Well, I recently came across something that made me really angry. I had purchased a designer handbag from a securely authenticated dealer on Purse Forum and within two weeks, the buyer had returned it saying that it was a fake! Initially I was dumbfounded because the dealer had assured me that it was a genuine article. I had already made the payment and now had to face the risk of not getting the money back from this buyer.
I felt so scammed and cheated so I decided to do some research into the case. I went to the thread which had the details of the bag and started reading what the others were saying. It made me so angry when people were actually accusing me of knowingly selling a fake bag and claiming that I had duped the buyer. I was so upset and nothing seemed right.
At this point, I was ready to give up but then I remembered the manufacturer’s stamp on the bag and decided to take a closer look at it. I closely examined the bag and then it hit me. On further inspection, I noticed that the stitching on the bag was visibly off and it had some misspelled words engraved on it.
That was it! The buyer must have returned a fake bags bag as its condition and other features were too suspicious. I was relieved to finally know the truth and then I decided to approach Purse Forum’s Customer Service department to resolve the issue. They responded promptly and asked me to get a written statement from the buyer regarding the same.
The next step was to confront the buyer and ask for the explanation. It was then that the buyer finally admitted that he had bought a fake bag from a third-party and returned it to me instead as he realized it was a replica bags and were afraid of me finding out.
The whole thing had caused me so much frustration. I was just so disappointed that someone could do something this horrible and cheat me out of my money. After several days of carrying out various procedures, I was finally able to get my money back from the buyer.
The whole experience left me feeling frustrated, betrayed and angry – all at the same time. I still cannot believe that someone could be deceitful at this level and not even feel an ounce of guilt.
Anyways, it is a lesson learnt. From now on, I have made up my mind to be more cautious when it comes to purchasing expensive items. I will carefully research the seller’s background, contact him through alternative sources and last but not the least, I will double-check the item right away after receiving it.
It is also essential for us to strengthen our consumer protection laws and bring more accountability into the market so that such cases don’t take place in the future. Thankfully in my case, I was able to get back the money that was swindled, however it may not be the same with everyone.
I have learned that anytime something seems too good to be true, it usually is. Thus, we must practice patience and caution when dealing with tempting deals. I will also try and raise awareness about the issue and encourage other buyers to be vigilant and raise their voice against such fraud activities.
The same way, I plan to be very careful while purchasing any items from second-hand stores. I might seek the opinion of more experienced buyers before buying a used one and ask them if they will be able to assist me in identifying the authenticity of the item. I will also ensure that all documents, packages and the product are in order for further inspection.
I understand now, how difficult it can be to fight shoulder to shoulder in the face of such stigma. It takes a lot of agility and spunk to get your rights protected and I know that I am lucky enough for being able to persevere through the experience.
At the end of the day, it pays well to be vigilant and be smart with your purchases. A stitch in time saves nine – it’s true! Unfortunately every not every handbag fantasy comes true. At least, now I know better and can pass the message along too.
Tightening the screws on the fake handbag market will certainly help all buyers obtain their rightful treasures. But in the meantime, the consumer should always do their due diligence and contact the right sources for advice. It’s essential to ask questions, get answers and learn how to spot a real deal.
Knowledge about the product should come first when purchasing a bag. Educate yourself on the product specifications and features and read reviews about the seller. Ask if the seller is authorized to offer the warranty or certifications with the product. It’s also important to look at the price – if it seems too low or too high, it will immediately raise your suspicion.
When it comes to assessing the condition, it would be wise to take the bag out of the box and inspect it carefully. You need to check inside the bag for the product tag, serial numbers, and barcodes for authenticity. Make sure the bag material is the right material and it is consistent in colour and texture. And most importantly, check for the authenticity certificate which should be enclosed with the product.
It goes without saying that buying from a secure source helps alleviate some of the risks, but not all. Those can only be tackled if the designer brands make sure that the authorised dealers conduct proper ticketing procedures, enforce a secure consumer authentication process and issue authenticity tags at the point of sale.
It might sound like a lot of work but hey, with all the fakes out there, it’s the least we should do… or else, we’ll be in for another purse forum buyer returned fake bag debacle!