Guides to buy real Coach on Ebay -- NO Knock Offs!

With so many Coach items being sold on line it can be tough to separate the real ones from the fake ones. While eBay takes measures to remove these items, ultimately it is up to the shoppers to educate themselves on what is a real Coach item and what is fake. The #1 thing to look for in a Coach item is the seller's reputation. Above all, the seller should be accommodating, answer all questions, and guarantee the authenticity of their products. Here are guidelines to follow:

Questions to ask yourself before buying any Coach product:

• Is the Coach item genuine leather or suede? Ask the seller if you're not sure.

• Does the seller answer your questions or just ignore you? This may be a sign of the service you should expect as well as a hint of the authenticity.

• Is the item in question sold by reputable sellers? Are the sellers auctioning off many, many of the same item? Coach doesn't wholesale.

• Do the sellers GUARANTEE the authenticity of the item? Where are the sellers located? How long have the sellers been selling?

• Have you checked the seller's other items? Check their completed items and items through their feedback page to see if they have sold Coach before.

• Has the Coach item been actually a style Coach has manufactured?

• Are the handles covered in plastic? This usually is not done by Coach retailers.

• If the bag has signature print, is the print straight or are the C's crooked, or even actually G's or O's? Is there signature print on the interior and exterior? This is never done by Coach to our knowledge.

• Does the signature print line up horizontally or vertically? All Coach products line up HORIZONTALLY.

• Is the stitching perfect? Coach always checks this before releasing product!!

• Check the interior leather "Coach" creed/registration tag, and make sure the serial number matches the one on the tag!! FYI Coach is usually Made in USA, China or India, and the tag states this. Check the tag for words that are spelled incorrectly.

• If the item has a dustbag, make sure it's really a Coach dustbag! Not all bags come with dustbags, and dustbags can be replicated.

• If the item comes with Coach care guide, is it stapled perfectly or is it sloppy? Does it look like a mass-produced photocopy? Not all Coach items have one of these included, and it's usually discretely tucked away for the buyer to read after purchasing, not displayed prominently. It is not a sign of authenticity, either.

• Does the seller accept PayPal? This will protect you from losses. If the seller doesn't accept PayPal, you might start to wonder "why do they accept only money orders?" What protection do I have if I pay with a money order? The short answer is not much! Bidpay is another service used similar to PayPal, but the loss protection is minimal. Serious sellers will offer PayPal also.

• Is the hardware engarved with the Coach logo? Do the zippers have "YKK" engraved on them? Check the zipper, ask for pictures of the zipper if you have to. This too, can be duplicated by counterfeiters, but not many will attempt to do this.

• Don't assume if the item is new with tags that it is real! Coach sometimes REMOVES the tags from their products in stores, and tags are easily produced by counterfeiters. Read the listing, check the feedbacks, compare with other products, and check for all of the signs of an authentic item listed here!

• Avoid buying Coach products from other auction sites--the security and protection on eBay is better and more fine-tuned. eBay removes listings of fraudulent items and is familiar with some counterfeit products, removing them if necessary. Also, the buyers and sellers on eBay can police listings for counterfeit items as well, adding an extra layer of protection. You may not find this protection elsewhere. Still, never let your guard down-- many, many counterfeits slip through since the styles are changing all of the time!

• If all else fails, you can bring the item into a Coach shop to have them verify your product!! Also, PayPal should offer some insurance if you've purchased a fake Coach item, so log in and use the help menu to get a claim started if the seller is being uncooperative.

Above all else, educate yourself on the seller by reading their feedback, make sure they don't have too many negatives, read the comments, and ask questions. If you're suspicious, move on, and if you know it's fake, report the item!