After years of buying/selling authentic bags, i bought a fake louis vuitton trevi GM

It's so fake looking inside that it's not even funny.

The seller is international from France so i figured what are the odds of buying a fake bag?

The date code is stamped into a crookedly cut piece of brown leather. Also, the stitching around the original Louis vuttion, made is in france is crooked. Im SO ****ed althought it's my own stupid fault.

I paid almost $1200 for the bag (too good of a price right, should of know...feel so so so stupid)

Anyway, i contacted the seller and ofcourse she writes back in french so i used google translate and she basically said she didnt know the bag is fake and is offering me half the money back.

Her ebay policy states 7 days full refund, buyer pays shipping. I already paid $100 to get the bag shipped to me, i dont want to have to pay another $100 to ship it back to her..esp bc she sold me a fake bag. I wouldnt have a problem paying return shipping if i simply didnt like the bag and wanted a refund but this is a fake! Am i being unreasonable?

Anyway, she hasent replied back yet after i stated i want a full refund.

Ladies, what to do???

I have opened a case on ebay which she hasent responded to yet. Should i contact my american express card i paid with and let them know i was sold a fake bag? Will they get my money back?

Should i also contact paypal?

Thank you so much in advance

That she is offering you half back on a bag that was already priced "too good to be true" is a strong indication that she is not going to defend the authenticity of the bag. You have filed your case with ebay, no need to contact Paypal or Amex at this time.

If you win your case, you will get your money refunded plus original shipping. You will have to pay return shipping - I would just chalk it up to the cost of doing business on ebay. I would not settle for any less than this.

Assuming that she knows/agrees that the bag is fake, she may just agree to the return/refund including original shipping. If she decides to fight the claim, you may need to get proof of inauthenticity from someone like Carol Diva.

Originally Posted by northerndancer

That she is offering you half back on a bag that was already priced "too good to be true" is a strong indication that she is not going to defend the authenticity of the bag. You have filed your case with ebay, no need to contact Paypal or Amex at this time. If you win your case, you will get your money refunded plus original shipping. You will have to pay return shipping - I would just chalk it up to the cost of doing business on ebay. I would not settle for any less than this. Assuming that she knows/agrees that the bag is fake, she may just agree to the return/refund including original shipping. If she decides to fight the claim, you may need to get proof of inauthenticity from someone like Carol Diva.

She wrote me back a message saying "this is not my fault or your fault that the bag is fake. I didnt know the bag is fake. Lets do what will make us both happy, i'm offering you half the money back and you keep the bag"

I replied with "no thank you, i have no use for the fake bag and your ebay return policy states 7 days full return"

She has yet to reply.

Originally Posted by whitepearl86

She wrote me back a message saying "this is not my fault or your fault that the bag is fake. I didnt know the bag is fake. Lets do what will make us both happy, i'm offering you half the money back and you keep the bag" I replied with "no thank you, i have no use for the fake bag and your ebay return policy states 7 days full return" She has yet to reply.

File A SNAD. She knew it was fake. Don't bother trying to rationalize or be nice about it.
PS: if you need help with translation, shoot me a pm.

Originally Posted by limom

File A SNAD. She knew it was fake. Don't bother trying to rationalize or be nice about it. PS: if you need help with translation, shoot me a pm.

Hi and thank you for the reply!

What is a SNAD?

Also, here is her reply as of 10 minutes ago when i asked her for a full refund:

Translated per google translate.

"but in fact what makes you say that c false because I used it and I do not see that it is wrong and when I bought it I was told that it is authentic"


mais au fait qu'est ce qui vous fait dire que c du faux car je l'ai utilisé et je ne vois pas qu'il est faux et quand je l'ai acheté on m'a dit qu'il est authentic

Originally Posted by whitepearl86

Hi and thank you for the reply! What is a SNAD? Also, here is her reply as of 10 minutes ago when i asked her for a full refund: Translated per google translate. "but in fact what makes you say that c false because I used it and I do not see that it is wrong and when I bought it I was told that it is authentic" mais au fait qu'est ce qui vous fait dire que c du faux car je l'ai utilisé et je ne vois pas qu'il est faux et quand je l'ai acheté on m'a dit qu'il est authentic

What a moron!
Write back:
Louis Vuitton vous a vendu une contrefacon?

In all seriousness, she admitted right there that she did not get the bag at a shop.
Remind her that the French Customs frown on counterfeit items and it is a serious crime to
Transport counterfeits in France.
Snad: Significantly not as describe.
Have the item authenticated by Carol or any Ebay approved authenticators.

I wouldn't return it to her, and I would file SNAD as you already have. When Ebay tells you to return it, tell them you will return it to THEM to dispose of as they see fit, because it's illegal for you to send it back to her. That would save you the cost of return shipment:

Quote:

Imports into and exports out of France of counterfeit goods violating trademarks are offenses under French general Criminal Law and such goods are deemed to be "prohibited" under French Customs Law.

You cannot legally send it back to her, you would be violating French law.

Link to the Emabassy site
http://www.ambafrance-us.org/spip.php?article793

You might want to let the seller know that you will be happy to contact the French embassy to discuss her selling counterfeit goods and shipping them internationally, because whether she knew it was counterfeit or not (unlikely) it's still a violation of law, and she can be fined or imprisoned, on top of forfeiting the bag.

Originally Posted by Jenna_Behr

I wouldn't return it to her, and I would file SNAD as you already have. When Ebay tells you to return it, tell them you will return it to THEM to dispose of as they see fit, because it's illegal for you to send it back to her. That would save you the cost of return shipment: You cannot legally send it back to her, you would be violating French law. Link to the Emabassy site http://www.ambafrance-us.org/spip.php?article793 You might want to let the seller know that you will be happy to contact the French embassy to discuss her selling counterfeit goods and shipping them internationally, because whether she knew it was counterfeit or not (unlikely) it's still a violation of law, and she can be fined or imprisoned, on top of forfeiting the bag.

agree here... knowingly or unkowningly you are now in the possession of

a fake LV bag from your seller file your SNAD (significantly not as described) and

follow the instructions you are given to the letter....if your seller doesn't

know that particular french law by now, she certainly will at the end

of this ordeal....and also you might want to include this information when

you contact pp & file the SNAD...good luck, sorry that you have to endure

all of this & keep us posted....

Wow thank you ladies, you are all BRILLIANT!!

I will wait for her next reply and then i will let her know.

Should i have it all translated into french so she understands better?

Originally Posted by limom

What a moron! Write back: Louis Vuitton vous a vendu une contrefacon? In all seriousness, she admitted right there that she did not get the bag at a shop. Remind her that the French Customs frown on counterfeit items and it is a serious crime to Transport counterfeits in France. Snad: Significantly not as describe. Have the item authenticated by Carol or any Ebay approved authenticators.

I just typed this into google translate

Originally Posted by whitepearl86

Wow thank you ladies, you are all BRILLIANT!! I will wait for her next reply and then i will let her know. Should i have it all translated into french so she understands better?

I'm sure your seller understands exactly what has happened

and she does state in her auction that she has a 7 day return policy..

she like most sellers at times need to be reminded of what their

auction/listing states...hope that you have filed your SNAD....

It is illegal in most countries to import/export counterfeit goods. France is not unique in this regard. I'm wondering if the OP would be protected if she specified on the shipping label "return of goods sold" and included all the original invoicing. The reason I am suggesting this is because I'm a little uncomfortable with the concept of sending fakes to the Paypal graveyard. Maybe.....just maybe, the seller was scammed herself and could get recourse herself if the bag is returned to her.

Originally Posted by whitepearl86

Wow thank you ladies, you are all BRILLIANT!! I will wait for her next reply and then i will let her know. Should i have it all translated into french so she understands better?

Honey, it is on her.
However, Have any correspondence she sends you translated so that you truly understand what she says.
Escalate as soon as possible and don't look back.

Originally Posted by northerndancer

It is illegal in most countries to import/export counterfeit goods. France is not unique in this regard. I'm wondering if the OP would be protected if she specified on the shipping label "return of goods sold" and included all the original invoicing. The reason I am suggesting this is because I'm a little uncomfortable with the concept of sending fakes to the Paypal graveyard. Maybe.....just maybe, the seller was scammed herself and could get recourse herself if the bag is returned to her.

However, French customs seize items regularly and take the matter seriously.

Originally Posted by whitepearl86

She wrote me back a message saying "this is not my fault or your fault that the bag is fake. I didnt know the bag is fake. Lets do what will make us both happy, i'm offering you half the money back and you keep the bag" I replied with "no thank you, i have no use for the fake bag and your ebay return policy states 7 days full return" She has yet to reply.

I'd send this, both in English and French:

English:

Dear seller,

Whether you knew the bag was fake or not is irrelevant. Since it's against the law to sell fakes, it's a seller's responsibility to know that any item is authentic before listing. If you don't know for sure, you have to have it authenticated.

Therefore, it's your fault that you sold a fake, knowingly or not. And since the mistake was yours, I should not be out any money for shipping. I want to be refunded in full including shipping.

If you prefer, once you refund me, I can destroy the bag and save both of us the trouble to return it. It's illegal to relist anyway so you won't be able to sell it.

Sincerely,
Buyer


French:

Cher vendeur,

Que vous connaissiez le sac était faux ou non n'est pas pertinent. Depuis qu'il est contre la loi de vendre des contrefaçons, c'est la responsabilité d'un vendeur de savoir que n'importe quel article est authentique avant l'inscription. Si vous ne savez pas à coup sûr, vous avez à faire authentifier.

Donc, c'est votre faute si vous avez vendu un faux, sciemment ou non. Et puisque l'erreur a été le vôtre, je ne devrais pas être hors de l'argent pour l'expédition. Je veux être remboursé dans sa totalité, y compris l'expédition.

Si vous préférez, une fois que vous me rembourser, je peux détruire le sac et sauver tous les deux nous la peine de le retourner. Il est illégal de remettre en vente toute façon, alors vous ne serez pas en mesure de le vendre.

Cordialement,
acheteur