AUTHENTICATE this COACH!

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#9,166
christinag said:
Thanks BB, I did refer her.. along with assuring her that I always authenticate etc. in hopes that she would be reasonable.
Her reply in quotes below for your reading pleasure.

"Hi ... I have no authority to state that the purse is inauthentic - none at all... I'm so sorry that that was what my message conveyed. I actually didn't know where to click to express what I didn't like about the purse from the list I was presented. I am quite certain that every coach you list is authentic, and I would buy from you again. I looked at your other listings but didn't find one that was quite right.
For some reason I can't print the label you sent me, I called pay pal and the agent said I had to purchase the label. I don't understand what she meant since you had provided one already. Do you know what I should do? Again, I'm sorry for incorrectly expressing myself.
L****e"

I am guessing that trying to get her to change her return reason to 'not as expected' or 'changed mind' might be pushing it.

I also have no idea what she is referring to about me having sent her a label - that she can't print - but am guessing this is part of eBays "new improved" return process
:: smile ::

But -- I am happy that at least she is being nice!

So I am going to mail her a labeled bag to ship the bag back, chalk the additional time & expense up to "marketing" and start my holiday drinking early... (& oh boy do I look forward to hours on phone with eBay trying to get this "defect" removed)

Cue EGGNOG :-P
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You are too nice! I'm sure a lot of buyers are clicking the wrong button when they initiate a return.
 
#9,169
whateve said:
Here's a link to the original listing: http://www.ebay.com/itm/COACH-Vinta...tO7JR6FilakueHTdNyD9E%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

There is nothing wrong with the bag. It is authentic. The leather might feel funny because it was treated with something.
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Really? It doesn't seem like leather. It feels like plastic, and the inside suede seems more like fuzzy fabric. There's a seam on the piping of the strap in between the buckle holes that is very thin and and stretchy like plastic. I'm pretty sure it's plastic.
 
#9,171
Blueridge said:
Really? It doesn't seem like leather. It feels like plastic, and the inside suede seems more like fuzzy fabric. There's a seam on the piping of the strap in between the buckle holes that is very thin and and stretchy like plastic. I'm pretty sure it's plastic.
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I can't touch it. I can only go by what I see in the pictures. The creed is perfect for the plant and year. It has an outlet stamp. I've never seen a counterfeit with a Mexican creed. Most counterfeiters believe that a US creed is more desirable. The pocket looks perfect. I've seen sloppy work on straps on authentic bags.

I can't speak for the quality of the leather. I've only seen one Mexican bag in person. It was a briefcase and the leather was beautiful. Maybe you can take it to a leatherworker near you and see what they say about the leather.
 
#9,172
whateve said:
I can't touch it. I can only go by what I see in the pictures. The creed is perfect for the plant and year. It has an outlet stamp. I've never seen a counterfeit with a Mexican creed. Most counterfeiters believe that a US creed is more desirable. The pocket looks perfect. I've seen sloppy work on straps on authentic bags.

I can't speak for the quality of the leather. I've only seen one Mexican bag in person. It was a briefcase and the leather was beautiful. Maybe you can take it to a leatherworker near you and see what they say about the leather.
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Thanks for your input. I love learning about these things. I cut the tiniest sliver off of the strap where it was already stretching out in a weird way. I burned it by holding it with scissors and it lit up for half a second and turned black. It smelled like burnt plastic (a distinctive smell). I'm just going to try to return it. also, it just sounds like pleather to the touch and there is no leather smell. it actually smells like plastic as well. there is a little burn mark on the front of the bag that you can see in the listed pictures. I washed it off and it doesn't seem like a burn mark would in leather.
 
#9,173
Blueridge said:
Hello, I received the bag today and it seems fake to me. The leather does not feel right and there is some glue attaching the flap to the back in addition to the stitching. There are no stampings on the backs of the strap buckles. I guess I've learned my lesson.



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I agree with Whateve. There's nothing I can see that's wrong with that bag. The shaggy natural suede backing is not a sign of a fake, the creed stamp and serial number are exactly the same as the ones I have of photos from genuine bags right down to the tiny flaws or usage marks and the unique font used in some of the serial number digits, and what seems like a petroleum smell could have been caused by any number of conditioners or chemicals that the previous owner used on the bag. And if you burn something that's been treated with a petroleum product and there's enough of the product left to make leather smell like plastic (which is also a petroleum product) then the burnt part will also smell like it.

The fact that there are NO stampings on the back of the buckles is a POSITIVE sign, not a negative one. It almost sounds as if you think the lack of stampings proves it's fake but it's just the opposite. I didn't say anything in my original reply to you about not having stampings on the backs of the buckles being a bad sign.
http://forum.purseblog.com/coach-shopping/authenticate-this-coach-855067-611.html#post27656688

Contrary to the drivel that's posted in most of those so-called Coach Authenticity Guides, Coach has used glues in assembling some of their products, just to hold pieces together during assembly. It's more commonly seen in wallets but it doesn't surprise me to see it in bags as well, especially from a non-US plant.
 
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#9,179
Hyacinth said:
I agree with Whateve. There's nothing I can see that's wrong with that bag. The shaggy natural suede backing is not a sign of a fake, the creed stamp and serial number are exactly the same as the ones I have of photos from genuine bags right down to the tiny flaws or usage marks and the unique font used in some of the serial number digits, and what seems like a petroleum smell could have been caused by any number of conditioners or chemicals that the previous owner used on the bag. And if you burn something that's been treated with a petroleum product and there's enough of the product left to make leather smell like plastic (which is also a petroleum product) then the burnt part will also smell like it.

The fact that there are NO stampings on the back of the buckles is a POSITIVE sign, not a negative one. It almost sounds as if you think the lack of stampings proves it's fake but it's just the opposite. I didn't say anything in my original reply to you about not having stampings on the backs of the buckles being a bad sign.
http://forum.purseblog.com/coach-shopping/authenticate-this-coach-855067-611.html#post27656688

Contrary to the drivel that's posted in most of those so-called Coach Authenticity Guides, Coach has used glues in assembling some of their products, just to hold pieces together during assembly. It's more commonly seen in wallets but it doesn't surprise me to see it in bags as well, especially from a non-US plant.
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Thanks again for so much info. I had imagined that what you meant was that stampings are a negative sign. I just wanted to responded with that info. In my opinion it is a very good fake, and it is interesting in a way for this reason. I'm out 12 dollars, at least, but c'est la vie. If it were a fake, though still leather and nice enough, I would keep it and use it. Everything is done so that it appears, without actually touching it, to be perfectly genuine. There is some wear to the bottom, so it has probably been used for at least a year. Leather does not stretch and look like plastic in this way. It hasn't been treated with anything, it just feels like smooth clean vinyl. I don't mean to be argumentative at all. It seems to me that maybe this is something that could be on the radar. Now, I'm going to spend 30 minutes looking into the organizations that are being funded by the sale of bags like these and consider my Coach education furthered. May I say again that what you are doing with this forum is a great service to the vintage purse buying internet community (and also in a way to the world at large). Many thanks :)
 
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