Is this an authentic Coach bag?

[kristii828]

I've owned many Coaches over the years, all excellent purses, and just bought one (Coach Peyton Cora Domed Satchel Saffiano Leather) on eBay that seems inauthentic and very cheap, mostly in how it feels: the lining feels cheap, and most of all, the "leather" feels like vinyl. But I've never felt "Saffiano leather" -- is it crummy?

And the serial number is the exact same one as a bag listed on eBay by another seller! 

Finally, there seems to be some little plastic or glue bits around the logo. My seller insists she bought it from a Coach store; am I right in thinking she's lying? It's a big deal to me to accuse someone of breaking the law by selling fakes, so I want to be sure before I do so. Thanks for your help. 

[kristii828]

And this is the serial number tag for another Cora bag currently on eBay:

[albertabrightalberta]

The bag is authentic.

You say you're a long time Coach owner so I'm a little surprised that you're not aware that Coach hasn't used unique serial numbers in bags in 23 years (since 1993).

In 1994, bags were made with 2 parts to the serial number. The prefix indicates the month/year and plant where made and the suffix is the style number. So many bags of the same style made at the same time will have the same serial number.

On bags of the same style but made at different times or places (months, years or factory), they'll all have the same suffix but the prefix will vary.

And there will be times where the prefix is the same but the style number is different when varying styles of bags are made in the same month/year and plant as different styles.

[albertabrightalberta]

It's too bad you didn't ask about the bag before leaving feedback. What does it mean that the seller "can't find the purse but wants to help?"

It looks like the seller found the purse.

[kristii828]

That was from a different transaction. This is a different purse.

[albertabrightalberta]

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@kristii828 wrote:
That was from a different transaction. This is a different purse.

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Oh, okay.

Well, the bag in question here IS fine.

[kristii828]

I've never paid any attention to the serial numbers before, since I've never had any reason to believe I had bought a fake before. 

So you're saying that the Saffiano leather doesn't look or feel like leather?  And the lining has declined that much, too? It's all really cheesy . . . I know it's an outlet bag, but wasn't expecting this decline of quality. 

[albertabrightalberta]

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@kristii828 wrote:

I've never paid any attention to the serial numbers before, since I've never had any reason to believe I had bought a fake before. 

So you're saying that the Saffiano leather doesn't look or feel like leather?  And the lining has declined that much, too? It's all really cheesy . . . I know it's an outlet bag, but wasn't expecting this decline of quality. 

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BEcause of the nature of the style of leather, the saffiano leather can have a plasticy feel but it's leather.  Regarding the lining, I've found that type of lining to be pretty strong and able to withstand heavy use. What do you mean by "declined that much?"

While many people assume outlet bags are lesser quality, in my own experience, I don't find that to be the case. MFF (made for factory bags) have simpler hardware, less ornate detailing and may have some less expensive components and details like fewer pockets, different hardware, etc. They don't cut quality but details in order to make the outlet bags at a lower price point.

But the warranty is the same and IMO, they hold up equally well.

[kristii828]

Thanks. I haven't been to an outlet store in years; I took the bag in to a regular Coach store yesterday, and the saleswoman thought it was a fake too because the "leather" doesn't seem like it, and the quality of the bag as a whole didn't seem high. (Of course, Coach doesn't let its employees make these determinations officially, and she said she's not that familiar with outlet merchandise, so she could be wrong.)

My issue with the lining is that it feels unpleasant to the touch and has a sheen and feel to it that look cheap. Again, something that doesn't come through in the pictures.

[albertabrightalberta]

Coach employees aren't only prohibited by company policy from authenticating but they aren't trained to do so, many employees weren't even born when some vintage items were made and in fact, they've been advised (off the record) that if a customer says they purchased an item online (i.e., ebay or other online site), to tell the customer it's fake.

Again, the bag is fine.

[sweetdunks]

I know what you mean about that type of leather and the lining.  Personally, that leather is not my favorite, but on the plus side, it does seem to stand up to some heavy use.  Same with the lining - it may be a bit rougher, but it is durable.  

I buy a lot of outlet items and I didn't see anything wrong with it.  You got confirmation from one of the experts here, though, so you have zero reason to doubt it now.  You can also search Coach 25671 to see all the similar bags currently for sale.  (That's never foolproof, but helps to compare what's out there to ensure the style matches up, etc.)