Ever worried about accidentally buying a fake designer bag on eBay?
You’re not the only one. As of today eBay has launched an ‘Authenticity Guarantee service’ for luxury handbags within the UK, to make customers feel more secure about buying a handbag on the platform.
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It will soon be much safer to shop the designer bags available on eBay
From now on handbags worth £500 and over from 19 luxury brands including Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada and Bottega Veneta will now be vetted and verified by a team of expert authenticators. The pre-loved luxury handbag market is fast growing - thanks to consumer demand for more circular shopping - and it is now valued at £115.3 million. However, eBay has identified that 32% of buyers have hesitated to purchase a pre-loved luxury handbag from their platform in the last 2 years due to mistrust and concerns about authenticity.
This is something that current online power players in the vintage and second hand market, such as Vestiaire, have managed to dispel from day one. With customer demand there it’s clear why eBay want to be in on the action, “Just recently on eBay a Hermes Kelly 28 handbag sold for £16,500. With the introduction of authenticity guarantee, it gives our customers total confidence that they’re getting an authentic product from their favourite designers and helps to remove any doubts.” explained Kirsty Keoghan, Director of Luxury Goods at eBay, “This is a game changer for the resale luxury market. We believe our sellers will also love this, as it provides them with a white-glove service when selling luxury handbags.”
eBay’s introduction of the Authenticity Guarantee service into the handbag category hopes to fight any uncertainty about fakes on the platform and build consumer confidence when purchasing designer handbags. The Authenticity Guarantee service was successfully introduced for sneakers and watches last year, and saw a multi million pound uplift in sales.
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eBay's authenticators will be checking each bag sold online to make sure it's not counterfeit
How does eBay’s ‘Authenticity Guarantee’ work?
Step 1 - Inspection The authenticator verifies that the handbag’s condition matches the listing description. eBay's authenticators inspect the serial number, and use magnification and measurement to inspect the logo, hardware, chains, zippers, engraving and check the stitching.
Step 2 - Proof of Authentication All bags will have a unique ‘Authenticity Guarantee’ card filled with information about the handbag brand and model to confirm its authenticity.
Step 3 - Verified Returns eBay's handbag authentication program ensures the exact item initially sold is returned to the seller via a verified returns process. Returns are shipped back directly to the authentication centre, where authenticators verify each item and its condition before returning to the seller.