Yesterday was cyber Monday. My feed was full to the brim with ads and deals for designer handbags. The ads came from legitimate sources like The Coach Outlet, Macy’s and Nordstrom. Even with the cyber deals, these bags can be expensive. If your holiday shopping list is long, you may be tempted to buy fake bags at a party or on big city streets. But I’m here to tell you why you don’t want to buy fake designer handbags for the holidays. Some of you may be thinking to yourself: why is this an issue, Marianne? Who does it hurt? What’s the harm? Well, there are several reasons. So let me tell you why buying fake designer handbags is bad for everyone, all the way around.
#1 Reason Why You Don’t Want to Buy Fake Designer Handbags: It’s Illegal
In the United States, it is against federal law to create, transport or sell fake designer handbags. Yup, that’s federal law! The big guys. And these bags break the law because the law protects the trademarks of the makers of the authentic bags. Coach, for example, is the only one who has the right to use the “Coach New York” trademark, which includes the little stage coach and finer details, right down to the typeface. Now I don’t want you to worry that the FBI is coming for you and that fake Channel number you bought on vacation. The U.S. Department of Justice has stated that “federal law doesn’t prohibit shoppers from purchasing counterfeit products for personal use, even if they know they’re fake,” according to FindLaw.com. But these fake bags break the law, and hopefully that’s enough for you to make it a hard pass.
What Else To Consider About Fake Bags
If breaking the law isn’t enough of a reason, you may want to consider that fake designer bags:
- Are generally of inferior quality to authentic bags
- Are often produced in sweatshops where workers are under-paid and treated poorly
- Can even contain banned chemicals and materials hazardous to your health!
Who knew, right? Hopefully these facts make you keep on walking past that table in New York full of counterfeits. Or give you the courage to pass on that invitation to that “fake bag party” at your neighbor’s house. When you know the facts, it’s hardly worth it.
Insider Tip: Consignment shops, like Consignments Ltd., are a great place to buy authentic designer handbags. You can examine them fully before you buy and you have a shop owner who is accountable for the legitimacy of the product. And at our shop we do not accept fakes. Period! Online sites and thrift stores are another story entirely. Thrifts promise nothing when you buy; it’s on you. Online sites are ridiculously difficult to go back at with any counterfeit issues. They say that they stand behind what they sell, until you challenge it. So buyer beware.
Why My Shop Doesn’t Accept Fake Designer Handbags
I think now you also understand why we don’t sell fake designer handbags at Consignments Ltd. My shop falls under this category of federal law and the fines are a doozie! Just consider this, again from FindLaw.com, “Trafficking convictions carry steep criminal penalties. The maximum penalty for a first-time offense is 10 years in prison and a $2 million fine. For a second-time offense, the penalty is 20 years and a $5 million fine.” First-of-all, I do not look good in orange. And secondly, there’s no way I’m compromising my value system for some wretched handbag! It’s only the real deal at my store. And I think that you should avoid ANY consignment shop that doesn’t follow this same philosophy.
Looking for more reading? Check out my previous blogs, including: The History of The Christmas Village and Floral Upholstery is Trending.
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