Authored by Kate Beswick in Shoes and Accessories
Published on 12-08-2009

It’s really no wonder that Chanel bags are so popular. They are stylish, they are elegant, and they tell everyone you pass that you deserve only the best – and you make sure you get it! But with such a high-end product, there are many illegitimate sellers that are trying to cash in on the Chanel craze.

These retailers (although you’ll usually only find these ‘retailers’ selling out of a street kiosk or out of the back of a van) want to try and sell you a “Chanel” bag that comes with a hugely discounted price. What you may not know at the time is that the bag they are trying to sell you isn’t an authentic Chanel bag. They make a nice profit and you are left with something that you could have sewn yourself. That bag won’t last nearly as long as a genuine Chanel bag would. Here are some easy ways to spot a fake Chanel bag so that you know you’re getting the real deal.

First you must do your research and understand what Chanel charges for their bags. Beware that the prices will be very, very high! You need to know these high prices so you can spot a fake Chanel bag from a mile away. Sellers try to take advantage of the high prices of real Chanel bags so that they can offer their fakes for a much cheaper price by claiming that they are discounted Chanel bags. The first thing you should know is that Chanel never discounts their bags. Legitimate retailers would never discount these bags because they paid such a high price for them themselves! If the price is too low, it’s a clear indication that the Chanel bag you’re looking at is a fake.

You can also spot a fake Chanel bag by looking at the materials that were made to use it. Many con artists selling fake Chanel bags claim that their bags are made from genuine lambskin. This is actually a very common tactic with these types of sellers. And while their fake Chanel bags might actually be made from lambskin, real Chanel bags will never be. The only type of animal skin that Chanel ever uses is calfskin. While they may use leather, plastic, or other materials to create their stylish bags, calfskin in the only animal skin that will ever be seen in a real Chanel bag.

Another way you’ll be able to spot a fake Chanel bag is simply by looking at it. Check to see if there’s a tag attached. If there is, it’s a phony. Chanel never attaches tags of any kind to any of their bags. Instead, ask to see the authenticity card that Chanel tucks inside every bag that they sell. The authenticity card will state certain features of the bag and will indicate that it is in fact, a real Chanel bag.

So how can you tell if the authenticity card you receive is actually from Chanel? There are a couple of ways to do this. First, the card will tell you when and where your purse is made. Second, Chanel only uses black and gold lettering on their authenticity cards. Any cards with other colors included in the lettering are a fake. And lastly, Chanel authenticity cards are never laminated. Some illegitimate sellers laminate their fake cards to make them look more professional. What they don’t know is that this is actually a dead giveaway.

Another way you can spot a fake Chanel bag is if the seller tries to include other items in the sale. Chanel never groups items and you will never receive a free Chanel wallet simply for buying a Chanel bag. And you can bet that if they’re trying to sell you a fake Chanel bag, any extras that come with it are also fakes.