Pawn shop broker shows how to spot real and fake designer bags
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ATLANTA, Georgia (WANF) — Jason Wallace’s family started Smyrna Pawn Brokers on Windy Hill Road in the 1970s. It pawns and sells everything expected at a pawnshop, but a few years ago, Wallace decided to specialize in designer bags.
Wallace’s street sign advertises Louis Vuitton. Inside, he showcases designers such as Chanel, Hermes, Gucci, Prada, and Yves Saint Laurent. Wallace explains why there will always be a market for top designer brands.
“You aren’t going to see these bags at discount stores,” he said. “Louis Vuitton will get rid of the bag before they discount it. They hold their value. You’re not paying $3,000 for a Louis Vuitton bag, and then you walk into a Marshall’s and see last year’s model for $1,299. It’s never going to happen.”
When customers pawn their bags, Wallace and his employees identify authentic bags from the knockoffs. That’s not something buyers can do with pictures and video, and it’s one of many reasons he said buyers should stay away from unverified and independent sellers on sites like Instagram and Facebook Marketplace.
A low price is the first indicator, Wallace said. If a seller is offering a gift quality Louis Vuitton item for a few hundred dollars, it’s probably a knockoff.
Wallace showed two Chanel bags that appeared similar in quality. Both appeared to be made of Chanel’s “Caviar” leather, but the leather’s softness was the giveaway clue.
“When you touch these, you can just tell,” Wallace said, touching the smaller used blue Chanel, priced at $5,000.
A Chanel bag also includes a specialized tag inside with a distinct serial number.
“The fake one will have something similar, but generally, the fake ones have all the same serial numbers,” Wallace said, noting the fake Chanel had a “Made in China” tag.
Wallace sees more Louis Vuitton imitations than any other brand and said there are several giveaways. Real Louis Vuitton’s made prior to 2021 have a tag with a manufacture date and location code.
Some of the replicas have date code tags but have poor-quality stitching and hardware. Real Louis Vuitton zippers are engraved with the logo; many replicas do not.
In 2021, Louis Vuitton replaced the tags with microchips in the lining. NFC Tools is the third-party app that scans the microchip and is available in Apple’s app store and on Google Play.
None of these methods are foolproof, Wallace said. He takes extreme close-ups of the leather and sends them to an authentication service for verification, and he offers the service to sellers and buyers at a cost of $25.
Sites like eBay use the same verification method, and other secondhand sites like The RealReal offer guarantees, but Wallace said nothing beats seeing and holding an authenticated bag in person.
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