If you are one of those luxury consumers who find a nice packing and a receipt ample proof of the originality of a certain posh product like a pre owned Louis Vuitton. Then, you need to be a little more cautious. With big brands comes bigger responsibilities – not just to take care of your product. Also to first make sure what you are purchasing and taking care of is something original that actually deserves your money, love, and attention. You wouldn’t want to go to a party of elites, flaunt your Louis Vuitton bag. And find out half an hour later from someone that it’s actually a ‘Made in China’ version and embarrass yourself in front of everybody!

For six consecutive years (2006 to 2012), Louis Vuitton (shortened to LV) was declared the world’s most valuable luxury brand. The label’s LV monogram that appeared on its products like luxury trunks, watches, jewelry, books, scarves, sunglasses, shoes and leather goods. This is a symbol of pride for the world’s leading international fashion house as well as the keeper.

When a luxury brand is so much sought after, there are more companies trying to counterfeit it than giving it an actual competition. But how would you really know the difference between the real and the fake pre owned Louis Vuitton? Those who can imitate a bag would not find it too hard to create a fake tag, receipt, and other accessories that come with the bag.

Here are 10 ways to distinguish between an original and a fake new or pre owned Louis Vuitton. Also how to stay away from scams:

1. Know Your Louis Vuitton!

Whether you are buying a new or a pre owned Louis Vuitton, it is very important to know what you are buying before actually buying it. Doesn’t that make sense? A majority of LV buyers fall in the scams. This is because they do not really know what exactly to expect when they are buying a genuine product from pre owned Louis Vuitton sellers; what are the factors that show that a certain bag is authentic/original; certain details that should ring a bell; and most important of all, whether or not to rely on the receipt for a pre owned Louis Vuitton. But keep in mind – if someone can forge a bag, they can forge a receipt.

You need to carry out a detailed research prior to making the purchase. How do you do that? Follow these steps:

• If you are planning to buy a pre owned Louis Vuitton online or at an auction, try to go to the original Louis Vuitton boutique first. Check out the bag’s look and feel there. Feel the texture and know the price. If someone is selling you a well-conditioned pre owned Louis Vuitton bag, there will be a little price difference but if it is too much, it should ring a bell in your head.
• Check their website to find the types of trunks and bags that exist, and the one you want to purchase. Note down the specifications and anything that could be a deciding factor when you are examining the pre owned Louis Vuitton being sold to you. LV Catalogs could also help you know more about the original product you want to purchase.
• Note down the name, model, color, pattern, logo placement, material, accessories and all relevant details about the bag you have in mind. Do not expect to just go online or to a pre owned Louis Vuitton auction and purchase one that you fancy there.

A lot of fake versions of some new or even pre owned Louis Vuitton products that don’t really exist are surprisingly sold in the market at a very high price. Then, the consumer ends up paying the price (in the literal sense as well!) due to their lack of knowledge.

2. Double-check the reliability of the pre owned Louis Vuitton seller. 

There is no reason not to! You are spending a big chunk of your money. Therefore, you should take your time and examine the product closely and carefully. If you are buying your pre owned Louis Vuitton online, make sure the website you are buying from is reliable, like Luxify.com. Check the customer reviews and the site’s reputation. Ask the people around you if they have made any purchases from that site.

If you can, ask an LV salesperson if they know about pre owned Louis Vuitton bags being sold at such website. Louis Vuitton has a strong resale market which is a sign of the brand’s strength. A good salesperson working at an original LV boutique will always guide you where. Together with how to buy a pre owned Louis Vuitton, though they would like you to buy a new one from them, of course!

3. A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words.

And in Louis Vuitton’s case, a thousand dollars! Ask the online pre owned Louis Vuitton seller to show you lots of images of that bag, especially the front, back, base, lining, date code, LV monogram, and the embossed “Louis Vuitton Made in …” stamp.

Ask the seller if there are any damaged areas inside or outside the bag. You are purchasing a luxury product and you need to know exactly what you are paying for. Do not hesitate to ask for more pictures in case you need to. Also, ask for details such as where the bag was purchased from (Louis Vuitton has over 460 stores in 50 countries), when was it purchased and ideally the receipt.

4. Leather or Canvas?

A majority of LV bags are made up of leather. However, many genuine bags are also made using coated canvas – the trim, however, is leather. Before making the purchase, make sure you are familiar with the material used in the bag. Also, check if it is what the original bag was also made with.

Feel the leather trim, it should not feel oily or slippery; it should feel dry. Also, genuine Louis Vuitton bags don’t come with trims wrapped with tissue, polyethene or soft paper . However, only the fake ones have those coverings to make sure the material doesn’t erode or fade away and the stitches don’t come off.

5. The Stitching Should be Flawless, to say the least!

Check if the stitching is even. It should be perfect, to say the least. There should be no back-and-forth stitching, if there is, you are being scammed into a sloppy version of LV.

The same number of stitches will be found in similar locations of bags of the same type. For example, on any size of Monogram Speedy bag, the leather tab that the bag’s handle attaches to will always have 5 stitches evenly done like shown in the image.

However, there is an exception to the vintage pieces produced by the French Company. During the late 70’s and 80’s, Louis Vuitton licensed out the production of its Monogram pieces. And transffered to a US based production company called the French Company, to cater to the US market.

For example, the FC Speedy 30 does not really have 5 stitches across the top or Louis Vuitton embossed on the bag. This is the exact reason why we recommend that you to know your bag. Also, do research prior to grabbing your wallet for the purchase.

6. Are Upside Down LVs Genuine?

There is a common misconception amongst prospect buyers that an upside down LV monogram on the bag implicates that it is a fake one. This is not true at all. Many authentic Louis Vuitton bags will have upside down LVs at the backside. This is because Louis Vuitton uses one continuous piece of leather that when wrapped from the front side to the backside the LV monogram becomes upside down. This means an original Louis Vuitton should have upside down LV monograms on the backside and no seam at the bottom.

7. Can My Authentic Louis Vuitton bag be ‘Made in USA’?

Yes, it can! While genuine Louis Vuitton bags have been made in France for almost 25 years, LV has also produced bags that are made in Spain, USA, Italy, and Germany. It is a common misconception that all genuine Louis Vuitton pieces have to be marked “Made in France”.

8. What does the Font say? Read between the lines!

Observe the font style. Louis Vuitton uses a certain font and sticks to it. A few counterfeiters have started to replicate it as well, but if you look closely at the original font below, you will notice how the “O” is very round.

9. Notice the Date Code.

Your genuine Louis Vuitton bag should have a Date Code and a Serial Number, but NOT a model number. An original LV has a 6-character date code. Starting from the left, the first 2 characters are letters and the rest of the 4 characters are numbers.

10. Don’t Let the Extras Mislead You.

It is always a nice feeling to get some extra stuff with your product. Therefore, this is the exact tactic many counterfeiters use to allure new luxury buyers into their traps. An authentic LV bag may just come with a dustbag and a leather strap, and this could be just about it!

The dustbag could also tell you a lot about the genuineness of the bag. If the dustbag has anything more written on it except for “Louis Vuitton” or the monogram “LV”, it is fake!

 To sum it up…

While buying a pre owned Louis Vuitton bag, it is good to see the original receipt from the seller. However,  don’t rely on it too much. As mentioned earlier, anyone who can counterfeit a whole LV bag can make a fake receipt too.

While making an online transaction, if you feel that the pictures of the pre owned Louis Vuitton bag being shown to you look like they have been taken from a website or borrowed from somewhere. Then, you need to do more research about the supplier as well as the bag. A genuine LV seller will show you the images of the Louis Vuitton bag that he owns, not generic web images.

Also, a very low priced bag or one on which the seller is ready to bargain to a great deal should be considered as a big NO. Louis Vuitton bags don’t compromise on the price or the quality. Thus, their original boutiques never have sales, discounts or wholesale distributions – never ever! The price is constant all year around which is a sign of the brand’s strong market value.

Whether you plan to purchase a new or a pre owned Louis Vuitton, it is something that will stay with you forever. Make sure you keep the above factors in mind while making this investment. And an original Louis Vuitton is definitely worth it! Can’t wait to get one? Visit Luxify.com now to save your time and effort spotting a fake Louis Vuitton.

For more information about how to spot a fake Louis Vuitton, click on the following links:

http://www.forbes.com/pictures/efik45ehdfd/how-to-spot-a-fake-louis-vuitton-10-questions-to-ask/

http://www.ebay.com/gds/How-to-SPOT-fake-LV-LOUIS-VUITTON-authentic-Guide-1-/10000000000021258/g.html

https://www.lollipuff.com/blog/241/easy-louis-vuitton-bag-authentication-guide#comment-start=end

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