You finally take the leap of faith to purchase on Ebay and this time you're not so lucky, even though the seller promised an Authentic handbag, you got a FAKE! What do you do now? Don't stress out, you are not alone! I see many many fake handbags get bidded on daily! Just take precautions before you purchase and take the following steps to get your money back if you are ripped off!
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First of all, the major difference between an authentic item and a fake bag that looks very similar, that you can get on the streets for $25 to $150 is really the "QUALITY"! Chanel handbags like Louis Vuitton handbags and other expensive well known handbags will last a lifetime if you take care of it, anywhere from 10-20 years or more!! I've sold handbags made in the 80s that still look prestine with the right owner that takes good care of their bags. A sign of a fake handbag, especially when you purchased it second hand and it's supposed to be a newer model
(0-3 yrs) , is when the chanel logo has faded and the lining is getting fuzzy or loose stitching or broken zipper or broken hardware. All those are bad signs that you just got ripped off, especially when the seller did not state that on their auction and try to say because, "It's Used!" Authentic handbags will never wear that quick.
If you suspect your handbag is fake, take it to your local Chanel boutique and ask for a "Friendly" sales associate to verify the authenticity of your bag. Another trick is to ask for repair or cleaning instead. In that process, if it is an obvious fake, they will tell you right away that they cannot do it and you will know that it is fake and you can ask for a refund from your seller immediately.
If one sales associate is not helpful or they refuse to authenticate, either come back another time and ask for someone nicer, or take it to another store or you can use online authentication services such as mypoupette dot com.
In unfortunate cases where you are defrauded, contact your seller right away by email or phone (use "advanced search" and "find contact information" to request seller phone number). Tell them you are dissatisfied with the purchase and would like a refund promptly after you return the bag. Try to work it out with the seller first. If they are reputable and have better feedbacks, they would be willing to offer refund upon receipt of the returned item or offer you an exchange. This way is the fastest if the seller agrees to refund your money directly through paypal. If they are not co-operating, you should then file a dispute with Paypal immediately online or through the phone. That way, paypal will put a hold on your payment funds and won't be released until you two settle the case. In case the seller does not co-operate, you may have to escalate it with paypal where paypal becomes the final judge in the decision. (This may take 4-6 weeks to resolve). The dispute escalate process goes like this: Dispute escalated to a claim; Seller must reponds to claim within 10days or the buyer automatically wins; Buyer has 3-15 days to review seller's reponse and give his/her reponse; Paypal resolution specialist will review both sides evidence and make a final decision. Meanwhile. you may also call your credit card company to file a dispute as well, this usually takes about 30 days as well.
NOW THIS PART BELOW IS VERY IMPORTANT!!
When you return your item back to the seller, you may want to take pictures of the bag where it shows obvious fake quality to hold as evidence to turn into paypal or your credit card company if they request it. Also when you mail the item back, always use a tracking number to track that your seller has successful got your returned item. Provide your tracking number to Paypal or your credit card company with your dispute. You can check the status online with your shipping company whether it is USPS, UPS or FEDEX. Paypal suggests to use "signature required" for items over $300.
In most cases you will get your money back, though it will take some time (4-6 weeks) on the long side, but still better than nothing.
Just be careful next time and don't forget to ask questions and do your homework before you purchase!!
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