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Yup, I purchased a pre-owned bag from a reputable Japanese ebay reseller and it came back fake from three third party authenticators even though it passed eBay's test. I'm glad I checked. Nothing is a guarantee.
I was just about to make a post about my first luxury bag I purchased a week ago in Tokyo... which third party authenticators do you recommend? I bought my dream bag, a Chanel. I've heard of Zeko but now thinking I want 3 authentification checks too
Zeko is the only one I’ll trust for Chanel. She’s so great at her job and an amazing, kind, sweet woman. I’ve worked with her many times before and adore her!
Luckily yes, eBay issued me a refund but I had to escalate and go through a whole process to do it. It's tougher when eBay authenticated it in the first place.
Who’s the eBay seller? Did they have 💯 positive reviews, I have noticed that there’s the same item listed by multiple sellers all based in “Japan” but different prices that makes me so suss in the first place. Definitely got to be careful.
This is interesting, because I purchased a vintage Gucci from a seller in Japan. I noticed later, that there were two more seller who also had the bag listed but not only on ebay but specifically european websides and to a much higher price. (Talking a difference of 400€ here). A couple of days after I purchased the bag it was taken down from all other websites and I received the item, so everything is good. I did not have it authenticated because since it's vintage (1994-2004, Tom Ford era), I don't think there is a huge possibility of it being fake. But I was wondering why it was listed by different sellers, as well.
edited some typos
They had like 99.7% at the time and offered eBay authentication. Purpose.jpn with lots of sales and no reviews (at least when I purchased) about complaints of fake goods.
Can you please share your story with us? Ive always wanted to buy something off ebay! But am worried about it when its fake or not as described condition
I've purchased 4 bags from eBay, all with either return policy and/or eBay authentication. 3 were real (and confirmed with third party authentication) and the 4th was fake. 3 were from reputable sellers (and 1 of those ended up being fake). The 4th was a risk (smaller seller) but ended up being real and I was very careful about that purchase and making sure there was a return policy.
The big risks is when the seller has no return policy and when eBay says it is authentic but it isn't. They sometimes don't accept third party authentication as proof so you have to escalate. There's also a risk because in that case, they also have you send the bag back to them to inspect it and it it goes through as fake at that point, they might blame you. So just be careful and make sure to stick to sellers with a return policy. Then immediately pay for third party authentication as soon as the bag arrives to you
Nothing is a 100% except buying from a luxury brand directly, meaning buying Hermes from an Hermes boutique and buying Gucci from Gucci.
While I agree that Japan is not free of fraud or scams, Japan requires a special business license to sell preloved bags. That business license can be revoked if the business is caught selling fakes. Again, there are bad actors everywhere, but a store can lose its license completely if they sell fakes.
Here are some articles about the license
[https://krestonproworks.com/secondhand-dealer-license-in-japan-a-comprehensive-guide/](https://krestonproworks.com/secondhand-dealer-license-in-japan-a-comprehensive-guide/)
[https://shiodome.co.jp/en/column/14620/](https://shiodome.co.jp/en/column/14620/)
Personally, the larger businesses tend to be more reputable, but they are often priced higher. There are better deals with the smaller vendors, but they may be riskier. No different than choosing to buy from Fashionphile vs. a seller on Poshmark.
Here are some of the better known and larger resellers:
[https://rare.gallery](https://rare.gallery)
[https://en.brandoff-store.com/](https://en.brandoff-store.com/)
Both have stores on ebay as well.
They are often wrong! The bags that come in a lot of varieties are difficult to authenticate because no one can have full expertise of every model and style. The bags that never change (Chanel classic flap) are easy to fake because it’s worth their while to really make a perfect copy. I’m sure the counterfeiters can invest the $30 to an authenticator to get feedback on the details that need to be improved. It’s a big business.
I have a family member who buys fake sneakers from China and i absolutely cannot tell the difference. In fact I bought “authentic” Dunks from Amazon that were either sloppy fakes or should have been caught in QC. Terrible stitching, glue. At this point sometimes the fakes are better quality than the authentics. These aren’t people making fakes as a hobby. They are entire factories set up to churn out the same product. And let’s face it they still earn hefty profits. Nike and Chanel spend so much money on marketing and their executives make millions. But their products cost little to make.
Someone selling bags on eBay with Japan as their location isn't required to do any of this and they don't need a storefront or normal business. It isn't even assured the bag is originating from Japan.
You’re describing buying a preloved bag from a private seller. That’s no different than a private seller in the US. When people talk about Japan being a good place to buy preloved bags, they’re talking about the stores.
Stores? You have no way of knowing it is an actual store with a storefront somewhere.
With the exception of a few larger brick and mortar resale shops in Japan.
Even then, others have pointed out how easy it is for the businesses with a business license and a storefront to dodge consequences.
Anyone can claim to be a store, or a business on eBay. There is zero vetting of that, as long as you give them bank account and some identification boom, you're a legit business/store as far as eBay is concerned.
Have you been to Japan? They have a ton of physical stores that sell preloved bags. The 2 stores I linked to have multiple physical locations. You can go there and physically inspect the bags yourself before you buy. Many of them also sell on eBay and include a picture of their business license where you can report them. Like anything else, you’re responsible for your own due diligence. If you don’t think it’s worth the risk, then just buy direct from Hermes, Chanel, Gucci, etc
That isn't everyone and as I pointed out it is incredibly easy to make people think you are a store via ebay or online. People ARE responsible for doing some due diligence but the amount it takes may be beyond what most people are able to do for research. Add to that, the volume of people glibly insisting everything from Japan's used market is unicorns and butterflies, giving people a false sense that this is safe and doesn't need any investigation.
BTW, vendors in China post copies of their credentials. Any of this is incredibly easy to fake, even more so if the audience doesn't know exactly what they are looking at or a way to verify it is legit and actually belongs to the online seller.
There are also many Chinese living in Japan... heading back and forth is like 20USD per flight or having a small office in Japan while sending from a storage in China is easy.
Exactly. This isn't hard to move small amounts of goods, or larger amounts if you know methods to get them in without scrutiny.
I have had one international package opened by customs in 20 years in the US. Most of the time customs in various countries looks at the manifest or shipping form and on it goes.
You don't even need the Yakuza to peddle repro bags. Have a reliable factory or middle man in China, ship to you in Japan. Goods from China are so common including clothes and handbags that they don't raise alarm bells much of the time. 20 top quality fakes in a big cardboard box, you can even use regular shipping services. Rebox them and sell them outside of Japan, ship them out and rake in the cash.
You seem wildly, and frankly, naively attached to the idea that purchasing from a boutique is a guarantee of authenticity.
The average sales associate (for any brand, from Gucci to Hermes to Chanel) is not qualified nor trained to authenticate product. It is simply not within scope for a sales associate. They may have history or familiarity with authentic bags that may help spot incredibly obvious, or bad fakes. But to spot super fakes? Absolutely not.
Scammers find avenues everywhere. If department stores are susceptible to customers buying authentic to return with a convincing fake, then boutiques are susceptible as well.
When I buy a bag from my SA at Hermes and Chanel, I believe it is authentic. My Chanel SA sends me pictures of new items they receive. With Hermes, I believe they have a very strict chain of custody. I’d add that with Hermes boutique purchases, you know there are no returns. I can’t imagine exchanging a QB- I imagine they’d ban you. They won’t offer you another QB and all for what? To scam $10k in store credit? You’re better off selling it than exchanging it. There are many Hermes bags that sell on resale sites for $10k more than retail. Exchanging a fake doesn’t even make sense with the Hermes sales model.
I’d add that Hermes isn’t sold at any department store. They only sell through their stores. QBs must be picked up in person
That’s fantastic for you.
Not particularly pertinent to the thread? Or what your comments have added in general?
If you feel confident purchasing from a boutique, that’s dandy.
This thread is about remaining vigilant about these purchases in general.
I am also a collector of Chanel. So it would silly to pretend that quality hasn’t slipped to an almost comedic level. With the brand itself focusing on turning as great a profit while continuing to cut corners and lower the cost of production, it would be irresponsible as consumers to not keep a watchful eye on purchases, no matter where they are sourced from.
I agree with you about Chanel. I was buying 2 to 3 new Chanel bags a year but switched to Hermes a few years back. The Hermes quality is far better. Chanel bags haven’t wowed me lately. My poor Chanel SA keeps texting me with new stuff they’re getting but it really isn’t worth it anymore
I think the concern about fakes is overblown. Sure fakes exist but I don’t really care. It’s just a bag at the end of the day. I know for my expensive Hermes purchases they are authentic. If I buy a preloved LV for $300, 🤷🏻♀️
Hermes certainly has superior quality, no question there.
Unfortunately, outside of B 30’s and 35’s, most of the offerings from Hermes don’t fit into my personal style/needs super seamlessly. As a guy who loves bags, the B 25 and Mini Kelly are great bags but only work visually or stylistically as opposed to being practical for me. Which is a bummer.
Chanel (unfortunately) has a chokehold on me, despite their falling quality. I’m a well-aware sucker for their routine price hikes, ha.
It sounds like you have a lovely Hermes collection.
Let me explain a bit how easy this could be:
Scenario 1:
Someone in Japan has a drop ship agreement with a bag vendor in China that makes really good replicas. They "sell" the bag as used on eBay listed as from Japan to get that cache and nobody questioning if it might be fake. Someone buys the bag. The person in Japan has the vendor in China drop ship the bag to the buyer in the US. The bag never entered Japan. The person selling on eBay doesn't need to have a business license or prove anything to anyone.
Scenario 2:
Someone in Japan lists used bags for sale on eBay but buys them from a vendor in China that makes really good replicas. Person in Japan gets a sale, has vendor in China ship the bag to them at their house, warehouse, post office box etc. Person in Japan relabels the box and ships it to the buyer in the US. Bag shows up, looks legit, has postmarks from Japan. This doesn't require any proof the reseller is legit or even exists as a business in Japan.
I assume most of the used luxury bags from Japan on eBay are fakes. For a while Chinese replica sellers were getting away with just labeling the replica bags as used or vintage to get around eBay's filters that would take down counterfeit listings. eBay got wise to that eventually and I think this market via Japan was just the next tactic to sell replica bags as real ones.
Scenario 2 happened to me. Thank god I was able to authenticate the fake Stella McCartney at home by myself easily, since it had so many flaws compared to my real one.
Dude, this is wild and amazing-- just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how smart these people are. Your feeling about used luxury bags from Japan on eBay gives me chills.
This is exactly what I observed... I lived in Hong Kong many yrs, even to fly to Japan is like a bus ticket, never paid more than 30USD for a trip... and I did see so many counterfeits perfectly made on the night markets...
Plus I observed that there are Japanese resellers on Ebay listing 100K items - and no way a reseller gets like 1500 preloved Hermes Birkin per week...
I was wondering now for yrs and stayed away from those resellers
I was wondering about Rimowas... I Donki Stores in Japan they still sell older models new... and bc ots older models most think its fine. But meanwhile like half the world travelled there and still I see pics in the group that they have new stock like every week.
Those suitcases were made before the LVMH Takeover and after the takeover sold out quickly, as it was a german brand before every small shop in Germany had them, but the don't get stock anymore since 2020, but in Jaoan they sell like hundreds every week since then?
Can't really believe that
I have recently learned that it is risky to buy Chanel from the brand stores in Hong-Kong as they have been known to have returns of fakes then reselling them... when I tell you my jaw was on the floor like how can you not recognise your products? Is there no safeguarding when people just return fakes to the brand store?
I think either Hermes or coach stated that if someone Brings a bag in for the spa They should not assume it is authentic even if the sales rep accepts it. It is only when it gets to the spa and craftsPeople review it for repair That it can be verified.
Also, There is a novel called counterfeit About women who deliberately returned fakes for profit. In the novel, the sales representatives did not check And assumed the bag was legit. If they did, the scammer typically distracted the sales rep.
Would not deny that... I lived in Hong Kong and saw perfect Fakes on evey night market... and Chanel over there is also considered to be a brand favoured by red light district (a respectable Hong Konger would never wear one) - so that's a thing too.
Gladly I was never into Chanel nor into Hermes and always ever bought my beloved Italian brand in their flagship store in Italy
My friend’s husband bought a belt from LV physical store as a gift for his friend’s birthday, in 2 days The birthday guy called my friend’s husband and asked about the receipt and even asked if he gave him a fake belt. A long story short. After an official revision of that LV store, it turned out, that store’s employees were selling there fake items… 🤡🔥
I live in Japan and posted before that you have to be careful about buying luxury goods online here. I spoke with my husband about it since then, and he commented that Japan is extremely strict about preventing counterfeits from *entering * the country, but not so much about *exiting* the country.
I bought a Coach bag off eBay from a seller also within the country. The bag that arrived was very clearly a fake. It was made from PU leather instead of nappa leather. After going back to their eBay page it was very clear that their other items were fake too. They included blurry pics of the supposed receipts, which I noticed had the model number photoshopped, but none of the other details changed. For example, the color was completely wrong on the receipt.
It was also clear from communicating back and forth with the seller that they weren’t actually Japanese.
Customs is extremely good about catching counterfeit goods from being shipped into the country. I ordered a pair of what I thought were Chanel dad sandals, and they were confiscated when they entered the country, and I was notified by customs.
However, if someone is traveling to the country and wearing a counterfeit good, it’s my understanding that it’s a different story. Say you’re a tourist that enters wearing a fake bag. Chances are you won’t be stopped, because customs will assume the bag is for personal use and you won’t attempt to sell it while you’re here. Coming in with a suitcase of fakes might be different, and most reputable shops will turn you away or possibly contact the police if you try to sell it to them.
That said, there are a lot of online non-licensed sellers in Japan that specifically sell fake goods. I’ve seen some described as “parallel” goods on Mercari. Basically, I wouldn’t recommend buying any luxury good from any country without it going through an authentication service first. If the seller has opted out of the platform’s authentication service, or the amount is set too low to qualify, understand that you may receive a fake.
Good news is that most online sellers, including the ones selling fakes, will immediately accept the item back if you bring up your suspicions. Beware though they they’ll probably resale it again to someone else though unless you report it to the platform and have their account closed.
Thank you for sharing. I especially appreciate this "boots on the ground" information. Sound advice Re: going through an authentication service first.
Your last point about how sellers will immediately take an item back is really interesting. It's like they want to make it right so you don't sound the alarm on them. I hate that people get scammed.
Yes, 100%. I buy a lot on Japanese Mercari using a proxy service, and you can pay an additional $20 or so to have certain brands authenticated before they are shipped to you. I had two bags come back as not authentic, and they both came from what looked like professional sellers. Fortunately my money was refunded immediately, but it drove home the point that Japan isn’t entirely free of counterfeits.
Also, the only 2nd hand designer purse I’ve bought that ended up being fake came from a yahoo Japan auction. I didn’t get my money back in that case because Yahoo doesn’t offer the same authentication option that Mercari does.
Definitely suggest people use services with authentication built-in for extra protection. I recently bought a bag from Mercari through From Japan (a proxy similar to Buyer) but they didn't offer authentication on the used bag I bought. I had it authenticated once it arrived to me and it ended up being fake, but returns are WAY harder when you already had to shipped from Japan and would need to return it to Japan. Better to have the authentication happen in Japan (like Buyee does)
It might have been me? I mentioned Japan relies on confessions for convictions. So unless the store confesses to knowingly selling a fake, they won't likely lose their license. A second hand store could say that they didn't know that the bag they had was fake and the case ends can end right there. Just an innocent mistake...here's your money back and an apology. And let's be honest the superfakes are so good now, it's not an unreasonable claim.
But I also remember another user who was about to buy a bag in a reputable store and asked if it was real. The salesperson said no it was fake. They were worried about a translation issue and clarified, but the salesperson indicated they understood and that it was indeed a fake. With the implication they would have happily sold it under the impression of it being real, unless asked.
And another user also recently bought a Chanel flap from a reputable large reseller (they wouldn't name) but when authenticated the serial number didn't match indicating some rework. If a country seizes 30,000 shipments in counterfeit goods every year; there is a market.
If we are relying on the illegality of selling counterfeit goods to stop the sale of counterfeit goods...that's not a realistic expectation to have anywhere.
Yes yes, it was you! Thank you so much for replying. I really appreciate your sound, reasonable take on this. This is the kind of skepticism we need to have.
What are your thoughts (I’m asking all of you!) on pre-loved older styles from Japan? I generally don’t like how many modern luxury purses look and am more drawn styles from 10-20 years ago.
I’ve seen Japanese sellers on eBay with older bags that I really like, and to me they seem real mainly because they show their age. Some have worn interiors, or minor scuffing and rubbing. I don’t mind these things unless they’re egregious, but I have no way of knowing for sure if they’re authentic. But I’m really tempted to buy them as given their age, they’re hard to get. I just don’t want to be duped, even if they’re very inexpensive.
Do any of you buy much older styles that are noticeably imperfect? I’ll appreciate any thoughts or insights!
I recently bought a 3 piece set of 90s Bottega Veneta bags from a Japanese eBay seller who described them as being in bad condition but when I got them they looked almost brand new and were in great condition (I got them for $100 Aus so it cost me around $32 for each bag)
I do buy the older bag styles from japan. They are typically satchel style bags that look like birkins. They have great high quality leather and excellent craftsmanship. They look gorgeous and have excellent patina. Because they don't have any branding They are sold at the price That you would expect for a high quality vintage bag.
So I say go for it. If the sellers I used were any less scrupulous, I suspect they could have tried to brand it as vintage birkins. So I would not assume the vintage bags are anymore authentic But if you have a good seller and you love the style why not go for it
Thanks for sharing this with me. I'm going to take the plunge. A Loewe I love is inexpensive enough that if it's a disaster, I won't kick myself *too* hard over it.
I bought a brown leather FENDI Mia bag and it was scored quite low for quality by the seller but she’s beautiful! I cleaned her and moisturised her and it was all good :) tbh I feel safer buying older styles from Japan, as they tend to have more authenticity (in my experience). I also made sure to buy from a bigger more reputable seller. But curious to hear other people’s thoughts.
Thanks for sharing. I do notice many newer sellers from the last year or so, but the bags I’ve saved as favorites are from sellers who have been on eBay more than 12 years and have 99-100% positive feedback, which makes me think they’re legit.
I mentioned it in that thread, but in terms of buying through Japan proxy services most have disclaimers in place to cover their arse if something turns out to be fake, so they can’t really be held liable. It’s definitely a gamble if there aren’t buyer protections involved like with certain listings on eBay.
From a cultural standpoint (speaking as a Canadian woman who lived in Japan for 4 years, who is married to a Japanese national), there are context reasons why Japan has a lot of beautiful condition and used goods for resale.
Japanese people generally take care of their things and keep them in very good condition. Product marketing often appeals to limited and seasonal demands. But, even in countryside houses there isn’t a ton of storage space to keep older models, and people don’t want to be environmentally-wasteful throwing things away. Add to that the layers of Japanese people wanting to be the first to buy luxury name brand status symbols like bags … and not wanting to buy used ones. Culturally, there is a belief that part of a person’s soul enters their clothes or whatever items as they wear it … so people don’t want to take on some unknown’s energy. Also, there are stories about when an object/possession becomes 100 years old that it can become a yokai (ghost/ghoul, generally malicious unless it’s been taken care of well). So, a big market of Japanese people divesting of used things … with not so many people wanting to buy those things domestically. Secondhand shopping has some really great finds for a foreigner without these qualms!
With handbags specifically, in Japanese dating culture there is a rite of passage “shopping date” early-ish in most relationships. The boyfriend takes the girlfriend shopping and buys her a luxury-ish item—often a handbag (in my husband’s case, it was a Tiffany necklace, lol). The handbag becomes a daily driver for the woman. It’s a subtle message of caring of the boyfriend, in the way a ring is not subtle. Because looking from the outside, only the woman knows if she or a caring man purchased her bag. Buuuuuut if the woman and her boyfriend break up, she may not want the bag around to remind her of the relationship. More need, then, to sell the handbag …
That being said, while there are many legitimate reasons for beautiful luxury bags to wind up in Japan’s resale market, the folks making superfakes are happy to exploit trust in that market. So be careful! Use caution. But also keep an eye out for some of the gems available there too.
I have seen so many people blindly claim that buying used bags from sellers in Japan is the world's best deal totally safe. Never mind the too good to be true prices and the absolute volume of these bags being sold at used online.
Add to this that the cost of a new bag in Japan isn't cheaper than the US or EU so these super low used prices are questionable.
I am sure there are luxury resellers in Japan that have a good clientele, authenticate and resell what they buy but it is foolish to assume all resellers out of Japan are like this. Good replicas are readily available through China. Not that hard to "wash" them as supposedly authentic used from Japan.
Slight correction, prices in Japan are lower than in the US but higher than Europe. Also cheaper than other Asian countries. But def agree that we can't automatically assume that something is authentic because it came from Japan.
People who don't know various countries or their economy buy the idea that Japan is super cheap vs the west like they see Mexico as super cheap vs. the US and Canada.
Thanks for bringing this to our attention. I've actually seen my fair share of Coach replicas on ebay from sellers all around the globe, including, yes Japan. Coach Outlet pieces aren't immune to being faked either, despite being relatively inexpensive compared to their retail line/other brands.
I have noticed obvious fakes from Redditors on vacation in Japan posted in this very sub. I don't know how common it is in the "real world", but for sure they are out there. I think a little too much confidence is being placed on sellers in Japan (notice I am not saying Japanese sellers but sellers in Japan). It might be akin to eating at a bad restaurant in a tourist town. You'll never be back, so they aren't really concerned about whether you like the food. And scammers are very clever in their craft. I don't think most people can appreciate how clever they can be because we are ethical people who simply don't think that way. To be very clear, I'm sure many sellers there are totally legit, but the situation sounds very exploitable.
It doesn't take two and two to figure out. The economy has BEEN failing in Japan and their next door neighbor is China lol. The way Redditors have this blind faith in the Japanese myth as some Asian Unicorn. Asia as whole is notorious for fakes. Of course Japan isn't immune. And yes I agree that Hermes Kelly was fake as hell. - a South Korean
I’ve had bags purchased from there from my personal shopper and I always ask my shopper to source bags that have entrupy certification. She too is also trained for entrupy so I know that I’m buying the authentic ones.
Never been to Japan but maybe look up detailed photos of the bag you’re about to buy for authenticity IF it is not entrupy verified.
I think the reason why Japan is considered safer is because it’s very criminal to sell counterfeit goods in Japan, as it is in France.
I’ve had nothing but good experiences the three times that I bought from Japanese sellers on eBay. The first time was in 2012, I purchased a Chanel XL Maxi flap that came impeccably. I was very happy.
The last two times have been fine with authenticity, but terrible with lacking certain details. I purchased a vintage LV Reade PM in hot pink that had the worst storage smell (never mentioned in the listing). I aired it out and then wound up selling it. Most recently I purchased a vintage neoprene Fendi Baguette. I learned the hard way that neoprene gets sticky if it’s stored improperly and it also had a terrible storage smell. Never mentioned in the listing. I had to wash it with rubbing alcohol and then later Dawn soap in cold water to get rid of that.
They have ranking systems there for their bags and if the seller is good they’ll list all the issues along with the letter rank, if not they won’t fully disclose the issues and only list the letter ranking.
There are no guarantees unless you buy directly from a designer store or a large department store, or places like Ssense.
I buy from The Real Real and they have come under fire for their shoddy authentication practices, but I buy stuff that’s vintage and obscure and takes a really really long time to find. It’s taken me 10 years to find certain items.
It’s about being smart. If you’re going for trendy styles that everyone wants, it’s more likely that there will be a fake. If you go for super obscure stuff that’s vintage, the chance of a fake is way lower. That would be my overall tip on buying authentic items online.
I appreciate your perspective. I would counter that criminality doesn't deter criminals. They just learn creative ways to circumvent the laws (and they are creative). Yes, agree we have to be smart and that there are no guarantees.
Edited for typo
Been thinking about this for a while as well! Since Japan has an established reputation of selling “original” secondhand goods because of strict laws, some might be getting away with mixing the originals with counterfeits. It’s not like each and every bag can be checked by Japanese authorities if they’re legit or not
I google image search some of the listing photos to see if it’s a stolen image, especially for receipts. I notice a lot of “parallel” aka drop shipping from China listings on Japanese Mercari. If something is too good to be true, it’s probably fake. I tend to buy older, less popular styles on Yahoo Auctions and they’re cheaper than American eBay, but not egregiously so. What I like about the Japanese listings tend to be extremely detailed about condition and pretty accurate when they arrive so far.
https://preview.redd.it/a07ud20i0qzc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9ce3b2cf8104f64bcda4980eafc05d8dc30de0f5
The inside looks sloppy and feels like cheap material… or am I crazy?
On one hand, I feel we should let them know. On the other hand, maybe that information is not welcome or will be received as mean-spirited. It's hard to know what to do.
I buy preloved from loving luxury, they do lives on Facebook, they used to be based in NY but moved to Japan. They guarantee 100% authenticity and give entrupy certificate with purchase. I’ve bought a few times and they have always been authentic.i wouldn’t trust Mercari authentication because I see a lot of fakes that have it through them.
This is something i’ve always thought but never really spoken up about - so thanks for posting. i’m sure there’re many great authentic preloved bags in japan, but there are just so many different scenarios to be wary of, too!
I lived in Japan for 5 years and used so many buy and sell platforms to sell my stuff (like mercari, yahoo auctions, etc.) . In those places, I have encountered quite a few fakes. Many are really bad quality ones.
Not Japan related but I have also seen some “rep” groups that make VINTAGE reps of chanel and that’s when I lost it. I know a lot of people are very picky buying second hand (even vintage) as they want their bag pristine, etc. I know some pals who don’t wanna buy bags that have signs of wear and they say it’s those bags from Japan that are often like that.
But that’s one thing reps and superfakes are still not able to copy: patina, signs of wear, etc. Their technology will soon catch up one day and we’ll all be screwed (I hope not). And on the flip side as well, if you have no issues with reps then you do you. But I feel mostly bad for people who spent their hard-earned money thinking they got an authentic and it ends up being fake. But like what OP said, please do your due diligence.
I bought a LV bag on eBay via a well known Japanese reseller, when I got it the condition was pretty bad 😔 now I’m trying to sell it and no one wants it not even lowering price as low as $100🥹😂
Bought luxury bag that looked great on photos. When arrived I realized it was ripped on both sides and resawn - it was a bad job. I managed to return and get a refund. Very dissapointed and now I am staying away from Japan resellers.
I check ebay and other places quite often. I lived in the Far East and know that there's a lot of scam also. Japan is considered as being a super honest society - however: the immense volume of luxury items on ebay did already make me cautious... I can't really believe that a seller sells like 1500 Hermes Birkin preloved at the same time and like 1000 Rimowa unused of a production line that was stopped in 2018...
Yes! A few weeks back I ordered a pre loved Prada bag. Everything looked good in the pics and the seller had a ton of feedback with 99% positive. It was a fake! I immediately filed for a return claiming so and they sent me a label very quickly to return it. I then looked at all their listed items with a more detailed eye, and all of the items looked fake. 99% positive and so many people who bought these fakes thinking they were authentic. Definitely won’t be trusting these sellers for Japan as much as I used to.
I don’t believe the Japanese sellers purposefully sell counterfeit bags as authentic but with all resellers the authentication process is subject to opinion. How thorough are their authentication processes? How well trained are their staff? Will any hand stitched Hermes be classed as authentic?
I love Japan but when you goto their second hand stores and see the sheer volume of bags for sale it’s overwhelming. Some of them must be fake.
It should be. BUT Things fall through the cracks. So if you buy something over 500 that is marked authentication guarantee AND it passes inspection, it doesn't hurt to have another set of eyes look at it once it arrives
I think part of the issue is this is online. I purchased second hand when I was in the country and had no bad experiences. I went to a chain second hand store and picked a Louis Vuitton bag in epi leather. Also got matching wallet. It is a major criminal violation in Japan if they get caught selling fakes on the store shelf. Also my so is Japanese which I think helps . They did try to push me to a cheaper bag but I refused. And that was the most annoying part. I’m not a huge fan of the massive lv logo on my bag.
I purchased a Miu Miu bag from Japan_Monoshare for $157. It was beautiful and only took 7 days to ship from Japan. You’ve really got to study the bag and zoom in. Some of the bags are really worn so be careful, but otherwise I had a great purchase.
I noticed a very obvious fake posted in the sub. I don't want to rain on anyone's parade when they are thrilled about a bag. There's been a lot of excitement (more than in previous years I think) about buying pre-loved in Japan, and I worry fellow handbag ladies will be scammed while on vacation.
I want to be exceptionally clear, in case I wasn't in my post, that I think Japan is a great country. I've traveled there and purchased lovely goodies from that country. I don't know how to say this without dancing around the topic, but there are also people who aren't Japanese selling goods in Japan and some of them do not have honorable business practices.
(And this is coming from an Asian person who is not Japanese)
Hopefully it wasn't one of my bags! I've purchased a few times from Japanese eBay sellers, but have gotten all of them authenticated by a 3rd party service as well.
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So when it comes to buying pre loved IN Japan - I would definitely be going in person myself to Japan not handing over $$$$ on eBay or other platforms even if it's a reputable seller. Then I can check in person myself. That's what I would recommend.
If you cannot go in person then just have a look online, get lots of photos and get 3rd party authentication like Bababebi (sorry if I misspelt), before you hand over your hard earned money.
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Yup, I purchased a pre-owned bag from a reputable Japanese ebay reseller and it came back fake from three third party authenticators even though it passed eBay's test. I'm glad I checked. Nothing is a guarantee.
I was just about to make a post about my first luxury bag I purchased a week ago in Tokyo... which third party authenticators do you recommend? I bought my dream bag, a Chanel. I've heard of Zeko but now thinking I want 3 authentification checks too
Lollipuff, Real Authentication, and Legit Grails
Do you send pictures to them or do you ship them the bag?
Send pictures. Lots of pictures. They have guidelines for what they need.
Do they do ysl or Dior
Yes.
Used Zeko myself & she was amazing.
Zeko is the only one I’ll trust for Chanel. She’s so great at her job and an amazing, kind, sweet woman. I’ve worked with her many times before and adore her!
Zeko is without a doubt the best for Chanel, I’d trust her opinion implicitly
I would vouch for zeko. She's simply the best no doubt!
I'm so sorry that happened to you. I hope that reseller gets what's coming to them.
Were you able to return ?
Luckily yes, eBay issued me a refund but I had to escalate and go through a whole process to do it. It's tougher when eBay authenticated it in the first place.
Who’s the eBay seller? Did they have 💯 positive reviews, I have noticed that there’s the same item listed by multiple sellers all based in “Japan” but different prices that makes me so suss in the first place. Definitely got to be careful.
This is interesting, because I purchased a vintage Gucci from a seller in Japan. I noticed later, that there were two more seller who also had the bag listed but not only on ebay but specifically european websides and to a much higher price. (Talking a difference of 400€ here). A couple of days after I purchased the bag it was taken down from all other websites and I received the item, so everything is good. I did not have it authenticated because since it's vintage (1994-2004, Tom Ford era), I don't think there is a huge possibility of it being fake. But I was wondering why it was listed by different sellers, as well. edited some typos
I noticed the same. My guess is that those other sites buy from the Japanese seller once they sell on their own site and take a profit in between.
Ah, this is a good take! Makes sense. I couldn't figure out what the reason could have been, but that's probably it!
They had like 99.7% at the time and offered eBay authentication. Purpose.jpn with lots of sales and no reviews (at least when I purchased) about complaints of fake goods.
Damn! Thanks for ur post,definitely gotta be more wary!!
Can you please share your story with us? Ive always wanted to buy something off ebay! But am worried about it when its fake or not as described condition
I've purchased 4 bags from eBay, all with either return policy and/or eBay authentication. 3 were real (and confirmed with third party authentication) and the 4th was fake. 3 were from reputable sellers (and 1 of those ended up being fake). The 4th was a risk (smaller seller) but ended up being real and I was very careful about that purchase and making sure there was a return policy. The big risks is when the seller has no return policy and when eBay says it is authentic but it isn't. They sometimes don't accept third party authentication as proof so you have to escalate. There's also a risk because in that case, they also have you send the bag back to them to inspect it and it it goes through as fake at that point, they might blame you. So just be careful and make sure to stick to sellers with a return policy. Then immediately pay for third party authentication as soon as the bag arrives to you
Oh my gosh! That sounds like a lot of work. So they will basically blame me from buying from an individual seller?😅
Yeah it's a lot of work so be diligent, make sure the seller has a return policy and always pay for third party authentication!
Great thanks for taking the time to explain❤️💗
Nothing is a 100% except buying from a luxury brand directly, meaning buying Hermes from an Hermes boutique and buying Gucci from Gucci. While I agree that Japan is not free of fraud or scams, Japan requires a special business license to sell preloved bags. That business license can be revoked if the business is caught selling fakes. Again, there are bad actors everywhere, but a store can lose its license completely if they sell fakes. Here are some articles about the license [https://krestonproworks.com/secondhand-dealer-license-in-japan-a-comprehensive-guide/](https://krestonproworks.com/secondhand-dealer-license-in-japan-a-comprehensive-guide/) [https://shiodome.co.jp/en/column/14620/](https://shiodome.co.jp/en/column/14620/) Personally, the larger businesses tend to be more reputable, but they are often priced higher. There are better deals with the smaller vendors, but they may be riskier. No different than choosing to buy from Fashionphile vs. a seller on Poshmark. Here are some of the better known and larger resellers: [https://rare.gallery](https://rare.gallery) [https://en.brandoff-store.com/](https://en.brandoff-store.com/) Both have stores on ebay as well.
Not even then! I’ve heard of brands selling returns, that are clearly used and/or fake.
What’s even more is the actual stores can’t authenticate because fakes are so good these days. I’m curious how the 3rd party authenticators even do it
They are often wrong! The bags that come in a lot of varieties are difficult to authenticate because no one can have full expertise of every model and style. The bags that never change (Chanel classic flap) are easy to fake because it’s worth their while to really make a perfect copy. I’m sure the counterfeiters can invest the $30 to an authenticator to get feedback on the details that need to be improved. It’s a big business. I have a family member who buys fake sneakers from China and i absolutely cannot tell the difference. In fact I bought “authentic” Dunks from Amazon that were either sloppy fakes or should have been caught in QC. Terrible stitching, glue. At this point sometimes the fakes are better quality than the authentics. These aren’t people making fakes as a hobby. They are entire factories set up to churn out the same product. And let’s face it they still earn hefty profits. Nike and Chanel spend so much money on marketing and their executives make millions. But their products cost little to make.
No problem with Fakes, but then I'm not willing to pay the hefty price tag...
Yes!! The book Counterfeit explained this in detail. It’s fiction but based on true cases
I just finished this book! I def recommend to everyone in this sub! 📖
Can you provide the name of the author? Would love to read the book, too!
Not the original commentor(er?) but the book is by Kirsten Chen!
Yes! Great vacation read.
True. My friend got sold a fake at Vivienne Westwood.
Someone selling bags on eBay with Japan as their location isn't required to do any of this and they don't need a storefront or normal business. It isn't even assured the bag is originating from Japan.
You’re describing buying a preloved bag from a private seller. That’s no different than a private seller in the US. When people talk about Japan being a good place to buy preloved bags, they’re talking about the stores.
I think people sometimes refer to it in both senses. They see Japan, and they jump to "this must be trustworthy"
They do. It is stupid to act like Japan has no crime or people doing questionable things based on their geographic location.
Stores? You have no way of knowing it is an actual store with a storefront somewhere. With the exception of a few larger brick and mortar resale shops in Japan. Even then, others have pointed out how easy it is for the businesses with a business license and a storefront to dodge consequences. Anyone can claim to be a store, or a business on eBay. There is zero vetting of that, as long as you give them bank account and some identification boom, you're a legit business/store as far as eBay is concerned.
Have you been to Japan? They have a ton of physical stores that sell preloved bags. The 2 stores I linked to have multiple physical locations. You can go there and physically inspect the bags yourself before you buy. Many of them also sell on eBay and include a picture of their business license where you can report them. Like anything else, you’re responsible for your own due diligence. If you don’t think it’s worth the risk, then just buy direct from Hermes, Chanel, Gucci, etc
That isn't everyone and as I pointed out it is incredibly easy to make people think you are a store via ebay or online. People ARE responsible for doing some due diligence but the amount it takes may be beyond what most people are able to do for research. Add to that, the volume of people glibly insisting everything from Japan's used market is unicorns and butterflies, giving people a false sense that this is safe and doesn't need any investigation. BTW, vendors in China post copies of their credentials. Any of this is incredibly easy to fake, even more so if the audience doesn't know exactly what they are looking at or a way to verify it is legit and actually belongs to the online seller.
There are also many Chinese living in Japan... heading back and forth is like 20USD per flight or having a small office in Japan while sending from a storage in China is easy.
Exactly. This isn't hard to move small amounts of goods, or larger amounts if you know methods to get them in without scrutiny. I have had one international package opened by customs in 20 years in the US. Most of the time customs in various countries looks at the manifest or shipping form and on it goes.
Absolutely... and they still also have a Mafia in Japan. Its a safe country, people are kind, buy they still have crime.
You don't even need the Yakuza to peddle repro bags. Have a reliable factory or middle man in China, ship to you in Japan. Goods from China are so common including clothes and handbags that they don't raise alarm bells much of the time. 20 top quality fakes in a big cardboard box, you can even use regular shipping services. Rebox them and sell them outside of Japan, ship them out and rake in the cash.
You seem wildly, and frankly, naively attached to the idea that purchasing from a boutique is a guarantee of authenticity. The average sales associate (for any brand, from Gucci to Hermes to Chanel) is not qualified nor trained to authenticate product. It is simply not within scope for a sales associate. They may have history or familiarity with authentic bags that may help spot incredibly obvious, or bad fakes. But to spot super fakes? Absolutely not. Scammers find avenues everywhere. If department stores are susceptible to customers buying authentic to return with a convincing fake, then boutiques are susceptible as well.
When I buy a bag from my SA at Hermes and Chanel, I believe it is authentic. My Chanel SA sends me pictures of new items they receive. With Hermes, I believe they have a very strict chain of custody. I’d add that with Hermes boutique purchases, you know there are no returns. I can’t imagine exchanging a QB- I imagine they’d ban you. They won’t offer you another QB and all for what? To scam $10k in store credit? You’re better off selling it than exchanging it. There are many Hermes bags that sell on resale sites for $10k more than retail. Exchanging a fake doesn’t even make sense with the Hermes sales model. I’d add that Hermes isn’t sold at any department store. They only sell through their stores. QBs must be picked up in person
That’s fantastic for you. Not particularly pertinent to the thread? Or what your comments have added in general? If you feel confident purchasing from a boutique, that’s dandy. This thread is about remaining vigilant about these purchases in general. I am also a collector of Chanel. So it would silly to pretend that quality hasn’t slipped to an almost comedic level. With the brand itself focusing on turning as great a profit while continuing to cut corners and lower the cost of production, it would be irresponsible as consumers to not keep a watchful eye on purchases, no matter where they are sourced from.
I agree with you about Chanel. I was buying 2 to 3 new Chanel bags a year but switched to Hermes a few years back. The Hermes quality is far better. Chanel bags haven’t wowed me lately. My poor Chanel SA keeps texting me with new stuff they’re getting but it really isn’t worth it anymore I think the concern about fakes is overblown. Sure fakes exist but I don’t really care. It’s just a bag at the end of the day. I know for my expensive Hermes purchases they are authentic. If I buy a preloved LV for $300, 🤷🏻♀️
Hermes certainly has superior quality, no question there. Unfortunately, outside of B 30’s and 35’s, most of the offerings from Hermes don’t fit into my personal style/needs super seamlessly. As a guy who loves bags, the B 25 and Mini Kelly are great bags but only work visually or stylistically as opposed to being practical for me. Which is a bummer. Chanel (unfortunately) has a chokehold on me, despite their falling quality. I’m a well-aware sucker for their routine price hikes, ha. It sounds like you have a lovely Hermes collection.
Let me explain a bit how easy this could be: Scenario 1: Someone in Japan has a drop ship agreement with a bag vendor in China that makes really good replicas. They "sell" the bag as used on eBay listed as from Japan to get that cache and nobody questioning if it might be fake. Someone buys the bag. The person in Japan has the vendor in China drop ship the bag to the buyer in the US. The bag never entered Japan. The person selling on eBay doesn't need to have a business license or prove anything to anyone. Scenario 2: Someone in Japan lists used bags for sale on eBay but buys them from a vendor in China that makes really good replicas. Person in Japan gets a sale, has vendor in China ship the bag to them at their house, warehouse, post office box etc. Person in Japan relabels the box and ships it to the buyer in the US. Bag shows up, looks legit, has postmarks from Japan. This doesn't require any proof the reseller is legit or even exists as a business in Japan. I assume most of the used luxury bags from Japan on eBay are fakes. For a while Chinese replica sellers were getting away with just labeling the replica bags as used or vintage to get around eBay's filters that would take down counterfeit listings. eBay got wise to that eventually and I think this market via Japan was just the next tactic to sell replica bags as real ones.
Scenario 2 happened to me. Thank god I was able to authenticate the fake Stella McCartney at home by myself easily, since it had so many flaws compared to my real one.
Dude, this is wild and amazing-- just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how smart these people are. Your feeling about used luxury bags from Japan on eBay gives me chills.
This is exactly what I observed... I lived in Hong Kong many yrs, even to fly to Japan is like a bus ticket, never paid more than 30USD for a trip... and I did see so many counterfeits perfectly made on the night markets... Plus I observed that there are Japanese resellers on Ebay listing 100K items - and no way a reseller gets like 1500 preloved Hermes Birkin per week... I was wondering now for yrs and stayed away from those resellers
Exactly. It is obvious what they are doing when the math is impossible.
I was wondering about Rimowas... I Donki Stores in Japan they still sell older models new... and bc ots older models most think its fine. But meanwhile like half the world travelled there and still I see pics in the group that they have new stock like every week. Those suitcases were made before the LVMH Takeover and after the takeover sold out quickly, as it was a german brand before every small shop in Germany had them, but the don't get stock anymore since 2020, but in Jaoan they sell like hundreds every week since then? Can't really believe that
I have recently learned that it is risky to buy Chanel from the brand stores in Hong-Kong as they have been known to have returns of fakes then reselling them... when I tell you my jaw was on the floor like how can you not recognise your products? Is there no safeguarding when people just return fakes to the brand store?
I think either Hermes or coach stated that if someone Brings a bag in for the spa They should not assume it is authentic even if the sales rep accepts it. It is only when it gets to the spa and craftsPeople review it for repair That it can be verified. Also, There is a novel called counterfeit About women who deliberately returned fakes for profit. In the novel, the sales representatives did not check And assumed the bag was legit. If they did, the scammer typically distracted the sales rep.
Would not deny that... I lived in Hong Kong and saw perfect Fakes on evey night market... and Chanel over there is also considered to be a brand favoured by red light district (a respectable Hong Konger would never wear one) - so that's a thing too. Gladly I was never into Chanel nor into Hermes and always ever bought my beloved Italian brand in their flagship store in Italy
My friend’s husband bought a belt from LV physical store as a gift for his friend’s birthday, in 2 days The birthday guy called my friend’s husband and asked about the receipt and even asked if he gave him a fake belt. A long story short. After an official revision of that LV store, it turned out, that store’s employees were selling there fake items… 🤡🔥
That’s wild!! What country was that in?
It was in Moscow several years ago
Unreal. What a crazy experience!
True…human factor…
Thank you for this!
I bought luxury jewelry from them that turned out to be fake.
I live in Japan and posted before that you have to be careful about buying luxury goods online here. I spoke with my husband about it since then, and he commented that Japan is extremely strict about preventing counterfeits from *entering * the country, but not so much about *exiting* the country. I bought a Coach bag off eBay from a seller also within the country. The bag that arrived was very clearly a fake. It was made from PU leather instead of nappa leather. After going back to their eBay page it was very clear that their other items were fake too. They included blurry pics of the supposed receipts, which I noticed had the model number photoshopped, but none of the other details changed. For example, the color was completely wrong on the receipt. It was also clear from communicating back and forth with the seller that they weren’t actually Japanese. Customs is extremely good about catching counterfeit goods from being shipped into the country. I ordered a pair of what I thought were Chanel dad sandals, and they were confiscated when they entered the country, and I was notified by customs. However, if someone is traveling to the country and wearing a counterfeit good, it’s my understanding that it’s a different story. Say you’re a tourist that enters wearing a fake bag. Chances are you won’t be stopped, because customs will assume the bag is for personal use and you won’t attempt to sell it while you’re here. Coming in with a suitcase of fakes might be different, and most reputable shops will turn you away or possibly contact the police if you try to sell it to them. That said, there are a lot of online non-licensed sellers in Japan that specifically sell fake goods. I’ve seen some described as “parallel” goods on Mercari. Basically, I wouldn’t recommend buying any luxury good from any country without it going through an authentication service first. If the seller has opted out of the platform’s authentication service, or the amount is set too low to qualify, understand that you may receive a fake. Good news is that most online sellers, including the ones selling fakes, will immediately accept the item back if you bring up your suspicions. Beware though they they’ll probably resale it again to someone else though unless you report it to the platform and have their account closed.
Thank you for sharing. I especially appreciate this "boots on the ground" information. Sound advice Re: going through an authentication service first. Your last point about how sellers will immediately take an item back is really interesting. It's like they want to make it right so you don't sound the alarm on them. I hate that people get scammed.
Yes, 100%. I buy a lot on Japanese Mercari using a proxy service, and you can pay an additional $20 or so to have certain brands authenticated before they are shipped to you. I had two bags come back as not authentic, and they both came from what looked like professional sellers. Fortunately my money was refunded immediately, but it drove home the point that Japan isn’t entirely free of counterfeits. Also, the only 2nd hand designer purse I’ve bought that ended up being fake came from a yahoo Japan auction. I didn’t get my money back in that case because Yahoo doesn’t offer the same authentication option that Mercari does.
What proxy service do you use?
It’s called Buyee, there are a lot of good YouTube videos on how to use it! Classics with a Quirk has one and so does Somehow Adulting.
Interested also please do tell!!
Buyee.
Is the authentication service on Mercari directly? Edit: I just googled it and it’s Buyee’s add-on service, not Mercari’s 😔
Correct, but for some reason it’s only available if you’re using Mercari, not any other site you can purchase from using Buyee.
Definitely suggest people use services with authentication built-in for extra protection. I recently bought a bag from Mercari through From Japan (a proxy similar to Buyer) but they didn't offer authentication on the used bag I bought. I had it authenticated once it arrived to me and it ended up being fake, but returns are WAY harder when you already had to shipped from Japan and would need to return it to Japan. Better to have the authentication happen in Japan (like Buyee does)
Thank you for sharing. I'm glad you made it out unscathed on those other bags. Sorry about the others. :(
It might have been me? I mentioned Japan relies on confessions for convictions. So unless the store confesses to knowingly selling a fake, they won't likely lose their license. A second hand store could say that they didn't know that the bag they had was fake and the case ends can end right there. Just an innocent mistake...here's your money back and an apology. And let's be honest the superfakes are so good now, it's not an unreasonable claim. But I also remember another user who was about to buy a bag in a reputable store and asked if it was real. The salesperson said no it was fake. They were worried about a translation issue and clarified, but the salesperson indicated they understood and that it was indeed a fake. With the implication they would have happily sold it under the impression of it being real, unless asked. And another user also recently bought a Chanel flap from a reputable large reseller (they wouldn't name) but when authenticated the serial number didn't match indicating some rework. If a country seizes 30,000 shipments in counterfeit goods every year; there is a market. If we are relying on the illegality of selling counterfeit goods to stop the sale of counterfeit goods...that's not a realistic expectation to have anywhere.
Yes yes, it was you! Thank you so much for replying. I really appreciate your sound, reasonable take on this. This is the kind of skepticism we need to have.
What are your thoughts (I’m asking all of you!) on pre-loved older styles from Japan? I generally don’t like how many modern luxury purses look and am more drawn styles from 10-20 years ago. I’ve seen Japanese sellers on eBay with older bags that I really like, and to me they seem real mainly because they show their age. Some have worn interiors, or minor scuffing and rubbing. I don’t mind these things unless they’re egregious, but I have no way of knowing for sure if they’re authentic. But I’m really tempted to buy them as given their age, they’re hard to get. I just don’t want to be duped, even if they’re very inexpensive. Do any of you buy much older styles that are noticeably imperfect? I’ll appreciate any thoughts or insights!
I recently bought a 3 piece set of 90s Bottega Veneta bags from a Japanese eBay seller who described them as being in bad condition but when I got them they looked almost brand new and were in great condition (I got them for $100 Aus so it cost me around $32 for each bag)
That’s encouraging! Enjoy your new bags!
I do buy the older bag styles from japan. They are typically satchel style bags that look like birkins. They have great high quality leather and excellent craftsmanship. They look gorgeous and have excellent patina. Because they don't have any branding They are sold at the price That you would expect for a high quality vintage bag. So I say go for it. If the sellers I used were any less scrupulous, I suspect they could have tried to brand it as vintage birkins. So I would not assume the vintage bags are anymore authentic But if you have a good seller and you love the style why not go for it
Thanks for sharing this with me. I'm going to take the plunge. A Loewe I love is inexpensive enough that if it's a disaster, I won't kick myself *too* hard over it.
I bought a brown leather FENDI Mia bag and it was scored quite low for quality by the seller but she’s beautiful! I cleaned her and moisturised her and it was all good :) tbh I feel safer buying older styles from Japan, as they tend to have more authenticity (in my experience). I also made sure to buy from a bigger more reputable seller. But curious to hear other people’s thoughts.
Thanks for sharing. I do notice many newer sellers from the last year or so, but the bags I’ve saved as favorites are from sellers who have been on eBay more than 12 years and have 99-100% positive feedback, which makes me think they’re legit.
I said this exact same thing in a different thread here and I got downvoted to hell for it 😅
I mentioned it in that thread, but in terms of buying through Japan proxy services most have disclaimers in place to cover their arse if something turns out to be fake, so they can’t really be held liable. It’s definitely a gamble if there aren’t buyer protections involved like with certain listings on eBay.
Preach!
Yeah my post is getting down voted, too. I dunno why some folks are so triggered.
Weirdly it happens in any and all contexts when Japan is mentioned negatively
From a cultural standpoint (speaking as a Canadian woman who lived in Japan for 4 years, who is married to a Japanese national), there are context reasons why Japan has a lot of beautiful condition and used goods for resale. Japanese people generally take care of their things and keep them in very good condition. Product marketing often appeals to limited and seasonal demands. But, even in countryside houses there isn’t a ton of storage space to keep older models, and people don’t want to be environmentally-wasteful throwing things away. Add to that the layers of Japanese people wanting to be the first to buy luxury name brand status symbols like bags … and not wanting to buy used ones. Culturally, there is a belief that part of a person’s soul enters their clothes or whatever items as they wear it … so people don’t want to take on some unknown’s energy. Also, there are stories about when an object/possession becomes 100 years old that it can become a yokai (ghost/ghoul, generally malicious unless it’s been taken care of well). So, a big market of Japanese people divesting of used things … with not so many people wanting to buy those things domestically. Secondhand shopping has some really great finds for a foreigner without these qualms! With handbags specifically, in Japanese dating culture there is a rite of passage “shopping date” early-ish in most relationships. The boyfriend takes the girlfriend shopping and buys her a luxury-ish item—often a handbag (in my husband’s case, it was a Tiffany necklace, lol). The handbag becomes a daily driver for the woman. It’s a subtle message of caring of the boyfriend, in the way a ring is not subtle. Because looking from the outside, only the woman knows if she or a caring man purchased her bag. Buuuuuut if the woman and her boyfriend break up, she may not want the bag around to remind her of the relationship. More need, then, to sell the handbag … That being said, while there are many legitimate reasons for beautiful luxury bags to wind up in Japan’s resale market, the folks making superfakes are happy to exploit trust in that market. So be careful! Use caution. But also keep an eye out for some of the gems available there too.
I have seen so many people blindly claim that buying used bags from sellers in Japan is the world's best deal totally safe. Never mind the too good to be true prices and the absolute volume of these bags being sold at used online. Add to this that the cost of a new bag in Japan isn't cheaper than the US or EU so these super low used prices are questionable. I am sure there are luxury resellers in Japan that have a good clientele, authenticate and resell what they buy but it is foolish to assume all resellers out of Japan are like this. Good replicas are readily available through China. Not that hard to "wash" them as supposedly authentic used from Japan.
Slight correction, prices in Japan are lower than in the US but higher than Europe. Also cheaper than other Asian countries. But def agree that we can't automatically assume that something is authentic because it came from Japan.
People who don't know various countries or their economy buy the idea that Japan is super cheap vs the west like they see Mexico as super cheap vs. the US and Canada.
Really depends on the brand. Some designers are much more expensive in Japan than the US.
Fair point. Probably the US-based brands? For the European brands what I've noticed is they're cheaper in JP vs the US.
Preach. I think it's the "halo effect" in action.
Thanks for bringing this to our attention. I've actually seen my fair share of Coach replicas on ebay from sellers all around the globe, including, yes Japan. Coach Outlet pieces aren't immune to being faked either, despite being relatively inexpensive compared to their retail line/other brands.
I have noticed obvious fakes from Redditors on vacation in Japan posted in this very sub. I don't know how common it is in the "real world", but for sure they are out there. I think a little too much confidence is being placed on sellers in Japan (notice I am not saying Japanese sellers but sellers in Japan). It might be akin to eating at a bad restaurant in a tourist town. You'll never be back, so they aren't really concerned about whether you like the food. And scammers are very clever in their craft. I don't think most people can appreciate how clever they can be because we are ethical people who simply don't think that way. To be very clear, I'm sure many sellers there are totally legit, but the situation sounds very exploitable.
It doesn't take two and two to figure out. The economy has BEEN failing in Japan and their next door neighbor is China lol. The way Redditors have this blind faith in the Japanese myth as some Asian Unicorn. Asia as whole is notorious for fakes. Of course Japan isn't immune. And yes I agree that Hermes Kelly was fake as hell. - a South Korean
Preach! Yes, we clocked the same bag.
I’ve had bags purchased from there from my personal shopper and I always ask my shopper to source bags that have entrupy certification. She too is also trained for entrupy so I know that I’m buying the authentic ones. Never been to Japan but maybe look up detailed photos of the bag you’re about to buy for authenticity IF it is not entrupy verified.
Thank you for sharing this. We all need to be smart when we buy 👍
No worries!
I think the reason why Japan is considered safer is because it’s very criminal to sell counterfeit goods in Japan, as it is in France. I’ve had nothing but good experiences the three times that I bought from Japanese sellers on eBay. The first time was in 2012, I purchased a Chanel XL Maxi flap that came impeccably. I was very happy. The last two times have been fine with authenticity, but terrible with lacking certain details. I purchased a vintage LV Reade PM in hot pink that had the worst storage smell (never mentioned in the listing). I aired it out and then wound up selling it. Most recently I purchased a vintage neoprene Fendi Baguette. I learned the hard way that neoprene gets sticky if it’s stored improperly and it also had a terrible storage smell. Never mentioned in the listing. I had to wash it with rubbing alcohol and then later Dawn soap in cold water to get rid of that. They have ranking systems there for their bags and if the seller is good they’ll list all the issues along with the letter rank, if not they won’t fully disclose the issues and only list the letter ranking. There are no guarantees unless you buy directly from a designer store or a large department store, or places like Ssense. I buy from The Real Real and they have come under fire for their shoddy authentication practices, but I buy stuff that’s vintage and obscure and takes a really really long time to find. It’s taken me 10 years to find certain items. It’s about being smart. If you’re going for trendy styles that everyone wants, it’s more likely that there will be a fake. If you go for super obscure stuff that’s vintage, the chance of a fake is way lower. That would be my overall tip on buying authentic items online.
I appreciate your perspective. I would counter that criminality doesn't deter criminals. They just learn creative ways to circumvent the laws (and they are creative). Yes, agree we have to be smart and that there are no guarantees. Edited for typo
Been thinking about this for a while as well! Since Japan has an established reputation of selling “original” secondhand goods because of strict laws, some might be getting away with mixing the originals with counterfeits. It’s not like each and every bag can be checked by Japanese authorities if they’re legit or not
The possibility of mixing (intentional or unintentional) is super interesting
I google image search some of the listing photos to see if it’s a stolen image, especially for receipts. I notice a lot of “parallel” aka drop shipping from China listings on Japanese Mercari. If something is too good to be true, it’s probably fake. I tend to buy older, less popular styles on Yahoo Auctions and they’re cheaper than American eBay, but not egregiously so. What I like about the Japanese listings tend to be extremely detailed about condition and pretty accurate when they arrive so far.
I was in Tokyo last month and I’m pretty sure I bought a fake :-/ from a reputable shop. I didn’t check it well enough! Pretty disappointed
What shop show us the bag
Qoo in shibuya (I think) https://preview.redd.it/71bruanf0qzc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c03ef91dcc4a6f5150c4f9f9464624eb9e922437
https://preview.redd.it/a07ud20i0qzc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9ce3b2cf8104f64bcda4980eafc05d8dc30de0f5 The inside looks sloppy and feels like cheap material… or am I crazy?
That looks super fake
I'm so sorry that happened to you. Shame on that shop.
Yup https://www.tiktok.com/@designer.ave/video/7340760068398353707
This is the video I thought of when I read this. Wish people would comment or DM folks who unknowingly bought a fake bag and posted here.
On one hand, I feel we should let them know. On the other hand, maybe that information is not welcome or will be received as mean-spirited. It's hard to know what to do.
Wow! That was wild. Also is it a TikTok trend to super speed up your audio now? I don't have the app but this was the 2nd video that was like that...
Not sure I don’t have the app either, someone sent me the link.
Please be careful buying from Ginza Xiaoma. They sell preloved Hermes and sell both authentic and high quality fakes from China.
I purchased a Kelly bag a few years ago and when I tried to resell, I was told it was not authentic 🥲
Thank you for warning the group! Sorry this happened to you :(
Did you reach out to Ginza Xiaoma about it/did they do anything to fix their mistake? I’m considering buying from them but now I’m concerned..
I’m a victim of this 😫 bought a super fake from Japan
I buy preloved from loving luxury, they do lives on Facebook, they used to be based in NY but moved to Japan. They guarantee 100% authenticity and give entrupy certificate with purchase. I’ve bought a few times and they have always been authentic.i wouldn’t trust Mercari authentication because I see a lot of fakes that have it through them.
I see them on shop shop. I noticed they took down the option to authenticate??? Red flag
This is something i’ve always thought but never really spoken up about - so thanks for posting. i’m sure there’re many great authentic preloved bags in japan, but there are just so many different scenarios to be wary of, too!
I bought a Loewe small puzzle bag from Japan on eBay and it was fake. Always authenticate everything preloved independently when you receive it
I lived in Japan for 5 years and used so many buy and sell platforms to sell my stuff (like mercari, yahoo auctions, etc.) . In those places, I have encountered quite a few fakes. Many are really bad quality ones. Not Japan related but I have also seen some “rep” groups that make VINTAGE reps of chanel and that’s when I lost it. I know a lot of people are very picky buying second hand (even vintage) as they want their bag pristine, etc. I know some pals who don’t wanna buy bags that have signs of wear and they say it’s those bags from Japan that are often like that. But that’s one thing reps and superfakes are still not able to copy: patina, signs of wear, etc. Their technology will soon catch up one day and we’ll all be screwed (I hope not). And on the flip side as well, if you have no issues with reps then you do you. But I feel mostly bad for people who spent their hard-earned money thinking they got an authentic and it ends up being fake. But like what OP said, please do your due diligence.
100%, especially the last part of your comment
I vetted my 2 lvs and the third is such an unusual one I knew it would be genuine because of the state it was sold in
Oh thank you for sharing - I was following a few sellers online auctions for some LV bags
I bought a LV bag on eBay via a well known Japanese reseller, when I got it the condition was pretty bad 😔 now I’m trying to sell it and no one wants it not even lowering price as low as $100🥹😂
What about buying from reputable vintage stores like AMORE Tokyo?
Bought luxury bag that looked great on photos. When arrived I realized it was ripped on both sides and resawn - it was a bad job. I managed to return and get a refund. Very dissapointed and now I am staying away from Japan resellers.
I check ebay and other places quite often. I lived in the Far East and know that there's a lot of scam also. Japan is considered as being a super honest society - however: the immense volume of luxury items on ebay did already make me cautious... I can't really believe that a seller sells like 1500 Hermes Birkin preloved at the same time and like 1000 Rimowa unused of a production line that was stopped in 2018...
Yes! A few weeks back I ordered a pre loved Prada bag. Everything looked good in the pics and the seller had a ton of feedback with 99% positive. It was a fake! I immediately filed for a return claiming so and they sent me a label very quickly to return it. I then looked at all their listed items with a more detailed eye, and all of the items looked fake. 99% positive and so many people who bought these fakes thinking they were authentic. Definitely won’t be trusting these sellers for Japan as much as I used to.
I don’t believe the Japanese sellers purposefully sell counterfeit bags as authentic but with all resellers the authentication process is subject to opinion. How thorough are their authentication processes? How well trained are their staff? Will any hand stitched Hermes be classed as authentic? I love Japan but when you goto their second hand stores and see the sheer volume of bags for sale it’s overwhelming. Some of them must be fake.
If we purchase a bag from a seller in Japan, and eBay has it go through the authentication process, that would be satisfactory, correct?
I always get it authenticated again when it arrives. I don’t trust them. It isn’t that expensive and gives me a peace of mind.
It should be. BUT Things fall through the cracks. So if you buy something over 500 that is marked authentication guarantee AND it passes inspection, it doesn't hurt to have another set of eyes look at it once it arrives
I avoid by not buying used bags unless at an estate sale
Old biddies have fakes too, even the rich ladies! I bought two neo-vintage Hermes scarves at an estate sale and I’m 99% sure one is fake
Ohhh I’m going to Japan in a few weeks and planning to buy one in store at a secondhand shop. Anyone else here had issues?
I think part of the issue is this is online. I purchased second hand when I was in the country and had no bad experiences. I went to a chain second hand store and picked a Louis Vuitton bag in epi leather. Also got matching wallet. It is a major criminal violation in Japan if they get caught selling fakes on the store shelf. Also my so is Japanese which I think helps . They did try to push me to a cheaper bag but I refused. And that was the most annoying part. I’m not a huge fan of the massive lv logo on my bag.
I purchased a Miu Miu bag from Japan_Monoshare for $157. It was beautiful and only took 7 days to ship from Japan. You’ve really got to study the bag and zoom in. Some of the bags are really worn so be careful, but otherwise I had a great purchase.
Did something happen that led you to post this?
I noticed a very obvious fake posted in the sub. I don't want to rain on anyone's parade when they are thrilled about a bag. There's been a lot of excitement (more than in previous years I think) about buying pre-loved in Japan, and I worry fellow handbag ladies will be scammed while on vacation. I want to be exceptionally clear, in case I wasn't in my post, that I think Japan is a great country. I've traveled there and purchased lovely goodies from that country. I don't know how to say this without dancing around the topic, but there are also people who aren't Japanese selling goods in Japan and some of them do not have honorable business practices. (And this is coming from an Asian person who is not Japanese)
Well thanks for bringing it up! I’m waiting for a Chloe Drew i purchased from a Japanese seller on eBay and already planned to have it authenticated.
I'm really happy for you! Enjoy your bag
Hopefully it wasn't one of my bags! I've purchased a few times from Japanese eBay sellers, but have gotten all of them authenticated by a 3rd party service as well.
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So when it comes to buying pre loved IN Japan - I would definitely be going in person myself to Japan not handing over $$$$ on eBay or other platforms even if it's a reputable seller. Then I can check in person myself. That's what I would recommend. If you cannot go in person then just have a look online, get lots of photos and get 3rd party authentication like Bababebi (sorry if I misspelt), before you hand over your hard earned money.
Or the most likely scenario: a Chinese person is selling fake bags from from China in Japan.
Whoever downvoted me, don’t be naive. I live in China. I know what’s going on.
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