When you’re buying your favorite designer handbag overseas, you can’t be too careful. Here’s what happened when one blogger bought the coveted Louis Vuitton Etoile Quilted Monogram GM and got ripped off

As a reseller of pre-loved Louis Vuitton handbags i am always out looking for deals. I have been on social media expressing my love for procuring handbags internationally. When you’re buying your favorite designer handbag overseas, you can’t be too careful. Here’s what happened when one blogger bought the coveted Louis Vuitton Etoile Quilted Monogram GM and got ripped offsing how you can score a good profit from buying internationally especially from Asia. South Korea is a country that i am always buying my handbags from. I have also always expressed the importance of authentication prior to purchase of your preloved designer items

I only purchase from specific online boutiques in Asia that i am well versed with and sometimes i buy from the marketplace. I was doing my usual browsing for deals one day when i came across a listing for the Louis Vuitton Monogram Etoile quilted handbag . This styled handbag is now a rare vintage and is not usually found often for a good price online in the preloved marketplace. I got interested when i saw a seller from South Korea selling them at reasonably low prices . My products are usually authenticated prior to shipping however this handbag looked good in the pictures and it was a rare model to me and i guess fomo kicked in. I decided i would authenticate it after i received the product.

I went ahead and processed my order with my buying agent and they ordered the handbag for me. I waited about a week for my bag to arrive and excitedly went ahead and did my unboxing video for my YouTube channel. This was when i started to realize during the unboxing that i this handbag i was showing off was possibly a copy. I was feeling extremely silly during my unboxing video. This handbag model was in a gorgeous condition and it felt beautiful . I loved the size and the way it looked however the hardware seemed off as it has the brand logo laser printed on it in a strange font that is not usually seen on authentic Louis Vuitton bags.

Authentication of Handbag

I immediately started researching the model online and started comparing pictures. Yes this was off. Something was not right. The biggest giveaway was that the date code was found in the wrong part of the bag. I went ahead and got in touch with my authenticator online which is proauthenticators on Facebook. It was confirmed by the professional authenticator that this was not an authentic Louis Vuitton Monogram quilted Etoile handbag. I was sent a fake louis Vuitton handbag .This has only happened to me once before and i did not have a problem with getting a refund. This time round the experience was a bit more difficult because i no longer lived in South Korea.

Buying Agent Issues

Without wasting anytime i reached out to my buying agent about this whole matter. I waited for a response on my request for a return but did not receive any at all. I have been using this buying agent for years and it just seemed weird and unprofessional to receive such treatment. My buying agent was no cooperating or responding to my emails at all.

Paypal Claim Process.

I then went ahead and opened a claim on Paypal as item not as described so i could return the item . The buying agent finally responded and asked that i send my handbag back to them. The agent also claimed it was not a copy as the date code seemed authentic. I went ahead and shipped the bag with priority mail to the buying agent. I was not aware that on paypal a claim needed to be escalated for review or it would close automatically by the bot that manages it. I was not contacted by Paypal that the claim needed to be escalated for review and use of mediation. The claim closed in favor of the buying agent by the PayPal bot. I called Paypal to ask why this happened and they responded by saying it was because i did not escalate the claim for a review and that i could not reopen the claim however needed to contact my bank to get a refund.

Shipping Process . USPS Priority (International ) vs DHL Vs UPS

My handbag is still currently in transit and i have emailed my agent numerous times and have not heard back from my buying agent at all. USPS priority mail shipping internationally is slower compared to UPS and DHL. I am now waiting for the shipping to show delivered and solve the situation from there onwards.

I do believe buying handbags from other countries online is a great way to get amazing deals however you do have to be cautious and extra careful. There is also a risk when you are caught in a situation where your buying agent refuses to return your item for a refund. It can be dangerous if you are buying something expensive for the first time as many things could happen in that time period such as scams, fake products, shipping issues among others. This is an ongoing issue and i will update my blog once my bag arrives back in South Korea .