Why Used Designer Bags Need Authenticity Certification

Buying used designer bags, jewellery, sneakers, and watches are the only way for many to get their hands on luxury. With prices for luxury fashion soaring sharply, many are turning to used or vintage high-end products. However, the luxury market has a counterfeit problem. 

This is where authenticity certificates come in. Through in-house or third-party authenticators, retailers and sellers of pre-loved luxury products can ensure their customers that they are getting the genuine thing. Even when used, certain luxury products cost quite a lot. So authenticity certifications essentially offer a guarantee or safety net, if you will. 

At the same time, the marketplaces are filled with 'uncertified' luxury products as well. In other words, with such products, you just have to take the word of the seller and roll the dice. So, in this post, let's compare pre-owned luxury products that come with an authentication certificate, like that provided by LegitGrails, and those that don't come with one.

How Does Luxury Authentication Work?

Luxury bag authentication is gradually becoming involved in an industry of professionals that go through rigorous training. These professionals are called 'luxury authenticators', and their job is to detect signs of a fake luxury product. 

An authenticator may require a product or its images to inspect it. Since there are many different luxury products and hundreds of brands, the telltale signs of authenticity vary greatly. However, authenticators know and recognise these signs. 

Once they have inspected a product and found it to be legit, they will issue a certificate of authenticity that declares that the product in question is genuine. Resellers and buyers often use the services of authenticators to get this certificate of authenticity. 

Once you have the certificate, you can keep it to show it to anyone you're selling the product to. 

While this industry isn't regulated yet, so there's no central authority or organisation, customers usually trust third-party authentication certificates from trusted companies. 

Benefits of Buying Certified Vintage Luxury Products

When looking for pre-owned designer bags, wristwatches, jewelry, and sneakers, you might want to ask for a certificate of authenticity. Similarly, sellers may want to present it as part of their listing. Here's how this certificate helps sellers and buyers:

Benefits for Sellers

• A certificate of authenticity can allow you to ask for a better price and sell the product quickly (you can also include the cost of certification in your price).
• It helps build customer trust, especially if you want to establish a reselling business. 
• The customer is less likely to return the product. 
• Your seller ratings can improve with better reviews about your authentic products. 

Benefits for Buyers 

• By buying a product with a certificate of luxury authentication, you can be sure that you're getting the genuine product and not a fake. 
• You get your money's value as you're buying an authentic product. 
• Certified diamonds or gemstones can help you calculate whether you're paying the right price. 
• With the certificate of authenticity, you may be able to resell the product to another customer.

Risks with Uncertified Vintage Luxury Products

If you're buying a pre-loved or vintage luxury product without a certificate of authenticity, you run the risk of paying a considerable amount for a fake. While some counterfeit luxury products are rather easy to identify, some are too good to be recognised without an expert eye. 

Authenticators don't just look at logos or emblems of a luxury fashion product, they also inspect its quality. And quality can be determined by very subtle signs that not everyone may know. 

Depending on where you're buying the product from, if it's fake, you may not be able to return it to get a refund. 

This is why more and more genuine sellers, as well as luxury resale platforms, are leaning towards authentication certificates for listed products. 

How Much Does It Cost to Get a Luxury Certificate of Authenticity? 

The luxury authentication certification process varies by process and price. As luxury authenticators are rare, the cost of getting an authentication certification can be high. But that's not always the case as there are more affordable options too. 

It really just comes down to the product in question, the brand, and the company you're using for the authentication guarantee. 

Pricing also depends on the authenticator's pricing model. Most third-party luxury authenticators cater to resellers and retailers, so they offer subscription plans. That may not be feasible for someone who is just trying to sell a luxury product they own on a marketplace. 

In any case, you can expect to pay anywhere from $20 to over $100 for a single authenticity certificate. 

LegitGrails Luxury Authentication

If you're convinced that it's better to go with a certified authentic vintage product, consider LegitGrails for quick and easy luxury authentication. In as much as 30 minutes, you can learn whether a luxury fashion product is genuine or fake and get the certificate of authentication right in your inbox. 

It's far more affordable than many other authentication services online that charge more and often require you to mail in the product for a physical inspection. On the other hand, LegitGrails only requires images of the product. 

So if you're a seller, you can use LegitGrails authentication services to get a certificate of authenticity and show it to your potential customers. Similarly, if you're a customer eyeing a luxury or vintage product online and not sure if it's authentic, just send in the pictures and find the truth. It's as simple as that!