Shopping for designer bags in 2022 is a risky endeavor! An avid shopper would tell you that the prices of luxury brands have increased significantly after the pandemic. And without any fluff and sugar coding, I’m going to say this isn’t the right time to invest in designer handbags, especially new ones. But if you’re heart is set on treating yourself with a luxury bag, because you deserve it, then shop around for bargains. There are many online services where you can buy a new or vintage designer handbag and save a few dollars. With rising living costs and post-pandemic inflation, everyone is looking for a way to save.
Should you buy vintage designer bags?
Here’s my theory about fashion design: what goes around, comes around. Whenever I wore something that I thought was new, my mom used to say that she wore the same dress, shoes, or bag when she was a teen or in her twenties. I never believed her. Now that I’m older and wiser, I see how fashion repeats itself.
Luxury brands are repurposing their previous popular styles with a few tweaks here and there. Classic brands like Dior, Chanel, Hermes, Balenciaga, and Gucci have dominated luxury fashion for almost a century. They know what they’re doing. Take for example, the mass revival of the Dior saddle bag, made popular by Carrie Bradshaw in Sex & The City show back in the late 90s or early 00. No one wanted to wear the bag after the show ended. However, right before the pandemic, Dior re-introduced it through a massive influencer campaign and women flocked to buy it. Before that rebirth of the saddle bag, you could fetch it for pennies on eBay.
In summary, buying vintage is worth the investment and it promotes sustainability. Find a bag in excellent condition, buy it and take care of it. After all, the best way to encourage longevity and sustainability is by taking care of what you own.
Eight reliable spots to shop designer handbags online
LXR & Co
LXR was established in 2010 as a socially responsible, digital-first retailer of branded vintage luxury handbags. It curates and authenticates pre-owned designer bags such as Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Chanel and Gucci at up to 70% off retail. The company owns every product you see on its website. You can sell them your luxury bag, shop tomorrow’s, then sell that one back and start over. Besides designer bags, you can also shop for accessories, jewellery, scarves, and men’s styles and fetch an item for less than $1,000.
Each item is rated by the staff for authenticity and condition.
Shipping and Return: Check the link for the latest updates to a retailer’s policy.
Shipping: Free in Canada and USA.
Return Policy: you can return it for free within 10 days from the date of delivery.
Rebag
Rebag was founded in 2014 and is the expert in buying, selling, and trading luxury designer handbags, as well as, fine jewelry, watches, and small leather goods. With over 50 designer brands and tens of thousands of items to shop, Rebag is the best destination to buy and sell luxury items, including Chanel, Hermès, Rolex, Louis Vuitton, Cartier, and more.
Rebag offers ongoing promotional discounts that save you close to $1,000 on some occasions. And you can sign up for their rewards program to earn points towards your next purchase of a luxury item.
Shipping: Free for all orders of or above $500 and $20 for all orders below $500.
Return Policy: A written request must be filed by email to contact@rebag.com within 14 days of delivery.
Belk
Belk has an abundance of designer handbags available to shop for both online and in-store. Th retailer partnered with What Goes Around Comes Around which features pre-owned designer handbags at a fraction of the price. The initiative aims to make the fashion industry more sustainable and gives you the opportunity to access designer brands. There are a number of ways to earn and save with Belk. First, you can sign up for a rewards credit card and manage your payments online or process your order with Afterpay. Secondly, Belk coupon is a button you’ll find on the top right corner of the site that offers added value and discounts.
Shipping: Free shipping for orders over $59.
Return Policy: Within 90 days of online purchase total value is refunded.
Gilt
When you create an account with Gilt, you are able to shop by category or designer handbag. For example, to shop for a designer, click the name of the designer and browse through hundreds of options. The great part about Gilt is that it provides easy access to designer handbags at up to 70 percent off the retail price for many. Next to each item, it’ll say whether it’s Authentic Pre-Owned or not followed by the price. The description will state the condition and the bag’s features if it’s a pre-owned piece.
Shipping: $9.99 with standard delivery to the 48 contiguous United States.
Return Policy: Within 30 days of receiving the shipment.
Fashionphile
Founded in 1999, Fashionphile is a base for hundreds of designer handbags. While shopping online, you will find the estimated retail price versus Fashionphile’s price (typically a few $100 less), bag condition, and description. In terms of condition, the retailer ranks designer bags on a scale from giftable (completely new items in original box with attached retail stickers, etc.) to flawed (in good condition, but has a noticeable defect that affects the overall appearance.) And should you wish to refresh your style, you can sell the bag back for up to 75 percent.
Shipping: Free insured shipping within the domestic United States.
Return Policy: Within thirty 30 days of the purchase date.
Luxury Garage Sale
Luxury Garage Sale has one of the most intricate filter systems out of any online retailer. You can narrow down the hundreds of options based on designer, style, model, color, pattern, material, closure, handle, detail, condition, size, price, and fulfillment. On each product page, the bag condition and condition description are listed and it’ll note whether it’s an authentic designer bag. You can scroll through the recommended bags or similar bags from the same designer.
Shipping: $14.95 with standard shipping anywhere in the continental United States.
Return Policy: Handbags are final sale.
eBay
eBay was one of the earliest online destinations for all things designer including luxury bags such as Chanel, Dior, Valentino and more. In order to mitigate fake industry and replica sales, eBay launched a feature called “authenticity guarantee” which you can find on the bottom left-hand side of your screen. Shipping and returns vary from one seller to the next. And you should be extra diligent when shopping on this massive online platform.
The Real Real
You may have heard of The Real Real through social media. It’s one of the biggest and most famous online resellers of luxury designer bags. You have to sign up to access their site and once you’re in you can browse based on editor’s picks, vintage items, sale selections, bags with tags, and more. The condition levels range from pristine to fair. In addition, the online retailer lists the retail value of every designer bag right next to their price which helps you mark the comparison.
Shipping: $12.95 for standard shipping (3-5 days)
Return Policy: Online returns must be requested within 14 days of shipment or in-store purchase date
Shopbob
Shopbop is the global online retail destination for style inspiration and is part of the Amazon.com Inc. group of companies. The retailer offers women and men a curated selection of ready-to-wear & accessories from over 1,000 designer brands. The retailer offers a loyalty program you can sign up for or log in to from your Amazon account.
Shipping: Free shipping.
Return Policy: Items must be returned within 30 days.
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