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Perhaps you’re buying a Louis Vuitton bag for its unrivaled quality, durability, and craftsmanship. You may be attracted by its outstanding reputation across the world. Or, it could be because the resale value means you are purchasing an investment for life. Whatever the reason, when your longed-for designer item finally arrives, the last thing you want to do is discover it’s a fake. Fortunately, you can be sure you’re buying the genuine thing, and what you’ve paid for really is what you’ve got.
The Prevalence of Fake Designer Goods
Entrupy, a leading luxury goods authentication service, has identified Louis Vuitton to be number one for transactions involving fakes. Their State of the Fake 2019 Edition report put Louis Vuitton in the number one spot with more than 50 per cent transactions involving counterfeits, followed by Gucci (13.5 per cent), Chanel (12.3 per cent) and all others (23.4 per cent).
Entrupy provides sellers of high-end accessories with a device to verify the authenticity of their merchandise. Sellers that use Entrupy’s technology can guarantee that their items are genuine designer brands.
Identifying a Fake Designer Product
Many people claim to be able to spot a counterfeit Louis Vuitton based on the number of stitches per inch, the zipper, lining, clasps, monogram, date code, or some other feature. But the thing with designer brands is that it’s not always easy for the untrained eye to spot a fake. Even if you can pick an item up and examine it with your own eyes and hands, you might not be able to tell whether or not what you have in front of you is the real deal. And if you’re buying a preloved designer item online, you only have the seller’s word for it that you’re getting what they say you are. The internet is flooded with copies, and buyers need to beware!
When you’re spending such a large amount of money on an item, you need to be absolutely sure that it’s genuine. Otherwise, you could be wasting your money on a counterfeit that will prove to be virtually worthless.
How To Be Sure You’re Getting the Real Deal
The only answer is to buy from well-established and reputable websites and retail stores. As tempting as it is to buy from online sellers like eBay and Facebook Marketplace, you run the risk of buying a fake and having no way of remedying the situation. When the item arrives, you still won’t know for sure whether it’s real or a fake, and even if you do identify that it’s a fake, it can be difficult or impossible to get your money back. The seller could even take themselves offline at any time, and if you’re not happy with the item, you won’t be able to contact them.
When you buy from a site like Madam Virtue & Co, you have the reassurance that the item has been authenticated and valued by an expert. We sell vintage, preloved designer handbags, jewellery, fine jewellery, sunglasses and accessories, and you’ll know you’re buying a genuine designer item because Madame Virtue & Co offers a money back guarantee on non-genuine items.
Perhaps you’ve scrimped and saved for months or years, or maybe your new bag is a special birthday or anniversary gift. However you’ve come by your gorgeous designer piece, you deserve to have what it was advertised as - a designer piece. To be sure you’re getting what you paid for when you buy a designer brand online, opt for a retailer that takes the time and the trouble to authenticate each item. You won’t regret it when you admire your very own designer Louis Vuitton bag, and you know it’s yours to keep.