The lining of the bag is of a very good quality (this is one of the key tips to identifying a fake).

THE SELLER & LISTING

• Read the listing carefully. If the item is genuine the seller will be upfront about every aspect of the bag.
• Research the seller. Have they sold bags before? What is their feedback?
• Does the bag have the original tags/hologram stickers?
• Ask where they got the bag. What a e they selling it?
• Check completed listings for the bag. What do they normally sell for?
• Is the starting price of the bag reasonable? Most Louis Vuitton bags have a RRP of at least £400 so you would expect a starting price of £10-50.
• Are there plenty of photographs of the bag that are of good quality? Can you see what you are buying both inside and out?
• Can you pay by paypal? Can you collect the bag to see it for yourself? If not why not? Have they got something to hide?
• Ask questions about the bag before you bid. Be a pest. Genuine sellers will welcome your interest as they want to sell it!
• Does the bag have a return policy? If not whay not! .
• Go to the Louis Vuittin site and look at their catalogue if the bag is a recent product. Get a feel for the LV range, colours, designs.

THE BAG ITSELF. Tips to check whether it is real

• All LV bags have a leather patch sewn on the inside of the bag stating where it is made.This is usually embossed
• All zip pulls on LV bags are stamped with the LV sign
• Most LV bags have insignia stamped on the rand (bottom) of the bag
• The lining of the bag is of a very good quality (this is one of the key tips to identifying a fake).
• The stitching is of a high quality
• All new LV bags come with a dust bag
• All new LV bags should come with a serial number
• All brass studs which hold the handles on the bag are stamped with the LV insignia
• The zips of the bag are of high quality

Fakes are getting better and better all the time so follow these tips and it will help you on your way of getting the bag you want. Remember if the bag seems to good to be true it probably is a fake, however some sellers put bags on Ebay thinking they are real when they are actually fakes so its not just bidders who get the raw end of the deal.