Save yourself some money and buy second-hand items, but read this before you buy! There are a few places where it's safe to love bargain shopping: your local Pawn Shop, "eBay," & "Poshmark" (or other places, such as "Offerup"). Just don't go in blind and this is what we mean:
There's always that one person, and don't let it be you, who buys something they thought was authentic and/or was advertised as authentic. Better yet, that was priced just as high as the real deal but it was just a dupe! The angerrrrrrr, we all feel that! SOOOOO let's break it down by a few safer spots and then the more high-risk ones..
Your Local Pawn Shop
This one is easy and a sure good place, if you can find one that sells luxury items, to buy high-end items at a discount. Here's the secret and don't forget you heard it here first: Pawn Shops don't buy fakes! So how can they sell you a fake? Feeling good about that huh?
The downfall is not every pawn shop sells luxury goods, and there's no surplus - so it's either grab it now or risk losing it, and you never know what they have so you'll have to keep taking trips to get a sneak-peek and quick grab. But who cares when its 50% off or more?! Yeah, sure you might not get the original box, maybe you'll get a dust cover and maybe you won't, sometimes the items will have had some good usage and it'll show and other times they're like new. You just won't know until you see it for yourself. It get's better too! Sometimes the bag will come with the original receipts or even authenticity certifications from Ai programs like "Entropy." So even if it's buy as-is, it's usually always a safe bet and a bang for your buck.
The best thing is even if it does look a little used, D|+ Sign KelCHer (https://www.dsignkelcher.com/cleaning-restoration-1) we can restore your items (need a: new strap, color restoration, deep cleaning, heel tip, a zipper, or more...) and trust us when we tell you, no one will know.
Once you visit your local Pawn shop, ask yourself: did we steer you wrong? Of course not!
And we won't steer you wrong when you give D|+ Sign KelCHer your items to restore either!
[PLEASE NOTE: This Celine duffle was purchased for $80 and needed new piping, D|+ Sign KelCHer delivered just that!]
eBay
Now, since Amazon's takeover no one really raves about eBay anymore, but that's their loss and your gain! Here's why: eBay now offers an "authenticity guarantee !" So now when you purchase a high-end item with the authenticity guarantee badge:
1) Your item will be shipped to eBay's authentication center in Las Vegas, Nevada to go under an inspection
2) Once your item has been thoroughly inspected and has been deemed authentic eBay will mail it to you (at their expense)
3) Within 3 days you'll receive your newly authenticated high-end item with:
a) A NFC encrypted card with all of the details about your item
b) An eBay monogrammed dust cover
c) Relief that you didn't spend all that money on a counterfeit good
But don't just take our word for it...
Poshmark | Offerup | You Name it...
This is the tricky one! A bit more on the risky side. Not only is it buy as-is, but there's also no guarantee that each item is actually authentic in spite of the guidelines. So here are some things to remember:
1) Always ask for a photo of the serial number
STORY TIME: We had a customer who told us: when Gucci first dropped their original "Angelina GG Supreme Platform Slide Sandal," they sold out like hot-cakes and she really wanted a pair so she sought out Poshmark as her go-to. Uh-oh, right?!
Uh-oh, is definitely right. She ended up finding a pair and purchased them (they came with a Gucci box and an "authentication" card), a few months passes and she gets another pair (this time from the Gucci store) and there it was! The pair she bought from Gucci had a serial number on the inside of the shoe - where you slide your toes into. When she went home she pulled out her other pair and it was a DUPE! There wasn't a serial number! She paid the full amount for a fake and all Poshmark had to say: it's past 30 days, there's nothing we can do.
Don't let it be you! It might just look like the shoe! It might be a higher-quality counterfeit but if there's not a serial, it's not real. And the truth is, not everyone knows too look for this or where to find it! And every item has a different placement, so keep your eyes peeled!
SO WHERE WILL YOU LOOK NEXT?! D|+ Sign KelCHer