How To Tell The Difference Between Real And Fake Louis Vuitton Listed On Gumtree
Founded in 2000, Gumtree is one of the biggest online classified websites in the UK, Australia, Singapore and South Africa. Gumtree is a nifty website that allows people to buy and sell different items ranging from dresses all the way to cars. However, it is also important to be mindful of opportunists who attempt to sell counterfeit versions of our favourite brands like Louis Vuitton.
Fortunately, there are tell-tale signs that help you differentiate between the filthy fake and the astounding authentic.
Luxity authenticates hundreds of Louis Vuitton handbags every month, so we thought we’d share some of our main tips and tricks in telling the real from the fake.
Tip #1
Pay Attention to Packaging
The packaging is one of the first indicators of fake ‘designer’ items.
Above we see an attached string and card that is not known to authentic Louis Vuitton packaging. Adverts that say that it includes “original packaging” is misguiding. A-grade fakes tend to copy the packaging in order to seem more original but often get it wrong by adding extra features or missing out on the finer details. A clear indicator of a FAKE.
Tip #2
Too Many Options Available?
Pay attention to the write-up!
Genuine items seldom have too many options to choose from. As a result, various size, design and colour options are an indicator that the items sold might be counterfeit as Louis Vuitton does not distribute to anyone or any other company. Therefore, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
Tip #3
Does The Design or Model Exist?
Over the last 20 years, almost every Louis Vuitton item has made a feature online, whether it’s on the LV website or other authentic reseller companies. So all it takes is a quick google search to find the original designer items.
Tip #4
If It’s Too Good To Be True – It Probably Is!
Price comparing is an important part of genuine designer items. Lower priced branded items are a tell-tale sign of fake products as they probably used cheaper, lower quality materials. Designer brands such as Louis Vuitton only use the highest quality materials which is why it tends to be pricier than the average plain Jane bag.
In the above example, we see a Gumtree advertiser selling a Hermes belt for R700. By doing a quick google search, one can find the average Hermes belt ranging from R8000 onward. Check out our price ranking for South African Louis Vuitton handbags.
Tip #5
Avoid Cheap Plastic Wrapping!
It is easy to be fooled into thinking an item is ‘new’ when it is wrapped in tissue paper or plastic wrapping. Louis Vuitton does NOT wrap anything in plastic. Because LV is a luxury brand, the packaging has to be luxurious as well! Louis Vuitton shopping bags and boxes are only covered in raw cotton material which focuses on luxury and sustainability.
Tip #6
Title Description Is EVERYTHING
Watch out for incorrectly labelled items, don’t trust items that do not match its title description. If an item states that it is ‘genuine leather’ when it is clearly canvas material then it is a no-go! Clearly, someone who has no idea about materials is advertising the bag. What animal has LV’s imprinted on its skin? We don’t think so. A quick squiz on google will help with distinguishing different Louis Vuitton’s quality materials.
Avoid wasting your time rummaging through different sites and risking your pretty pennies on poor counterfeit items and shop Luxity. Our authentication process ensures that every single item we buy or sell is 100% real or nothing!
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