| Many consumers justify the purchase of their knock | | | | private dealers nor should the product be listed in a |
| off handbags by the high price of the originals. | | | | one day only auction. Knockoff retailers will overuse |
| Unfortunately what they don't realize is that not only | | | | adjectives describing how genuine the bags are- |
| do they get what they pay for, but purchasing | | | | "authentic, genuine real Fendi." |
| counterfeit products only drives the authentic pieces' | | | | When looking for handbags online it's hard to |
| prices higher and contributes to immoral labor practices | | | | determine if a product is real because the bag cannot |
| and a sagging economy. | | | | be handled and inspected. If looking for discounts a |
| Eighteen percent of counterfeit products seized by US | | | | consumer will encounter a number of knockoffs. There |
| customs in 2002 were fashion related items. This is a | | | | are some online stores that sell genuine products at |
| problem because this robs the country of an | | | | deep discounts, this is usually because the bag is out |
| estimated $200 billion a year in taxes. The American | | | | of season or was an overstock from a department |
| public has to make up for taxes that could be gained | | | | store. |
| from our imports. This hinders our economy, while the | | | | Look carefully at the bag's description. "Inspired by" is |
| countries these products came from continue to grow | | | | another dead giveaway. The bag should come with a |
| and thrive (China for example). | | | | certificate of authenticity, genuine packaging, and also |
| Additionally the funds made from selling these | | | | a dust bag all with the designer's name on them. The |
| knockoffs often go to organized crime rings. There is | | | | store should also stand behind the product, so that |
| evidence that the World Trade Center bombing was | | | | once the consumer receives the bag they can have |
| funded by the sale of counterfeit apparel. These | | | | its authenticity verified and it can be returned if it's |
| organizations also commonly employ child labor forces | | | | discovered to be a knockoff. |
| and often use their products to transport drugs and | | | | Handling the bag will be the best way to determine |
| other dangerous materials. | | | | whether the article is genuine or not. The point of origin |
| The lack of quality in the replicas can also be a safety | | | | tag is a good indicator. If it says "made in Taiwan" then |
| issue. Replica sunglasses break more easily and don't | | | | it's not real. Examine the materials, real leather is supple |
| offer the UV protection they claim. Sometimes | | | | and not at all like plastic. Check to see if the bag is |
| however it's not easy to spot the difference between | | | | misshapen. Examine the stitching, look for poor |
| the imitations and the genuine articles. | | | | craftsmanship such as missing stitches and frayed |
| There are some telltale signs however that can help a | | | | ends. One of the reasons designer handbags are so |
| consumer identify counterfeit handbags. Counterfeits | | | | expensive is because of the intense detail that goes |
| can be called copies, knockoffs, replicas, or imitations. | | | | into creating them. |
| Retailers are not always so quick to list their | | | | The designer will have a high quality tag sewn in the |
| merchandise under these terms. The first major | | | | purse. They will not be cheap fabric tags that are |
| indicator of a fake is the price. A genuine Prada bag | | | | barely stitched on. Many designers will use leather tags |
| will not be found for fifty or one hundred dollars. | | | | in the purses or will have the name plaque riveted in. |
| The location the bag is purchased is another dead | | | | Examining the article closely is the best way to spot a |
| giveaway. Top name designers don't sell their bags on | | | | fake. |
| the street, out of cars, at home parties, or in online | | | | Counterfeit products should be reported. Reporting |
| auctions. Some designers such as Louis Vuitton don't | | | | counterfeits will help keep designer prices from sky |
| sale wholesale at all- the bags must be purchased | | | | rocketing even higher and stops the illegal trade that |
| directly from the company itself. | | | | could be occurring also. Fakes can be reported at |
| If a website has fifty bags in one style, sixty in another | | | | 1-800-report-a-fake. Not all discount handbag retailers |
| and so on then they probably aren't the real thing. It's | | | | are up to no good some really are offering genuine |
| more likely to be genuine if the retailer has only a few | | | | bags at great prices, but the buyer should always be |
| bags in each style. Online sellers should not be listed as | | | | skeptical. |