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When it comes to buying from luxury brands, more and more people are starting to lean more towards buying through consignment rather than buying brand them new. This especially applies to the Hermes brand since they are one of the more expensive brands on the market.
The prices of their bags start only as low as $10,000, so even if you get a bag at a discount when buying a used Hermes, you will still pay a good little bit for it. This means that the buying process shouldn't be taken lightly. The most important thing to keep in mind is to always buy from a trusted consignment store. Most stores will guarantee authentication, but you should still know the signs of a counterfeit bag for yourself because you can't always trust everyone right away until they have proven themselves.
The two easiest ways to spot a fake Hermes bag without putting in much effort is by looking for an authenticity card and looking at the price. Hermes bags never have authenticity cards, so if you are looking at a bag that contains one that is typically an orange plastic, then chances are you should walk away. Also, never be fooled by a "too good to be true" price on a Hermes bag. Chances are, if it is too good to be true, then it is. Just think about it, no one in their right mind is going to sell their authentic $10,000 Hermes bag for only $3,000. It's just about using common sense at the end of the day.
Hermes bags are notoriously known for their seamless and small stitches. Any authentic Hermes bag will not have a single flaw in their stitching. Craftsman making authentic bags can take up to two days stitching the bag. The craftsmen are not going to take all that time they spent trying to perfect their work just to have a sloppy product as a result. If the stitches are off or a little on the big side, this should raise a red flag. This does not just apply to the outside of the bad, but for the inside lining of the bag as well. When looking at resale bags, always take the time to look at the detail in the stitching. Do not just make sure that the stitching itself is neat, but make sure it is in a straight line all the way around.
When looking at a Hermes bag, not only should the stitches be seamless, but the entire bag itself should be as well. There should be no bulging or wearing of the leather or any sloppy craftsmanship at all for that matter. The handles of the bag should not hang down but instead sit straight up. Of course, there is always the exception of the previous owner not taking care of the bag properly, but it is usually easy to tell the difference between shoddy craftsmanship by someone who sells knockoffs and just improper care to an authentic luxury bag. The logo on the bag should also be as perfect as the rest of the bag. The sizing of the letters should not be off, and the logo itself should be properly centered. You can use google images to compare and contrast real and fake logos.
A lot of Hermes bags come with decorative locks or keys. These are always made with precious metals such as palladium or gold-plated finishes. Of course, the real gold or palladium will not tarnish or change color over time. Fake gold especially does this, so it can be easy to spot a fake this way from a mile away, especially if the hardware has already started to wear. It should also be noted that fake hardware will be light and flimsy, while real locks and keys will be heavy. If it feels fake, then it is probably fake.
One of the more detailed designs of a Hermes bag is its zipper. Not everyone knows that like the handle, the zipper should not hang down. Hermes zippers are known to run parallel to the zipper. If the zipper of the bag you may be looking at does not stay parallel to the zipper at all times, then this is a big red flag. A Hermes zipper might not always have the logo on it, but it will always stay in place.
Despite the many various ways to tell apart a real Hermes bag from a counterfeit one, there are still higher quality counterfeits that exist. People are also getting better and better at replicating these very detailed bags. Always take your time when looking at these bags to try and look at every little detail. If you still are not 100% sure or something just feels off, there are professionals who can authenticate a bag for you. Once you find a store that you know will sell you real, quality products, then it is a good idea to stick with that retailer, so you know that you are buying from someone you trust.
Hermes bags are of the best quality which also means that they will always have a high price point, so it is worth saving some money and buying them through consignment. If any luxury bag stands the test of time, it's a Hermes bag, so a used bag can still look brand new. Nonetheless, the buying process should always be taken seriously. A Hermes bag is iconic, but not something everyone can afford and scammers know this. They prey on peoples love for the bag knowing that not everyone can pay top dollar for it. Knowledge is power and always be smarter than these scammers who for the most part are not very smart themselves. Never settle for a bag that might be fake just because of a lower price point. Otherwise, you are just wasting your money, and you are letting these scammers win.
