”.  The enameled nameplates should have match the backing fabric and the letters will have a raised texture. 
-GUCCI – Serial #s are usually stamped on the back of a leather tag stitched inside the bag.  Observe the distinctive shape of the “G” and pay attention to linings.  GUCCI uses a diagonally textured fabric in their most common “classic” bags.  Higher-end and seasonal bag linings vary.  
-LOUIS VUITTON – Look for even stitching, symetrical placement of the LV logo, and round O’s in the logo are the first clues.  Most LV monogram bags have brown canvas lining and LV logo brass hardware and all bags made since the early 80’s should have a date code stamped in leather somewhere.  LV bags made in the US may vary slightly from LV bags made in France, Spain, or Italy in their quality and materials used. 
-CHANEL – Whether there is a leather tag stitched inside or the leather lining itself is stamped, the CHANEL logo should be clear, straight, and evenly placed.  “C” is diagonally slanted at either end and all CHANEL bags should have a hologram sticker with serial # that can also help you date the bag.  The interlocking “CC” logo should show the right-hand C overlapping at the top and weaving under at the bottom. 
-MARC JACOBS – The back of the zippers should be stamped RiRi or Lampo in most cases.  For some reason, most MJ bags have very impractical lining fabrics, such as cream colored suede, or white canvas.  Recently, Marc Jacobs has introduced some less expensive bags that are made in China and do not use these type of zippers.  These bags are impossible to authenticate without a receipt and are not a good investment if you plan to re-sell the bag at some point. 

PS… Read my other guides for BUYING and SELLING designer bags on Ebay!!

TIPS FOR BUYING AUTHENTIC DESIGNER BAGS on EBAY(Chanel, Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, etc.)

Authentic designer handbags have considerable resale value and can be a very good investment if cared for properly.   These tips should help you feel more at ease about buying an authentic bag.

(When you’re ready to sell it, check out my other guide: SELLING YOUR AUTHENTIC DESIGNER BAG on eBay.)

TIPS FOR BUYERS:

If it looks too good to be true, it usually is.  Use your common sense. 

There are no good deals on CHANEL bags.  They are extremely desirable and retain their value.  Obsessed fans will buy real CHANEL bags in almost any condition.  There are tons of people shopping for them all the time, and if no one is bidding, there is a reason.

Research the seller’s feedback and auction history.  Look for experience with other high-end items.  Do not buy from any one who keeps their feedback private.  They obviously have something to hide. 
 
Ask questions.  Where and when did they get the bag?  How much did they pay?  These are things you can research.  If the photos are bad or there aren’t enough, ask for more.  Anyone trying to sell you a $2000 handbag should be gracious enough to send more/better photos and have enough money to either own a good camera or to pay someone who does.

One day Buy-It-Now auctions and any listings from China, Hong Kong, etc. should be questioned.

Anyone selling more than one CHANEL bag, especially “New” or “New With Tags” should be questioned.  There are not that many licensed CHANEL dealers. 

Don’t freak out.  If a seller won’t answer your questions, send you a clear photograph, or if you have any reservations at all, don’t bid!!!  There will always be more bags on eBay (I promise) and trying to get your money back from a con artist may not be as simple as what is promised in the auction.  The guarantees and return policies are likely to be as phony as their bags. 

IS THIS BAG AUTHENTIC?  Your first clues…
-Quality of craftsmanship.  High-end bags should be well-made from quality materials and have no flaws or inconsistencies in the workmanship. 
-Where, when, and for how much was this bag purchased?  What is the back story?  Receipts are helpful to both buyers and sellers.   Authenticity Cards are also good, but can be faked.  
-Do some research.  There is so much information online about luxury handbags: manufacturer and retailer websites, blogs, chat rooms, fashion sites, etc.  Do a quick web search using whatever information you have to find out the style name and go from there.  Compare measurements, hardware, logos, lining fabric, and other specifics.

TIPS FOR SOME POPULAR DESIGNER BAGS
-GUCCI sells lesser quality bags at their outlet stores, but most high-end companies do not compromise their line this way and do not sell “seconds”.  These are almost always fakes.
-There are some specific clues to look for in every line. 
PRADA – The PRADA logo is very distinctive, especially the “R”.  The enameled nameplates should match the backing fabric and the letters will have a raised texture. 

-GUCCI – Serial #s are usually stamped on the back of a leather tag stitched inside the bag.  Observe the distinctive shape of the “G” and pay attention to linings.  GUCCI uses a diagonally textured fabric in their most common “classic” bags.  Higher-end and seasonal bag linings vary.

-LOUIS VUITTON – Look for even stitching, symmetrical placement of the LV logo, and round O’s in the logo are the first clues.  Most LV monogram bags have brown canvas lining and LV logo brass hardware and all bags made since the early 80’s should have a date code stamped in leather somewhere.  LV bags made in the US may vary slightly from LV bags made in France, Spain, or Italy in their quality and materials used. 

-CHANEL – Whether there is a leather tag stitched inside or the leather lining itself is stamped, the CHANEL logo should be clear, straight, and evenly placed.  “C” is diagonally slanted at either end and all CHANEL bags should have a hologram sticker with serial # that can also help you date the bag.  The interlocking “CC” logo should show the right-hand C overlapping at the top and weaving under at the bottom. 

-MARC JACOBS – The back of the zippers should be stamped RiRi or Lampo in most cases.  For some reason, most MJ bags have very impractical lining fabrics, such as cream colored suede, or white canvas.  Recently, Marc Jacobs has introduced some less expensive bags that are made in China and do not use these type of zippers.  These bags are impossible to authenticate without a receipt and are not a good investment if you plan to re-sell the bag at some point.

TIPS FOR SELLING AUTHENTIC DESIGNER BAGS on EBAY (Chanel, Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, etc.)

TIPS FOR SELLERS:

Do some research.  A quick web search and even searching on eBay can help you find the style name of the bag.  Not only does that help lead buyers to your auction, but once you know that, you can search and find out almost any information that you need about the bag.  It’s always good to at least sound like you know what you’re talking about. 

Authenticity:  If you are not the original owner of the bag or you purchased it from anywhere other than a licensed retailer, you need to make sure the bag is authentic before you list it.  Do some research.  Take it to your local retail store.  Include any and all information that validates its authenticity including photos of logos and hardware, serial #s, date codes, receipts, and extras like dustbags and Authenticity Cards.  Selling fake bags can lead to suspension or restrictions on your eBay account, negative feedback, and bad sales that will eventually cost you more money than you made in the first place.  Buyers that use PayPal are protected and PayPal can issue refunds from your account without your knowledge or consent.  

WHAT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR LISTING:

Title:  You only get 55 characters in the title.  Use them wisely. 

Include the name of the designer, the style name, distinctive characteristics (quilted, monogram, etc) and ALWAYS the word “bag”.  The color and words like leather can be more or less important depending on the bag.  Other words like “new”, “nwt”, or the retail price are good if they are appropriate.  Look at completed listings for the same item and take your clues from the auctions that sold for the most. 

Style Name
Retail Price
Date of manufacture &/or purchase
Where it was purchased
What is included (dustbag, receipt, literature, etc)
Materials (if you don’t know the proper terms, describe the them)

MEASUREMENTS: L x H x W + Strap Drop (between the strap and the top of the bag)

PHOTOS: Front, back, side, bottom, plus close-ups of logos, hardware, serial #s and date codes, and any and all damage.
 

CONDITION: Describe all condition issues honestly and in detail.   It is much better to undersell the bag and have a happy customer than to have to deal with returns, partial refunds, negative feedback, etc. 

IS THIS BAG AUTHENTIC?  Your first clues…

-Quality of craftsmanship.  High-end bags should be well-made from quality materials and have no flaws or inconsistencies in the workmanship. 
-Where, when, and for how much was this bag purchased?  What is the backstory?  Receipts are helpful to both buyers and sellers.   Authenticity Cards are also good, but can be faked.  
-Do some research.  There is so much information online about luxury handbags: manufacturer and retailer websites, blogs, chat rooms, fashion sites, etc.  Do a quick web search using whatever information you have to find out the style name and go from there.  Compare measurements, hardware, logos, lining fabric, and other specifics.
-Check out my other guide: QUICK TIPS to AUTHENTICATE that DESIGNER BAG (GUCCI, PRADA, LOUIS VUITTON, CHANEL, MARC JACOBS)

Please see PART ONE of this guide for the entire discussion about the Marc by Marc Jacobs Scarf Stripe Dress.

Ebay is a wonderful place to find authentic designer items at deeply discounted prices, if you know what you are doing.  While I have found most Sellers to be honest people, there are the unscrupulous Sellers out there who are selling counterfeit, knock-offs, and just plain fake items.

Recently, there has been a glut of non-authentic Marc Jacobs’ clothing items, especially dresses, that have come up for sale on Ebay.  Due to the on-going lawsuit between Louis Vuitton (LVMH) and Ebay over counterfeit goods, LV and Marc Jacobs have not done VERO pages on Ebay.  This guide will attempt to help you, the honest Buyer, to spot some marked differences between the real and the fake.

Following are photos of a Marc by Marc Jacobs Scarf Stripe dress.  While both items were bought on Ebay, the differences are many.  Throughout this guide, the authentic item will be on the left, while the knock off is on the right.

The buttonholes are also a good indicator of the quality of the sewing.  The real one, on the left, is beautifully finished with evenly spaced stitching throughout, and no loose threads.

The fake dress on the right speaks for itself.  The stitching is irregular and the tension on the stitches is way off.  The stitches are not all the same size, and the finish work is sadly lacking.

The finish work on the dress is very important, and a hallmark of a well made designer dress.  As you can see, the authentic dress is finished with a hook and eye closure, while the fake dress does not have this type of hand finish work.

Here is another example of the finish work.  As the sleeve is laid down flat, the authentic dress has cuffs that lie flat with buttons on the edge, lining up with the seam.  When the dress is on, the buttons are on the underside of the wrist, where they should be.

The fake dress, again, is obvious.  The fabric does not match up on the cuff.  The gathering of the sleeve edge at the cuff line is unevenly spaced.  The buttons are not even with each other.  And when worn, the buttons lie in an awkward place on the wrist.

These two photos show the dress held up to the light.  The real dress on the left is perfect – the pattern lines match up, the hem is straight and there is an even amount of fabric in the fold.  The fake dress on the right is shocking.  The white “spot” in the corner of the dress is actually fabric that has been cut and is missing between the layers.  A bit of the yellow stripe has been over-printed in the hem, and the fabric has not been folded or printed correctly.  The thinness of the fabric is also again evident.  It is just a mess compared to the real one.

Perhaps the most telling difference between real and fake.  On the left is the label from the authentic dress.  The fake label is on the right.  Note the square corners of the real label and the smaller font of the printing.  The “S” on the real one is much smaller and a different shape than the fake one.  And the color of the white printing is more “harsh” on the fake one.  There is not much point in comparing the RN and Style numbers, as the forgers usually get these right.  The shape of the label is the biggest indicator.

There are some guidelines to follow that can help ensure the item is authentic.  I hope I don’t have to tell anyone to beware of anything shipped from China.  It is usually and often a fake.  In the case of Marc Jacobs, remember that he is an American designer.  His items are not liquidated in bulk, and certainly not out of the country.  When a foreign seller has too many items, and too many of the same items in different sizes, they are most certainly fake.  Please beware of sellers who are shipping from Canada or Australia.  I have seen many, many Sellers from these countries that have items they claim are authentic, that they source from the Original Manufacturer, or OEM.  This is a BIG red flag and most certainly the items are forgeries.

Power Seller status does not seem to indicate anything about authenticity.  Many of these Sellers are Power Sellers, simply due to the high prices of their items, and the ignorance of their Buyers.

I cannot stress enough to RESEARCH, RESEARCH and RESEARCH.  This will include going to the store, if you can, and actually looking at, touching and trying on the designer items you like.  If you have already bought something on Ebay, take it with you.  Most stores are happy to help you identify a fake.

I hope this guide has helped illustrate some of the major differences between an authentic Marc by Marc Jacobs dress and a forgery.  Won’t you please take a moment to click the “Yes” button below the question, “Has this guide been helpful?”  It will encourage me to write more guides!

Ebay is a wonderful place to find authentic designer items at deeply discounted prices, if you know what you are doing.  While I have found most Sellers to be honest people, there are the unscrupulous Sellers out there who are selling counterfeit, knock offs, and just plain fake items.

Recently, there has been a glut of nonauthentic Marc Jacobs’ clothing items, especially dresses, that have come up for sale on Ebay.  Due to the ongoing lawsuit between Louis Vuitton and Ebay over counterfeit goods, LV and Marc Jacobs have not done VERO pages on Ebay.  This guide will attempt to help you, the honest Buyer, to spot some marked differences between the real and the fake.

Following are photos of a Marc by Marc Jacobs Scarf Stripe dress.  While both items were bought on Ebay, the differences are many.  Throughout this guide, the authentic item will be on the left, while the knock off is on the right.

The dress on the left is the authentic dress.  The dress on the right is a fake.  You can clearly see the difference in the way they hang.  The real dress has much more body; the dress keeps its shape even on the hanger.  The dress on the right is flimsy and floppy.  The sleeves stick out to the sides, the cuffs are not sewn on straight and the belt sags.

Let’s take a closer look at the belt:

The real belt, on the left, is stiff with interfacing, and stands up on its own.  The fake belt is just a piece of fabric sewn into a strip with no interfacing or stiffening material of any kind.

The real difference can be seen in the buckle.  Marc’s hardware is his passion;  it is all high quality metal, and almost always embossed with his logo.  See the buckles in the above two photos.  The real buckle, in the top photo and on the left in the two lower photos, is a high quality metal tubular piece with the Marc Jacobs logo embossed into a barrel roll on it.  Be careful about the logo, though.  I have seen belts with the logo stamped into the buckle, not embossed.  The edges of the square stamp are evident around the name.  These are not authentic, either.  The real embossed logo will have NO other marks around it.  The letters will usually be a black Marc and a white Jacobs.

The finishing of the belt is revealing also.  The real belt has top stitching on its carrier.  The fake one is floppy and unfinished.  The studs holding the buckle on are centered and all on the white stripe; on the fake one they are crooked and misplaced.

The body of the dress will reveal many errors, if you know what you are looking for.  Here are a few:

Every one of the authentic Scarf Stripe dresses will have the same collar.  It has a brown edge, one yellow stripe and the rest is dress colored.  The fake dress, on the right, shows the obvious flaw.  And, in my opinion, is not nearly as pretty as the real one.  It is too harsh and stripey.  It is too heavy and ruins the look of the dress.

This is an inside look at the hem of the dress.  Again, the differences are obvious.  The real dress is finished beautifully, with straight sewing and an even stitch length.  The seam binding on the hem is sewn to the edge of the dress, and then sewn to the body of the dress with straight and even sewing.  The fake dress is not finished at all.  The seam binding is not the right color.  It is not sewn to the edge of the dress, and it is not even attached to the body of the dress at all.  There are hanging threads, and the stitching is crooked and uneven.

These photos also illustrate the inherent difference in the quality of the silk fabric being used.  As you can see, the real dress on the left is thicker and more substantial, a real silk twill.  The printing of the logo MJ is less opaque, and cannot be seen through the material very well.  The fake dress, on the right, is a much thinner silk.  It is not a thick woven twill, like the real one.  The ink goes right through it.

This guide will be continued in Part Two, as there is a limit to the number of pictures I can add to this guide.

I hope this guide has helped illustrate some of the major differences between an authentic Marc by Marc Jacobs dress and a forgery.  Won’t you please take a moment to click the “Yes” button below the question, “Has this guide been helpful?”  It will encourage me to write more guides!

While it is true that EBay has a history of being plagued by a reputation for providing a platform for con artists, swindlers and chiselers to bilk the less-than-savvy buyer looking for famous brand name designer items, sellers actually deserve a little bit more benefit of the doubt than is often portrayed by many authors of “how-to-spot-a-fake-xxx” guides on the Internet. (It is interesting to note however that even in Wikipedia’s definition of EBay, an entire section is devoted to the topic of fraud). But yes, there are actually small and reputable EBay sellers that have brand name shoes, handbags, perfume and jewelry for sale, all authentic, fresh, and at seemingly too-good-to-be-true discount prices. And especially today with the sweeping changes EBay has made to its auction platform for ensuring the “buyers’ and sellers’ trust in EBay’s marketplace”, there has never been a better time for buyers to bid with confidence on the items they desire most. EBay has good motivation to maintain that trust. It is the number one ecommerce site on the planet and it intends to hold on to that title. Popular Amazon ranks a distant second place.

My Experience Confronting EBay’s Enhanced Trust and Safety Features

Overnight my positive feedback dropped to 99.7% from 100% when EBay began counting my one “neutral” feedback as negative. At the same time, my listings dropped further down in keyword search results upon EBay’s implementation of its new best match searches because two customers had given me less than perfect ratings on their perceptions of my shipping charges and an item description on their Detailed Seller Rating  scores upon feedback. The bottom line is that buyers today have much more influence in deciding a seller’s online success. Goodbye “buyer beware”. Hello “customer is king”.

To add injury to insult, for the first time this year I experienced the removal of some of my listings by EBay. I was shocked! After all, I’ve always considered myself an excellent EBay seller. I always deal honestly with my customers and apply integrity to all of my dealings. Yet operating in good conscience is suddenly not enough. Overnight, I am responsible for understanding the nuances of international trade law and ever changing restrictions. Now when I list an item using a famous designer label, EBay might remove it until I verify the authenticity of the product and my right to resell something by the designer. Two things are obvious based on these experiences: 1) EBay is holding its seller community much more accountable than ever before to improve its image and to win the trust of the buying public, and 2) unscrupulous sellers, marginal sellers, and maybe even good-but-casual sellers will be weeded out in the wake of tougher standards of performance.

Four Myths About Buying Designer Labels on EBay

EBay has implemented many enhancements to its platform for ensuring trust and safety on EBay. The experiences above describe my encounters when running into only a few of those changes as a seller trying to keep dry while navigating the rapids of a new and more secure environment. Based on this, it seem to me that at least some of our assumptions about selling and buying online have been rendered myths anymore, as I describe below.

• Myth 1 – You are most vulnerable to fraud when you buy online. On the contrary, these tougher standards make a myth out of this once valid assumption, at least with regard to EBay. Instead, you’re really the most vulnerable when purchasing your heart’s desire from the back of a car trunk, New York City curb, alternative auction websites, or at a purse party hosted by a flight attendant just back from China.

• Myth 2 – Any seller with less than 100% feedback is probably guilty of fraudulent selling practices when it comes to designer labels. Not necessarily! Sellers can leave negative feedback for a variety of reasons – late shipping, poor packaging, slow communication from seller, etc. And, with EBay’s recent change to count “neutrals” as negatives, any EBay seller having a neutral feedback comment in its twelve month history experienced a sudden drop in their scores.

•  Myth 3 – You can only obtain authentic brand name labels from the designer’s own stores or authorized dealers. That is not true for all brand name labels. There are actually many sellers on EBay offering wholesale listings of these products. Liquidation.com is an auction site that regularly hosts pallet auctions of department store shelf-pulls and season surpluses. Police auctions are a good source of authentic product. Madisonavenuecloseouts.com is another reputable source of wholesale lots of designer label goods. Small sellers can actually obtain authentic designer labels from a variety of reliable wholesale sources if they’ve done the necessary research and work of establishing relationships with their suppliers. At Venus Shoe, our designer labels come from wholesale suppliers validated by World Wide Brands, the only publisher of wholesale supplier information that is certified by EBay.

•  Myth 4 – If the price is too good to be true, then it probably is a fake. Actually, here are three good reasons why you can find too-good-to-be-true prices on your favorite designer labels. 1) Auctions starting at .99 to $19.99 are used to generate buyer excitement. Starting with a low opening bid is exactly the point, it’s what an auction is supposed to do! 2) Promotions using a loss leader. An item that is a “loss leader”, according to Wikipedia, is one “priced below cost to attract customers who will then presumably purchase other, profitable products.” Venus Shoe, for example, occasionally offers discounted department store NWT designer purses to attract customers in the hopes of also selling to them its main product line – shoes – at regular prices. 3) The seller simply needs to move inventory, even if it means a loss for the seller. Sellers’ situations change. Suddenly the seller needs to liquidate now. This can translate to grossly discounted prices in listings to the benefit of buyers. These are only a few of the legitimate reasons you will see steeply discounted prices on your favorite designer items.

EBay Buyer’s Top Ten List for Buying Authentic Designer Products

1. Use Authenticity Experts and Services if You’re Unsure. There are many reputable resources for these services, typically offering to authenticate the item in question by sending to them links or photos. Typical prices for this service range from $10-$30. See my list of resources at the end of this article for a few of the better sites offering this unique service.
2. Examine Listings Carefully! Read all of the fine print. Look over the return policy carefully. Ask the seller questions if you are unsure or don’t understand something. Does the seller offer a no hassle, no questions asked return policy? Does the seller guarantee the veracity of his product’s label (good)? Does the seller go overboard with flowery adjectives in describing the guarantee (bad)? EBay will back you up by holding the seller accountable to the return policy as written in the auction’s listing, so you should be able to accept it at face value. A trick that used to be common in listings selling designer labels is for the seller to state, for example, “Tiffany” in the title of an item’s description, but further down in the description to explain that it is “Tiffany inspired”, which to the buyer searching for an authentic item actually means “knock off”. The seller is hoping that the buyer won’t notice the word “inspired” (or other synonym) in the description in his/her eagerness to make a bid. Sellers believed that by doing this they are absolving themselves of blame by not technically breaking EBay policy. However, this is still a deceptive selling practice and one for which EBay now monitors routinely. Yet another ploy I’ve witnessed by sellers is to talk about a designer item at great length, to dedicate the majority of the listing describing a wonderful designer product, and to provide many appealing photos of the designer product. Then toward the bottom they save a tiny remainder of the description to the actual item being bid on. The bid ends up being actually for a knock-off or similar looking item, and NOT the designer item to which the majority of the description was devoted! This can really trip up speed-reading buyers in a hurry looking for the real thing. I’ve seen this happen often with MAC cosmetics and make-up brush lots as well as with jewelry.
3. Don’t Buy from Sellers Overseas with Little to No or Poor Feedback. My hairdresser Kheim once bought a lot of Coach purses from a seller in Brazil, only to discover upon arrival that the handbags were obviously fake. When he went to contact the seller, guess what….the seller wasn’t registered with EBay any longer.
4. Be a Smart Electronic Shopper. Be informed about the typical ways in which both sellers and buyers engage in fraud by going to Wikipedia and searching on EBay.
5. Too Good to be True. Maybe, Maybe Not. Yes, there is great wisdom in this old adage. It remains true for the current season’s hottest jewelry, perfume or handbags. But don’t dismiss all outrageous sale prices. For the reasons I stated earlier, EBay sellers can obtain and offer steep discounts on designer items that are just one, two, three or more seasons old (and which are still hot!).
6. DON’T Necessarily Assume all Designer Items on EBay are Fake! EBay has an aggressive Trust and Safety policy, with automated checks and balances in place today. They haven’t always caught all sellers selling fakes, but they probably will very soon! 
7. Know your Product. Spend the time to get to know your hoped for handbag a bit better before you bid on it. This means obtaining catalogs of the designer’s products and studying them so that you are familiar with a designer’s flavor, tolerances, nuances and other attributes. You can order these catalogues from designer’s websites typically. Alternatively, many of the top designers offer these in slick multimedia electronic presentations hosted on their websites. Because of the world class eminence of these designers you can simply put there label name into your browser, followed by “dot com” and hit their websites usually the first time. You could also go to websites like catalogs dot com to find upscale sellers offering catalogs free or for sale. The more familiar you are with a product line, the less your risk for purchasing a fake on EBay.
8. Protect Your Purchase with a Credit Card or PayPal. Paying with PayPal automatically protects your purchase. In a dispute, the burden of proof typically starts with the seller for ensuring correct follow through on the transaction, that the item was actually received by the buyer, and the buyer’s satisfaction. If PayPal rules in your favor, PayPal will itself refund you and take on the hassle of getting the funds owed by the seller so that you don’t have to be involved for any longer than necessary. So, don’t purchase from a seller if they won’t accept Paypal. Of course, credit cards are preferred as well because all major credit cards offer buyer protection policies.
9. Buy Based On Referral. Especially if you are new to buying on EBay, go to a seller’s EBay store on the recommendation and positive experience of a friend. Nothing quite substitutes for a word of mouth endorsement by someone you know. 
10. KNOW THY SELLER. I saved this one for last because it is the most important piece of advice, in my opinion. If you are considering buying something from a buyer for the first time, be sure to click on the links on the seller’s auction. This includes feedback comments, score, Detailed Seller Rating, About Me, and Store. In the seller’s store, check out any custom pages the seller has created about their business. The point is to get to know the seller better, before you buy. Read recent feedback comments with confidence, since buyers should now be leaving more sincere feedback comments about sellers. EBay removed the ability for sellers to leave buyers negative feedback, effectively removing buyers’ fear of retaliation. In general, here are some key things to look for in assessing the credibility of a seller:
• A sellers’ score of at least 100, which indicates the seller has conducted one hundred sales. This assures you the seller has a requisite level of experience in dealing online.
• Negative feedback comments. You’re looking for accusations of a fake item. If you find any, don’t buy from the seller!
• Timeliness of Response to Your Questions. If you don’t get an answer, or you receive only a meager answer, keep shopping.
• Power Seller status. Power sellers are an elite set of sellers having met minimum selling performance standards. This special designation should be factored into your overall assessment of the seller.
• Photos of the actual product you are considering purchasing, as opposed to stock photos. Photos of real product should be considered much more credible. If a seller only shows stock photos, be wary. Don’t be afraid to ask the seller for more photos either. 
• Peruse EBay’s forums by searching on the name of the seller to see what comments others may have left, good or bad.

 Ultimately, your decision to buy from an EBay seller should be based on a combination of informed decision making after finding good sellers who fall within your threshold for risk.

Online Resources

There are many, many guides out there describing the technical art of spotting fakes. Some general, many more specific and by brand. Instead of adding my two cents to the weight of all of these good guides, I list the ones I particularly find useful here. I also list below other resources which you will find helpful in your online shopping quest.

• Mypoupette dot com – Has guides and information for spotting fakes, as well as an online service for verifying the authenticity of individual products found online. Emphasis is on Louis Vuitton, but they can also authenticate other brands for just a bit more cost.
• From Bags to Riches dot com – They offer an optional certification service and will put a seal of authenticity on a listing, as well as offering cleaning and restoration services.
• Knowknockoffs dot com – Excellent consumer advocate website for educating consumers to become better online shoppers.
• How To Spot A Fake Designer Purse or Handbag – A professionally written article by Cathy Feldman, contributing editor of designerhandbags101 dot com
• Designerhandbags101 dot com – Excellent background information on a variety of handbag labels.
• How to spot a fake Coach bag  – nicely written EBay guide on spotting fake Coach hand bags, written by seller to.much.stuf
• Detect Authentic Coach vs Fake Coach – an extensive and excellent resource for spotting fakes written by seller fionaflyby.

Kevin

How to Spot a Fake Burberry

Authentic Burberry patterns always match up on the sides and on the bottom of your item. If you have a handbag where there is a different pattern on the sides of the purse, it’s probably a fake, as each side of an authentic Burberry is identical to the other.

Counterfeit sellers usually copy the classic Burberry bag but also make styles never made by Burberry. The handbag or accessory may look good in the photo, but in many cases it is not the item that will be sent. Many counterfeit sellers use web site photos or steal their photos from authentic ebay auctions. If the  photograph posted has another seller’s watermark that is a sure sign that the photo has been stolen. This practice is against eBay policy, but usually the item has sold before ebay has time to take action. Counterfeit sellers like to do the short auctions over the weekend & during a holiday when they know ebay staff is at it’s lowest. Counterfeit seller’s sometimes misspell  the brand name in the title to avoid ebay’s pulling the auction. They also will sometimes add a disclaimer to their auction that the item was a gift so they can’t verify the authenticity, but they know it is authentic.

A gift?

When I see a designer item listed as new without tags and they claim it was a “gift”, I run! This is almost a sure sign of the item not being authentic. especially if they have more than one of this “gift”. The line seen most often is “This was a gift from my ex-husband, ex-fiance’ or ex-boyfriend” or males will claim:”This was a gift I bought for my fiance’ , girlfriend or ex-wife”. I would scrutinize designer items being advertised as pre-owned, like new without tags. The “without tags” is usually the tip off. Who buys a $1,000-2,000 handbag and does not keep the papers or gift box?? Burberry and Louis Vuitton package your handbag or accessory so nicely in a very elegant gift box that I doubt your average woman would throw this out. Most women use it to store the handbag in off season.

This is not to say you can’t find an authentic designer item on ebay. Many women sell their designer handbag so they can buy a different one. You can get a designer handbag that looks like new as it was very well taken care of.  But this is not a normal occurance on ebay. Always check their feedback before bidding. Even a good seller can have a few negatives that they could not avoid from the psycho compulsive buyer, but if you see more than one claim that the item was not authentic, I would avoid this seller. Actually if I personally see even one claim of non-authenticity I avoid the seller, as it is not worth taking the chance. Better be safe than sorry. I would advise you to post the auction in question on one of the purse forums for their opinion.

There are also wholesaler’s in Asia that steal ebay auction photo’s and give this same photo to the buyer to sell their fake items. The watermark is easily cropped off if the seller has used ebay picture manager, as they put the watermark in a corner where it can easily be cropped off.

Counterfeiter’s usually “forget” or use inexpensive versions of the embossed leather, zippers or metal tag that authenticates Burberry products.

All Burberry wallets will have “Burberry” embossed usually on the left side or the top if it is a fold over style.

Burberry handbags with have a leather tag sewn inside that will have the serial number on the reverse side and sometimes the front will say where it is made, sometimes it is blank.

On some bags there will be an additional tag that will be embossed with where the bag was manufactured. (usually Italy or China).   Burbery does have a factory in China now and most of the accessories ie: sunglasses are made there. The all leather handbags appear to be made in Italy (the higher end line). Although the materials come from Italy, the other handbags are assembed in China and are marked “Made in China”.

 <Front of leather tag

<Reverse side has the serial #

Hardware is usually gold or silver-toned, although some of the newer Burberry styles are leather covered. On an authentic Burberry,  when the hardware is engraved it will always be neatly embossed with the word “Burberry.” Sometimes the emblem is found on the tip of the zipper pull. <Emblem is on the lock button (zippers are not engraved on this bag)

Each item will have a Burberry card and product tag that will list the style number and style name. Some counterfeits will have a look alike tag, but it usually does not have the correct information.

 Fake Burberry card & tag on a counterfeit Knight Studded bag

 Just like other name brands, look on the company’s Web site and scrutinize the item you’re interested in to check for flaws and signs of fraud.

For more information and help on how to spot a counterfeit designer item, visit

knowknockoffsforum.com, the purseforum or ebay’s purse forum. A informed buyer is a happy buyer. If you have purchased a counterfeit and need a statement for a pay pal claim, there are services that provide this.

I am not an expert, just trying to give helpful tips to help the ebay consumer avoid buying a counterfeit. If this information has been helpful, please vote yes. If not please email me with comments that can help improve the guide.  Thank you!

How to report a counterfeit on eBay:

Go to the bottom of the auction in question

Click on “report this auction”

Listing Violation:

1.) Subtopic: Counterfeits and copyright.

2.) Potential trademark infringement violations

3.) Pick the category for the item (ie: counterfeit handbag, counterfeit accessories, etc)

4.) Click on “email us”

5.) Send

Have you ever wondered who owns what?  I did, so I did some research & compiled a list on the top Luxury Brand Fashion labels; LOUIS VUITTON, CHANEL, CHRISTIAN DIOR, GUCCI, just to name a few. I also listed some of the major Beauty & Cosmetic Labels; Lancome, Estee Lauder, MAC, etc. as well as retail stores; Neiman Marcus, Saks, Macys, Victoria’s Secret etc.  

All the info is from March 08 via the internet & Wikipedia, compiled of the most well known labels & designers.  I have no problem with anyone sharing or reposting this info, but please give credit where credit is due: me the author ***jerseyjuicy***  

Designer Houses & Fashion Labels

LVMH Moët Hennessy • Louis Vuitton  – Société Anonyme (S.A.) Company

LVMH is a French Holding Company ~ 60 sub-companies that each manage a small number of prestigious brands. The group was formed after mergers brought together Moët et Chandon and Hennessy & then merged with Louis Vuitton  in 1987 to form LVMH.  Partly owned by the Groupe Arnault (47.5%) – Bernard Arnault is the Chairman & CEO of LVMH & Christian Dior SA.   (Louis Vuitton Co is a division of it’s parent holding company LVMH) 

LVMH’s brands include:

• 
  Watches and Jewelry:




• 
  Chaumet


• 
  Dior Watches


• 
  Fred Joaillier


• 
  TAG Heuer


• 
  Zenith International S.A.


• 
  Perfume:




• 
  Parfums Christian Dior


• 
  Guerlain


• 
  Parfums Givenchy


• 
  Kenzo Parfums


• 
  Acqua di Parma


• 
  BeneFit Cosmetics


• 
  Fresh


• 
  Fashion & Leather Goods: 




• 
  Louis Vuitton


• 
  Fendi


• 
  Berluti


• 
  Celine


• 
  Donna Karan


• 
  eLuxury


• 
  Emilio Pucci


• 
  Givenchy


• 
  Kenzo


• 
  Loewe


• 
  Marc Jacobs


• 
  Sephora


• 
  StefanoBi


• 
  Thomas Pink

PPR (Pinault-Printemps-Redoute) – Multinational Holding Company

PPR is a Holding Company owned 42.5% by Artemis & on the Euronext Paris.  PPR also fully owns Gucci Group as well as many other subsidaries.

PPR Subsidaries Include:

• 
  GUCCI GROUP which consists of the following brands:




• 
  Fashion:




• Gucci


• Yves Saint Laurent


• 
  Sergio Rossi


• 
  Bottega Veneta


• 
  Alexander McQueen


• 
  Stella McCartney


• 
  Balenciaga


• 
  Perfume:




• 
  Roger & Gallet


• 
  Boucheron


• 
  Ermenegildo Zegna


• 
  Oscar de la Renta


• 
  Yves Saint Laurent


• 
  Alexander McQueen


• 
  Stella McCartney


• 
  Watches: 




• 
  Gucci


• 
  Bedat & Co


• 
  Yves Saint Laurent


• 
  Boucheron (also jewelry)


• 
  Redcats Group- mail order retailer which operates La Redoute, Ellos, Empire, Redcats USA, Cyrillus, Vertbaudet, Somewhere, Daxon, Edmée, Celaia, La Maison de Valérie, Josefssons & RedcatsUSA – mail order retailer which operates La Redoute, metrostyle, Chadwick’s of Boston, Jessica London, Brylane Home, Woman Within, OneStopPlus.com, Roaman’s, Kingsize Direct, The Sportsmans’Guide, The Golf Warehouse


• 
  Fnac – French retailer of cultural and consumer electronics products: books, CDs, DVDs, computer, electronics etc.


• 
  Conforama – household furnishing retailer


• 
  CFAO – distributor of cars and pharmaceuticals in Africa and the DOM-TOM


• 
  Puma

Compagnie Financière Richemont SA (Société Anonyme Company)

Richemont is an Industrial Holding Company with a subsidary Richemont SA governing many Maisons. On the SWX Swiss Exchange  

Richemont SA Maisons include:

• Cartier – jewelery, watches, etc


• Van Cleef & Arpels – jewellery, watches, etc.


• Piaget – jewelery, watches


• Vacheron Constantin – Swiss watches


• A. Lange & Söhne – German watches


• Jaeger-LeCoultre – Swiss watches


• International Watch Co – Swiss watches


• Baume et Mercier – watches, Swiss-assembled


• Montblanc – German writing instrument manufacturer


• Alfred Dunhill


• Lancel


• Chloé


• Polo Ralph Lauren Watch & Jewelry Co

CHANEL 

Privately held Co – Jointly owned by Alain Wertheimer and Gerard Wertheimer & headed by designer Karl Lagerfeld

BLUE HOLDINGS INC

One of the Premier Denim Companies in the Industry.  Publicly Traded.

Blue Holdings Includes:

• 
  Antik Denim – fully owned


• 
  Taverniti So Jeans


• 
  Faith Connexion


• 
  Yanuk

ACCESSORY NETWORK GROUP INC

Manufacturer of Women’s, Children’s & Infant’s Clothing & Accessories.   CEO:  Abe Chehebar  PRES: Todd Kanh

Brands Include:

• 
  IZOD


• 
  LeSportsac


• 
  Tahari


• 
  Calvin Klein


• 
  Cynthia Rowley


• 
  Ghurka


• 
  Vera Wang


• 
  Karl Lagerfeld

 

Beauty & Cosmetics

L’OREAL GROUP BRANDS Société Anonyme (S.A.) Company

Ownership:  27.5% by the Bettencourt Family, 26.4% by Nestlé, 3.9% treasury shares & 42.2% are publicly traded

L’Oreal Brands Include:

• 
  Professional Products Division: 




• 
  Kerastase, L’Oréal Technique, L’Oréal Pro, Matrix, Redken


• 
  Consumer Products Division: 




• 
  L’Oréal Paros, Garnier, Maybelline NY, SoftSheen-Carson


• 
  Luxury Products Division: 




• 
  Biotherm, The Body Shop, Cacharel, Diesel Perfumes, Giorgio Armani Parfums & Cosmetics, Guy Laroche, Helena Rubinstein, Kiehl’s, Lancome, Paloma Picasso, Ralph Lauren, Shu Uemura, Victor et Rolf parfums, Vichy


• 
  Active Cosmetics Division: 




• 
  Dermablend, La Roche-Posay, SkinCeuticals, Vichy Laboratoires, Innéov, Ombrelle

ESTEE LAUDER  – Publically traded

Cosmetics & Fragrance Company still controlled 70% by the Lauder family. 

Estee Lauder Includes:

• American Beauty


• Aramis


• Aveda


• Bobbi Brown


• Bumble and Bumble


• Clinique


• Coach


• Daisy Fuentes


• Darphin


• Donna Karan


• Estée Lauder


• Flirt!


• Good Skin


• Grassroots


• Jo Malone


• Lab Series


• La Mer


• Kiton


• MAC Cosmetics


• Michael Kors


• Missoni


• Ojon


• Origins


• Prescriptives


• Sean John Fragrances


• Tommy Hilfiger


• Tom Ford Beauty

ELIZABETH ARDEN – Publically traded

Cosmetics & Fragrance Company.  Elizabeth Arden cosmetics and perfume is their main line but also holds the license to these fragrances:  Hilary Duff, Britney Spears, Elizabeth Taylor, Mariah Carey, Alfred Sung, Hummer, Cynthia Rowley, Lulu Guinness, Bob Mackie, & Badgley Mischka

CLARINS – Private Co

French cosmetics company.  Includes: Clarins, Azzaro, Thierry Mugler, and Stella Cadente

PROCTOR & GAMBLE – Publically traded Fortune 500 Co

Includes:

• Clairol, Pantene &Wella Hair Care products


• CoverGirl & Max Factor Cosmetics


• SK-II beauty products


• Hugo Boss, Lacoste, Gucci, &  Dolce&Gabbana Colognes

Retail Stores

Neiman Marcus Group:  Neiman Marcus & Bergdorf Goodman Stores.   Catalogue & Online sales: Horchow, Bergdorf Goodman & Neiman Marcus

Saks Inc:  Fortune 500 Publically traded co – Owns & operates Saks Fifth Avenue & Saks Off 5th

Macy’s Inc:  Publically traded Department Store Holding Co – Owns & operates Macy’s & Bloomingdales

Limited Brands:  An American Apparel Company – Publically traded.  Includes:

• The Limited


• The Express


• Victoria’s Secret & Pink (Victoria’s Secret)


• Bath & Body Works


• Henri Bendel


• C.O. Bigelow


• The White Barn Candle Company


• La Senza

If I have missed anything or if you have more info on the labels & ownership, please contact me so I can add to the list.

If you found this guide useful or informative, please vote yes so I know that my hard work has payed off 
 
Also, don’t forget to check out my auctions as I am always listing new 100% Authentic Designer fashions & handbags at discount prices!

Oh no!  Your “steal” on that great Louis Vuitton purse just turned into torture…you discovered it’s a fake!  What now?!?

Don’t feel bad – thousands of people are deceived by fakes every day.  Most, unfortunately, don’t realize it.  What’s the problem?  Well, for one, the designers aren’t getting paid for their designs.  The real problem, however, is that you’ve just bought a piece of junk, probably made of the cheapest materials around, and not worth anything like what you paid. 

So what do you do when you realize you bought a fake?  Thank goodness, eBay protects you from fakes.  It’s against the law AND against eBay policy to sell knock-offs.  This includes items that are called “like-designer” but have significant features of designer items.  (For example, the LV logo from Louis Vuitton, or Coach CC print) 

The important thing is that you have only 60 days to open a dispute and get your money back.  Keep this in mind when you purchase any designer item! 

Now, follow the next steps to dispute the item and get your money back.  It’s important to use this process, instead of directly asking the seller for a refund, because (a) frequently they refuse and (b) what they are doing is illegal and they need to be kicked off ebay.

Step 1:  Document the listing.  Copy the pictures from the listing if you can – or copy the entire listing with description.  The easiest way is to open the listing full screen, then hit Print Screen on your keyboard.  Now, open Paint (all windows-based systems have it), do Paste, and then save the image as a BMP (bitmap) file.  Do as many times as necessary to capture all the listing information. 

Step 2:  Document the item.  Take good pictures, and write yourself some notes on why it’s a fake.  If you had help from an authenticator, include the email or notes from that person.

Step 3:  Go to ebay’s Dispute Console (in My Ebay, look for Dispute Console), and “Report a problem with an item”.  You’ll need the item number.  Select “Item Significantly Not as Described”.  Ebay should direct you to PayPal when this step is complete, so you can open a dispute with them as well.  (Hopefully you paid with PayPal)

Step 4:  If you used a credit card (through PayPal or direct), contact them and dispute the charge – explain that the item was a fake.  Most credit card companies are very supportive.

Step 5:  Leave Feedback.  Be sure to leave NEGATIVE feedback with explicit comments about the item being a fake.  This helps warn other potential buyers away.

If you bought the fake from somewhere other than eBay, you might be out of luck.  If you used a credit card, be sure to call them immediately and open a dispute through them.  A brick-and-morter store will probably give you a refund, with a receipt, especially if you threaten to call the police about the sale of fake items.  (Yes, it really is that illegal)

Of course, the best step is to be an educated buyer to begin with!  Check out my Upcoming Guide to Buying Designer Purses, or search the eBay guides for specific designer information.  Happy Shopping!