I now think that my quilted bowler is a VERY good fake...

[SuLi]

Some of you may have seen my posting about the quilted leather bowler that I recently won on eBay. I don't know why I didn't notice or check earlier, but today, I looked at the zipperhead of the interior pocket. AND...that is where I saw it - instead of reading "riri, m4" or something similar, the interior zipperhead reads three "C"s in a triangle within a circle! I've attached a few pictures of the zipperhead (couldn't get a really clear shot). I've never even seen a zipperhead like that before.

I haven't been able to find the same bowler in my area for ages so I resorted to eBay before finding out that bag.lover so kindly found one for me at the MJ store in LA. But, I had already bid on the item. One could say in my quest to find the bowler, I lost all sense of good judgment, so really, I only have myself to blame.

I went to Cusp (the new Neiman Marcus concept store) this morning since they have the larger quilted leather bowler in black, to compared the two bags. EVERYTHING is the same - the look, feel of the leather, dust bag, tags - every little detail EXCEPT the interior zipper. I remember reading that some counterfeit bags are being made in the same factories as the authentic bags, and that there is usually only ONE detail that is off - that one detail makes it a counterfeit.

My heart really hurts right now and I'm crying as I am typing this...I really don't know what to do. I am really heartbroken!

 

[GiMMe MoRe BaGs]

Return your bag to the seller! You can report on to eBay too within a certain period of time esp. if it's a fake. And Paypal covers you as well. Do it before it's too late.

 

[sharbear508]

OMG, SuLi, I'm so sorry to hear this!!!!!!!!! I know how happy you were to finally find your small black bowler.

Don't worry - it's all very fixable! I haven't gone through this before, but I'm sure if you do a search on tPF, you'll find lots of advice as to what to do re: requesting a refund, filing a claim with paypal, reversing the payment, etc, etc.

As for finding an authentic one, I have no doubt you'll be able to find one still! Is the one that bag.lover found you still available? I would call the store first thing in the morning to find out! Otherwise, I'm sure they can do a system-wide search for you? You'll find one - don't worry!

Don't cry SuLi...it'll work out...you'll see!!! Good luck!!!!!!!

 

[thithi]

OMG SuLi, I am so shocked! You definitely need to contact that seller and explain to her that you need to return that bag. Most sellers will be understanding if you explain why you need to return it, esp considering you believe it to be fake. I honestly don't think the interior zipper should look like that. If the seller becomes difficult, then file a paypal claim and call your CC company. Sometimes your CC company will do a chargeback, or if not, then Paypal will mediate and decide. Remember to take as many photos as possible to have as evidence, and save the ebay auction onto your harddrive to pull up later.

My heart goes out to you SuLi, I really hope you the best with this. I agree with sharbear508, everything will work out, esp if you are persistent but polite. If you need any help, let me know... Good luck SuLi! I am hoping for the best.

 

[Blair Waldorf]

Don't cry, Suli!!! Return it and you'll feel a lot better! Hugs!

 

[bag.lover]

SuLi -- I'm sooo sorry to hear this, please don't cry. {{SuLi}}
Don't blame yourself over this.

Since you paid via paypal, your credit card company will be able to help you as well. Please let me know if there's anything I can do to help, don't hestitate to PM me. Everything will work out, don't worry. Hugs~

 

[Cheryl24]

Oh no Suli!!! I'm sooo sorry!! I can't believe your bag was so authentic looking up until that last detail. Those damn counterfeiters!!! Definitely return your bag to the seller and report them to Ebay and PayPal!! Good luck honey...let us know what happens.

 

[foxycleopatra]

So sorry to hear about this, SuLi I saw that auction as well and thought everything looked pretty good; no signs whatsoever of a counterfeit. Wow....if it boils down to details like this, I don't know how I'll dare to buy any high-end bags on eBay again. Had I bought that bag (in that auction), I highly doubt I'd have been as meticulous as you've been & probably wouldn't have noticed that little deviation....gosh the counterfeiters are getting sneakier & sneakier by the day! I'd never actually thought to check the zipperhead of the inner pocket!

BTW, I just double-checked my small bowler -- the Ursula (patent) quilted version in black (purchased from Nordstrom), and the zipperhead of the inner pocket reads "riri".

Take a deep breath & Best of uck with your PayPal/eBay claim! If the seller has any morals, she/he should immediately issue the refund upon seeing the photos (which serve as plain proof) -- or this thread.

 

[bubbleliciousis]

Hey SuLi,

So Sorry to hear about it!! It is very disappointing and it sucks. I've been there before!! In fact, i'm dealing with one now. Sigh

It takes alot of patience to get it sorted out with Paypal and your credit card company. but just follow up and go through the process and u will get ur $$ back.

First tell your seller about it and try to convince them to give you a refund. Tell them it's easier for them to settle it privately than to escalate to paypal and ebay which may result in ebay suspending them. If u haven't left feedback, tell him u will leave negative feedback if this matter isn't resolved promptly. Tell them that selling a fake is a CRIME!

Give seller a few days to respond. if things don't work out, file a dispute with paypal immediately. (u have to file with paypal before u can file with ebay). At the same time, i would also file a dispute with your credit card company. You need to give a short summary to both paypal and your cc company. There is alot of waiting time involved in both these processes. Mine has dragged on for months...

You should also be prepared that they will ask you for proof from a reputable source that this bag is a fake. Tell them about the zip and if you are lucky, you may be able to get someone from the Marc Jacobs store to give you a verbal or written (unlikely) assessment. Alternatively, I would get mypoupette.com to give you a written opinion (they will charge u a fee), unless the ladies here can recommend someone else. Or perhaps one of the experts here can write a letter for you and see if that is sufficient.

Just be patient and hang in there. Write back if you have questions. it will take time but it will work out!! Good luck!!

B

 

[SuLi]

Good morning everyone -

I had a really hard time sleeping last night. I just have a really bad feeling about this.

Below is the e-mail I just sent to the seller. Please let me know if you guys think it was reasonable -

I am writing to you because I would like a refund. As much as I appreciate your quick responses to my questions and the extremely fast shipping that was involved with this transaction, I believe that you may have unintentionally sold me an inauthentic item - one that is commonly referred to as a "backdoor" item.

Your auction was the first time I have EVER purchased a Marc Jacobs bag on eBay. Up until this week, all of my Marc Jacobs bags were purchased from stores such as Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom. I thought that your reputation and auction pictures showed that the bag looked pretty decent, but as you recall, I did ask you several times for pictures of the interior zipper to which you responded in your last e-mail that your camera was not working. In hindsight, I know that I should not have bidded on the auction but my desperation over getting a quilted bowler overwhelmed any common sense. None of the stores locally carried the smaller bowler, and Neiman's and Nordstrom's did a check for me to no avail.

I have attached some pictures of the inner zippers for you from two bags in my personal collection - the first 4 are the larger and smaller zippers of two separate bags. The last two are pictures of the larger zipper of the bowler I won from you and the smaller zipper that is in question. I called the Marc Jacobs store in NYC to ask them about zippers, and whether irregulars were EVER released for purchase. They confirmed that they only use "riri" or "lampo" zippers, and that for one bag, the zippers have to be consistent to be authentic. They also confirmed that they do not ever sell irregulars.

I also went to a store that I know still carries the quilted leather bowler in large and checked the zippers. The bag had two "RiRi" zippers. I also looked at other quilted bags and checked zippers, and all the zippers were consistent.

I invite you to see some of the comments of this eBay resource: http://cgi3.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=vogue1966. In particular, read this portion:

[SIZE=-1]"Another thing to keep in mind is this: if only one detail on a bag is not authentic (i.e., the wrong brand of zipper has been used), then the bag is NOT considered authentic. An authentic bag must have ALL of the details, markings and hardware that the designer approves for the production of that bag in order for it to be considered authentic. Many of the counterfeit handbags that are being sold today are actually being made in the same places by the same people who make the authentic bags and are being "snuck out the back door" for resale on the Black Market. Very small details are being changed or left out so that the bag itself looks authentic in every other way. This is why it is so important to check EVERY detail of a bag before buying one online. If the incorrect brand of zipper has used on a bag, then it was not approved by the designer and was more than likely, illegally produced for resale. Please do not be fooled by the sellers who tell you that the zippers were replaced for resale at a reduced price or that the bags are made differently for resale at different places or on different levels. This is false information! I repeat, IF ONLY ONE COMPONENT OF A HANDBAG IS INCORRECT AND/OR MISSING, THEN THAT HANDBAG MUST BE CONSIDERED COUNTERFEIT AND IS BEING ILLEGALLY DISTRIBUTED & SOLD!!!"
[/SIZE]
I am also a member of the PurseForum, and in particular an active poster on the Marc Jacobs subforum where most of my knowledge comes from. I also invite you to read my thread about this auction and the comments from fellow posters about their own bowlers: http://forum.purseblog.com/marc-jacobs/i-now-think-my-quilted-bowler-very-good-71891.html.

I hope that you can issue me a refund. I have to note that in my excitement upon receiving the bag, I cut off the main tag - the plastic one. But, I do have all the tags. Otherwise, everything else is in tact - the plastic covering on the zipper and pushlocks have not been removed. Because of that, I can understand if you don't refund my entire payment and I am willing to accept a refund minus $20 of my payment. I hope that we can work something out without getting eBay or Paypal involved.

Thank you,
Susan

 

[addictedtopurses]

Suli, that was a perfect email to send. It is possible that the seller bought it from someone who claimed it was authentic and since the difference is so small (the zipper) he/she may not even realize that it isn't. Hopefully, the seller will do the right thing and this will get resolved quickly.

 

[bag.lover]

I had a really hard time sleeping last night. I just have a really bad feeling about this.

Below is the e-mail I just sent to the seller. Please let me know if you guys think it was reasonable -

Susan, your letter was every well written. I hope that the seller will refund you promptly without having to involve ebay/paypal or your credit card company. It will be resolved, please don't get overstressed over this. Hugs~

I feel so bad for Susan & everyone who's ever received a replica without knowing it, I hope everyone can learn from this. Super fakes are not unheard of, not all replicas can be spotted easily. Please be extremely careful with purchases especially from unfamilar sellers whose reliability has not been established. ALL details have to be correct for an item to be authenic. Replica makers can copy many details down to hardware imprints, serial number inside the pocket, store tag, store receipt, etc.

 

[graceful]

Suli, I am so sorry this has happened to you! Your email to the seller is very well written and I hope you get a favorable response. It is very scary to see how good the conterfeiters have become, getting almost every detail right! Good luck with the seller and also finding your black bowler. I will keep my eyes open for one as well at my local Saks. Take care.

 

[harlem_cutie]

SuLi, your letter was very diplomatic and right to the point. I can't believe you unwittingly bought a fake but unfortunately it has happened or will happen to many of is

I hope this issue gets resolved for you as painlessly as possible. Good Luck.

 

[madzia]

I'm really sorry about your bag...not to defend the seller or anything, but do you think it's a possiblity that maybe the inside zipper broke and she tried to replace it with another one....? Just a thought...I hope everything works out for you.