Have you/would you ever rent a designer bag?

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#61
I really don't see myself using any service like this, I would never rent purses or jewelry or clothing. For one thing, I wouldn't want to worry about it getting damaged and having to pay for it. Also, it is so expensive and then to have nothing to show for it at the end of the week/month, at least when I put that same money towards a purchase I know I will have it forever or at least a very long time. Also, with my lifestyle I use purses very sporadically, like during the week I don't even use any purses b/c I can't take one to work and when I'm not working I'm usually just at home, so I would use it like once and then have to send it back. Even for an event, I would rather just use my own stuff I already have rather than rent stuff in an effort to impress.

Renting stuff like purses is so different from real estate, with real estate by renting you aren't responsible for things like taxes, repairs, etc. A purse just doesn't have those post-purchase expenses and liabilities, if my purse gets destroyed I can just throw it away and all I lose is the money I spent on it originally but you can't just throw a house away when something goes wrong with it.
 
#65
I think most of us try bags on at the store, try our stuff in the bag and parade around the store. Some of us buy bags, try them out and parade around our own house, and then return the bag if it doesn't seem to work. Some buy bags, use them (gasp!), and then return them if they don't work out. Others buy bags, use them and then change their mind and end up reselling at a loss.

I know people who rent the car model they want to buy before they actually plunk down the $$. ONce, they were going to buy a certain car, but after renting it for a week, they discovered things about the car that they decided they couldn't live with. Heartache spared!


The thread about bags we don't love anymore got me thinking that maybe there are ladies out there who regularly rent or borrow bags that they are thinking of buying - in order to determine if the bag is really what she wants. I mean, really, it does make sense to try before you buy. I"ve never done it, and I don't hear about it very much here, but surely somebody does!

Have you ever rented or borrowed a bag you were considering purchasing?
Can anyone share try-before-you-buy experiences?
 
#66
Never, nor would I. It seems wasteful of money (renting) and also too much work. But there have been times when I've bought a starter quality bag to check if I actually like a style, size, or look. For example, when I was getting into LV, I acquired a few used and fairly inexpensive Noes to test whether I truly liked carrying that style and especially to check the sizes. Without much dollar investment I was able to figure out that I preferred the small one (Petit Noe) and then sold my "experiments." I did the same with a Chanel flap bag, bought reasonably cheaply and then sold.
 
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#67
jellyv said:
Never, nor would I. It seems wasteful of money (renting) and also too much work. But there have been times when I've bought a starter quality bag to check if I actually like a style, size, or look. For example, when I was getting into LV, I acquired a few used and fairly inexpensive Noes to test whether I truly liked carrying that style and especially to check the sizes. Without much dollar investment I was able to figure out that I preferred the small one (Petit Noe) and then sold my "experiments." I did the same with a Chanel flap bag, bought reasonably cheaply and then sold.
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I agree about the large expense! I think I'd only rent a bag if the rental price was cheap enough in proportion to the actual cost of a new bag. For example, before shelling out $5,000 for an Hermes Kelly, I'd happily pay $200 to rent one for a week just to make sure that the bag works for me. However, paying $800 for a week to rent a Kelly wouldn't be worth it for me.

I did a similar thing like what you did with your Noe. I had been thinking about an MJ Stam and so I bought a cheapo fake just to make sure that model of bag works for me. (BTW< it's the only fake I own, and I only carried it a handful of times until I decided about the Stam and then I passed the bag on)
 
#69
I personally won't rent a bag before I buy it. I'll just try it on in store. Renting a bag seems too costly and it all adds up. Especially renting a high end bags, the price is probably pretty expensive.
 
#71
No way under any circumstances would I do this. I'm not even picky at all when it comes to comfort, look on me, and so forth when it comes to my bags; if they are simply pretty and different enough, they hit the mark. Even if I were picky about these things, I'd simply go to a store that carried the bag or buy it online under a good return policy if it was not available locally.
 
#72
i wouldn't rent. it's a waste of money. i buy it, take it home, walk around with it to make sure i don't hate it. i tend to get tired of bags after a few years so i sell my bags anyway.

i guess unless you are looking to buy a $20K Hermes bag you'd probably be pretty sure you'll like it.
 
#73
I did rent bags for sometime. It wasn't because I wanted to try them out before buying them though . I couldn't keep up with buying new bags all the time so I did. For me it was worth it in some way because I easily got tired of a bag. I have a closet full of bags that I don't even use. To give a clearer picture, I limited my rent money for $150 every month. In a year, that would be around $1800. If I buy a thousand dollar bag each month, then that would cost me $12000 a year, or maybe more if the bags are more expensive. Even if I keep my 12 bags, and then try to sell them after I don't want them, I'd lose more than $1800 easily. Even worse, if I sell my pre-owned bags at half of their original price, then I'd easily lose $6000. In my case then, it was more cost-effective.

Now I'm turning over a new leaf, and just trying to enjoy what I have. Renting, or buying--- they're both not really saving me any money. :)
 
#74
I'm currently renting a gorgeous black python Chloe bag from lovemeandleaveme.com (I'm in Australia) and have arranged to have it for the month. I got it about two weeks ago, and considering that I would have had to have spent a fair chunk of money (http://www.bagsnob.com/2010/03/chloe_marlow_large_python_and.html) to have purchased it, not to mention that I live in a mining town where there is NO CHANCE of being able to try out a bag in the department store, it has been really nice and the perfect way to have a go at one of the bags I had considered spending my savings on. I waiting to sign up as they now have a "$100 off the rental price for your first month" deal if you borrowed something within 24 HOURS of signing up.
Hence, my $299.95 for 30 days of a bit of luxury became $199.95 (plus a bit for shipping and $40 for extra insurance as I can be paranoid) and it was here within days! I probably won't do it again unless they have THE BAG that I want, as this Chloe was definitely not my first choice, but it was great to really be able to test drive it as others have said.
 
#75
I love to try several designer bags but I don't have enough money to buy them all so I think I will just rent them and buy only the ones I really like. Any website in the US that I can be certain that their designer bags are authentic?
 
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