Is my Coach fake??

[moonlight]

Anyone an expert Coach shopper?? I just got my first 2 bags and I'm really wondering if I got a good deal or not! What should I look for?? Anything the bags definitely should or shouldn’t have?? Or does anyone know a good website on this?

Re: Is my Coach fake??

Well what makes you think they are fake?

This website is awesome- it has pictures and everything.
http://www.bagbliss.com/counterfeits/coach/

Ebay has some good guides too.

1. Signature fabric: The "C" pattern will be off. Except for some patterns, like the "optic" or my new favorite "scarf print," the tip of the "C" facing the other "C" should touch. Also, the pattern should line up and start in the center of the front panel of the bag. The seams should go straight down through the middle of the CC's, and the pattern should be aligned horizontally and vertically. The best way to tell is to go to the COACH website and look at the real thing, and then compare it to what you're looking at on eBay and see if the pattern is different.

2. Sometimes the "CC" will actually be a "GG" - how much more obvious can you get! And no, this does not mean it's a Gucci! (I'm not as familiar with Gucci products, but if someone is selling you a "COACH" bag which is imprinted with the letter "G" then logically it must be fake.)

3. The stitching is sloppy or the pattern is crooked - this is a sure sign because COACH does not make sloppy products!

4. The bag does not look like any other bag you've ever seen - if it looks "sort of" like a bag you've seen but something is "off" - be careful!

5. Replicas: The seller is listing an unusually large number of the same exact bag. This is a red flag because there are websites where you can purchase good-quality replicas, and I have seen these replicas listed on eBay claiming to be authentic. Note that replicas are usually made of fabric as leather is more expensive and therefore all-leather bags are less likely to be fake. (I have seen all-leather fake Coach bags - although they are usually very obviously fake - i.e. the quality of the leather is VERY poor, and other aspects indicate that it's not authentic.)

6. Photos: Beware of blurry photos or stock photos (a stock photo is one that has been cut-and-pasted from the COACH website, usually with a white background) - this does not necessarily mean the bag is fake, but if you see either of these types of photos, I would contact the seller and ask if they can send you a photo of the actual item they're selling.

7. Authenticity: Take note if there is absolutely no mention that the bag is authentic! If so, ask the seller to verify that they are offering an authentic product. If they fail to respond to your request, this may be a sign that they don't want to incriminate themselves. But be careful! Just because the seller claims it's authentic does not mean that it is.

8. Credo Patch: Most COACH bags have a "serial number" stamped on the inside, on a square patch of leather sewn into the lining. Some of the smaller purses (the "clutch," the "swingpack" and the "mini") do not have a serial number. The serial number typically consists of a series of numbers or a number-and-letter combination. The last 4-5 digits of the serial number indicate the style number of the bag. Careful, though, as fake COACH bags also have a serial number - so just because the bag has a serial number does NOT mean the it is authentic.

**UPDATE** If the patch is not stamped - in other words, embossed into the leather - but is simply printed in ink - beware! The only bags I've seen with the credo patch printed in ink are the newer lines, like the Legacy, where the credo is lettered in gold-colored ink - and even then, it is still stamped into the leather before it's lettered over in gold.

***UPDATE REGARDING "SERIAL NUMBERS"*** I just received an email from an eBay member which contained the following useful information regarding the "serial number" found in most Coach bags. Apparently this number is no longer a "true" serial number as it is not unique to each bag. As I explained above, the numbers & letters after the dash indicate the style number of the bag - so in that respect each of the same bag made in the same year should have the same "serial number" - so to speak.

History: Bags from the late 1960's did not have any serial number. Coach added serial numbers to the creed in the 1970's - each bag had a unique number - a "serial number" in the true sense of the word. This was apparently true through the 1980's, and it was not until the 1990's that Coach introduced the modern "registration format" of letters and numbers, with the last four digits indicating the style number of the bag - or, in the late 2000's, the last five digits.

9. Fixtures: The "COACH" logo should be stamped on most of the metal hardware - except the older "classic favorite" styles do not have the stamp. **UPDATE** The new "Legacy" line of COACH bags do not have the COACH stamp on any of the nickel/brass hardware. These bags are made to look more like their "classic favorites" but updated with a little flair. But keep in mind that COACH still makes their regular 'trendy' line of bags, although the newer ones do not appear to have COACH stamped on the hardware (perhaps they are doing away with this). This is a situation where, because the style of a particular bag may change from year to year, you'll need to find a photo of the authentic product - and make sure it's the same style number - to compare with photos from the auction.

10. Zippers: Although the zipper pull on a real COACH bag tends to be made of leather or a series of rings, the actual zipper mechanism which pulls the two sides of the zipper together should be embossed with the letters "YKK". This is the highest-quality manufacturer of zippers and COACH uses this brand. Sometimes it's hard to see, especially on a photo. Even in person, you may need a magnifying glass to see the YKK, especially with very small zippers. Note: I have never seen a regular zipper pull on a Coach bag - in my experience, they are either made of leather, a single ring, or series or rings. This is one of the wonderful ways Coach makes their products unique, down to the very smallest detail!

11. Lining: If the outside of the bag has the CC pattern, the lining will NOT have any pattern. If the outside of the bag does NOT have the CC pattern, the lining will most likely have the CC pattern (although sometimes neither the outside nor the inside will have the CC pattern). You will NEVER see a bag with the CC pattern on the outside AND the inside - this is a sure sign of a fake bag. Also, the "classic favorites" style bags do not have a lining at all. (Note: Legacy bags all have a the same multi-colored striped *real* silk lining, no matter what the exterior color or pattern is.)

12. "Made in China": I've been asked this question often - if it says "Made in China" does that mean it's fake? The answer is no - Coach does make some bags in China. I have also heard that Coach has made bags in Turkey. However, Coach does NOT make bags in Korea or Thiland - so if you see a "Made in Korea" or "Made in Thailand" tag then you'll know it's fake.

13. Other Auctions: I've received a lot of questions about bags on Overstock. They have an "auction" section similar to eBay, as does MSN, Yahoo, and others. I would use the same caution in purchasing from any auction.

14. Other Guides: Check out the "About Me" page from eBay member "ihatefakecoachbags" for more tips on spotting fake COACH bags and a list of trusted COACH eBay sellers. Also check out the Coach guide written by "fionaflyby" for more great tips. And knowknockoffs "dot" com has additional info on fake handbags in general.

15. Seller Feedback: Finally, don't forget to look at the seller's feedback - what is their rating? If it is not 100% (or at least 99-plus) then make sure to read their feedback comments. If a seller has sold thousands of items, chances are someone has left negative feedback, which does not necessarily mean the bag they're selling is fake. Sometimes buyers get anxious and leave negative feedback without giving the seller a chance to remedy the problem. So it's always a good idea to check feedback ratings to see what type of negative feedback was left, and if the seller made any reply to that feedback. And as always, ask the seller questions if you have any doubts or need any additional info. If the seller responds with a suspicious explanation, I would be very cautious about bidding.

16. And remember - shop for COACH items in department stores and familiarize yourself with the outstanding quality of their products. It will then be easier for you to spot a fake one.

Coach is excellent quality... so I'd say if you're doubting if they are authentic coach...they probably are. Hope this helped!

[Vishenka69]

Re: Is my Coach fake??

It should be fairly easy to tell by touching and examining the bag. What makes you think they're fake?

[Stella]

Re: Is my Coach fake??

Um, where did you get them??

[moonlight]

Re: Is my Coach fake??

Um, where did you get them??

Ok here is the deal. I drove an hour to my 'local' outlet mall here in CT. There was a Coach outlet store at the mall but they didn't have anything I just had to have. So I gave up on getting one until I went into the Off Saks 5th Ave store. They had a few (like 5 bags and 10 wallets) in the glass case. I was trying to decide between two bags that I really liked when the sales clerk=angel told me that they were having a buy 1 get the 2nd one 50% off sale.

I ended up with a light blue Swingback for $40 and a (I think) Top handle Pouch for $90- brown. There were cards in the bags but not the 'registration card' that I know comes with the real ones. The Swingback had a registration number printed inside, but the Pouch did not. The cards that did come with them had a small date printed on the corner 1/06 and 5/06. I'm pretty sure these are bags from last year's line because I don't see the exact bags on coach.com.

Is it possible that the Off Saks store sells fakes?

Re: Is my Coach fake??

Is it possible that the Off Saks store sells fakes?

Absolutely not, it would be illegal for an outlet to sell fakes. Being an outlet shopper, I've gotten many great deals at places like Off Fifth and they are genuine.

Don't worry, they are real.

Re: Is my Coach fake??

Well then damn I'm going to Saks! As soon as I get my first paycheck...

[moonlight]

Re: Is my Coach fake??

SWEET! Thank you.

I also took them over to a friend's house to show her. She buys only from coach.com and I think she has about a half dozen large bags. She took a close look and also thought they were real. The only thing lacking was the registration card.

Absolutely not, it would be illegal for an outlet to sell fakes. Being an outlet shopper, I've gotten many great deals at places like Off Fifth and they are genuine.

Don't worry, they are real.

[moonlight]

Re: Is my Coach fake??

Well then damn I'm going to Saks! As soon as I get my first paycheck...

I honestly got a shopping high that day! LOL! I haven't been to an outlet mall in a long time....... years maybe, but now I'm definitely going to check it out again for early Christmas shopping.

BTW I didn't know anything about the sale. They didn't have signs up or anything. Next time I go, I'm going to ask the sales person what sales they are having on that day. Maybe I'll get lucky again.

Re: Is my Coach fake??

Well then damn I'm going to Saks! As soon as I get my first paycheck...

I honestly got a shopping high that day! LOL! I haven't been to an outlet mall in a long time....... years maybe, but now I'm definitely going to check it out again for early Christmas shopping.

BTW I didn't know anything about the sale. They didn't have signs up or anything. Next time I go, I'm going to ask the sales person what sales they are having on that day. Maybe I'll get lucky again.

Yeah, I'm yearning for some good bargains and some great finds. I live for that stuff. Seriously.

That's so odd... that they had no signs up but you still got such a great deal! I can't wait to go shopping now! Heehee.

[Stella]

Re: Is my Coach fake??

Okay, good. Definitely real. Based on how worried you were, I was assuming you bought them on eBay or something. You're good to go.

Yay for a great deal!

[Vishenka69]

Re: Is my Coach fake??

I miss decent outlets. It should be illegal to open an outlet mall without Off Saks and Last Call.

But back to your problem. Everything in Off Saks is real. Congrats on the great deal!

[moonlight]

Re: Is my Coach fake??

Was this the outlet at Clinton with the Barneys? And when? I drive by that every day!!!

Yes it was! Here is the website. http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/outlet.asp?id=12

If you go to the site and get a free VIP membership you can print out tons of coupons. They are having a killer midnight sale the day after Thanksgiving. If I wasn't flying back home I would so be there!

I went there 3 weeks ago. Is it just me or is that place the nicest outlet mall? Maybe it's because I haven't been to one in so long...

Also, check out the West Point store for better deals on name brand bedding. What area do you live in? Or do you just work near there? I'm near Derby.