Coach Factory Outlet Store

So you’ve made a leap-of-faith, throwing out your old faithful handbag before climbing aboard the COACH purse express.  You’ve spent years dreaming about it, months looking at different designers and days trying to find the absolute, rock-bottom discounted price on THE ONE.

You finally made a purchase when suddenly, a few days later you start to get that nauseous feeling in your stomach?

“Could I be pregnant,” you ask yourself.  “No, that’s impossible.”
“Maybe I have food poisoning,” you wonder.  “Nah,” you think.  “I’ve got a rock solid stomach.”

Then it hits you.  Perhaps, it’s possible that the super sweet deal you just got on that fancy, schmancy Coach purse was just a little too sweet.  Then you begin to wonder?

Is my Coach purse real, or is it a fake?

It’s a great question, and one that fashionista’s and handbag lovers worldwide will certainly ask themselves from time to time.

Behold, ten sure fire ways to tell if your new Coach bag is authentic or if it’s a mere imitation of the original.

1.  It’s all about the C!

Real, authentic Coach purses have the trademark “C” logo perfectly aligned from end-to-end on the purse.  Looking at the front (and back) of the purse, you should see a consistent pattern, not disrupted by seams.  The exception to this are the side seams as they are difficult to align perfectly.  A seam down the center should not disrupt the consistent pattern of the C on your purse.

The horizontal C’s on real Coach bags should touch the C’s that they are facing, though that is not the case on specific prints (the ‘optic’ and ‘scarf’ prints).

Also, make sure that your C’s are actually C’s.  A lot of phonies like to sell imitation purses as authentic but the C’s turn out to be G’s, O’s and even Q’s.  Look closely at your pattern to make sure that you got your money’s worth.

2.  Coach spells quality.

Look closely at the stitching.  There is a difference in the quality of stitching with Coach purses and their imitators.  If it looks cheap and poorly sewn – it’s not a Coach.  Coach has a longstanding tradition of making durable, quality handbags and a poorly crafted purse is a sure fire indicator that you own a phony.

The bag does not look like any other bag you've ever seen - if it looks "sort of" like a bag you've seen but something is "off" - be careful!

3.  Is Ebay the way?

For Ebay buyers you should look specifically at the list of items that the seller has listed on Ebay.  Typically, sellers with a large number of handbags up for sale should raise red flags to a potential buyer.  You should also be hesitant to purchase fabric purses vs. their leather counterparts as the majority of knock off purses are fabric.  This however is not the rule, there are in fact fake leathers but the quality of the leather is a good indicator as to the legitimacy of the purse.

Also, when buying online DO NOT purchase any purses with blurry or stock photos taken from Coach’s website.  If you are interested in one of these purses, you should contact the seller directly and ask for a photo of the actual bag listed for sale.  It would also be a good idea to read the description thoroughly as most sellers will tell you whether or not a handbag is real or fake.  If the listing does not specify, you should contact the seller directly with any questions.

If the seller does not respond, don’t buy the purse.

You should also shy away from listings that are described as “very rare” as they are more often than not “very faux”.

It goes without saying that you should pay close attention to the feedback that the seller receives on Ebay, this is always important when making a decision to purchase online.

4.  The Serial debate.

Most but not all Coach bags have a serial number inside.  If available, the number is located on a square patch of leather that is sewn in to the purses lining.

Coach purses that do not have serial numbers:

The Clutch
The Swingpack
The Mini
Bags from the 1960’s

Note:  Some fake coaches DO have serial numbers so this is not a fool proof indicator of an authentic purse.

5.  The zipper factor

Coach exclusively uses YKK zippers in their purses.  YKK manufactures the highest quality zipper available.  A close look at the zipper should display a microscopic “YKK” on the device.  Faux purse manufacturer’s will likely overlook this small detail.

Coach purses will also have a zipper pull (leather, ring or chain) of sorts.

6.  Lined with gold?

If the outside of the purse has the traditional “CC” pattern, the interior lining will have NO pattern on it.  However, on the contrary, a purse without the “CC” pattern on the outside will have a lining with the “CC” pattern on the inside.

A sure indication of a fake bag is one that has both the “CC” pattern on the inside and outside of the bag.

The two exceptions are the “classic favorites’ series which do not have a lining at all and the “Legacy” series which have the same, multi-colored striped lining – regardless of what the exterior pattern is.

7.  Where was your bag born?

Coach purses are made in a number of countries across the globe but two surefire places that you won’t find an original are Thailand or Korea.  Purses marked with either of these birthplaces are guaranteed fakes.

There is often a concern about purses made in China.  Coach does in fact manufacture some bags in China but a purse labeled as “Made In China” does not necessarily mean that the purse is real.

8.  Get some stitches!

Look very closely at the stitching on your purse.  Coach purses are inspired by (of all things) a symbol of America’s pastime, the leather baseball glove and the parallels between high quality, durable leather and bold stitching are what have made Coach one of the top designer handbag maker’s in the world.

Stitching on a Coach purse should be a uniform, double-stitching across the purse.

9.  Quality of hardware

Coach does not take short cuts on even the most minor of details. So go ahead and give those buckles a good tap on the countertop.  The buckle should not only have the look of metal but also the density. A lot of fakers will make plastic look like brushed nickel at the eye won't be able to distinguish the difference but your hands and ears likely will. You know what metal sounds and feels like, don't you?

10.  Where was it purchased?

Finally, it's important to know that Coach purses are only sold in Coach retail stores and their discount branded Coach Factory Outlet's.  You can find a listing of Coach handbag outlet locations here.