Did The Realreal sell me a fake? (Hermes briefcase)

[Phileas Fogg]

TRR has gotten in trouble before for selling fake goods.

Their “rigorous” authentication process is dubious and their authenticators are basically people who have received very little training and are pushed to get merchandise into inventory so it can be sold.

Just return it. The doubt will gnaw at you otherwise. It’s not worth it. It’s a ******* bag.

 

[haloitsme]

Are you speaking from experience, as in have you personally examined tens and hundreds of fakes? Or are you speaking from indirect experience, or based on what you heard?

I don’t know about Hermès fakes, but at least for watches there is always a tell.
With this particular one, I became convinced because it was an older model dated 1997, with some wear, and everything was perfect except the paint which was messy.
I’ve been spending the better part of yesterday examining every pic I could find online, as well as examine super fakes, and I am not convinced that this can be a fake.

That was meant in a general way.
Hermes birkin & Kelly are highly faked, so are other products.
I personally know of a buyer, she spent 15,000€ on 3 bags, all fake. Even hermes was surprised of how good they were. And 2 person in Vienna (claimed experts) said they are real.

I don’t want to fear you, or anything, just let you know, -> it came down to corner bend & inside construction.
But as mentioned it is old, so might be real then

 

[haloitsme]

TRR has gotten in trouble before for selling fake goods.

Their “rigorous” authentication process is dubious and their authenticators are basically people who have received very little training and are pushed to get merchandise into inventory so it can be sold.

Just return it. The doubt will gnaw at you otherwise. It’s not worth it. It’s a ******* bag.

Maybe he can't return the item?
I would also return the bag, just because of the bad logo print, would annoy me everytime, especially when I spent a hefty sum on a bag.
just my 2 cents.

 

[Phileas Fogg]

Maybe he can't return the item?
I would also return the bag, just because of the bad logo print, would annoy me everytime, especially when I spent a hefty sum on a bag.
just my 2 cents.

that would suck! I wonder what their return policy is, assuming they even have one.

 

[noobanker]

TRR has gotten in trouble before for selling fake goods.

Their “rigorous” authentication process is dubious and their authenticators are basically people who have received very little training and are pushed to get merchandise into inventory so it can be sold.

Just return it. The doubt will gnaw at you otherwise. It’s not worth it. It’s a ******* bag.

I am able to return it but I'm keeping it.

Yeah, I generally don't buy things that have questionable authenticity but in this case the discount was substantial so I took a chance.
Well, either way, it's been purseforum/expert blessed, and I can basically service whatever issues on it at the Hermes store, so I'll keep it.

 

[dieworkwear]

I personally wouldn't get that hung up on it. If Bababebi says they're authentic, just enjoy your bags. The obsession with authenticity is a very middle-class anxiety.

 

[noobanker]

I personally wouldn't get that hung up on it. If Bababebi says they're authentic, just enjoy your bags. The obsession with authenticity is a very middle-class anxiety.

As a lower middle class person, very offended by your comment

 

[dieworkwear]

As a lower middle class person, very offended by your comment

I also come from a lower middle-class/ lower-class family and grew up in a Latino and Vietnamese community. I think I'm less offended by counterfeits than some people on this forum. I wouldn't go out of my way to buy a counterfeit, but as I've said to other people who have asked for authentication, I think if you find out down the road that you own a counterfeit, take pride in owning a piece of folk art. Having grown up around people who made counterfeits, I find the practice itself kind of fascinating.

I've been reading two good books on this subject. The first is The Real Thing by Miles Orvell, and the second is Material Culture and Authenticity by Magdalena Cracun. Both are interesting academic takes on the idea of authenticity in material culture.

 

[bdavro23]

Honestly, where the **** is Foo? He could share an abundance of Hermes experience here...

 

[noobanker]

I also come from a lower middle-class/ lower-class family and grew up in a Latino and Vietnamese community. I think I'm less offended by counterfeits than some people on this forum. I wouldn't go out of my way to buy a counterfeit, but as I've said to other people who have asked for authentication, I think if you find out down the road that you own a counterfeit, take pride in owning a piece of folk art. Having grown up around people who made counterfeits, I find the practice itself kind of fascinating.

I've been reading two good books on this subject. The first is The Real Thing by Miles Orvell, and the second is Material Culture and Authenticity by Magdalena Cracun. Both are interesting academic takes on the idea of authenticity in material culture.

i was just kidding.

 

[JamaisAssez]

If you're serious about authentication, you can send the item to Hermes.

WIthout the spa treatment and round-about-way of getting Hermes authentication, I too would be concerned about that stamping.

This is essentially what I did after I purchased vintage online. The spa service is like an all-inclusive: authentication + cleaning + new dust bag + box + Hermès receipt. It ups hugely the resale value.

I did sweat a little when I dropped off my dépêches at the boutique though, they made me sign a waiver saying that if the items were found to be fake, they would not be returned to me. This is after confirmation from them that the bags would have to go to Paris to be serviced, and that customs and French legislation would prohibit the shipping of counterfeit goods, so a caveat there.

If the bags I purchased were found to be fake after going to the spa, I'd lose them and thousands of dollars.