I'm not sure this is true. From the Coach site:
Reporting Coach Counterfeits
Reporting Coach Counterfeits
Combating counterfeiting of Coach product is an important objective for Coach. The counterfeiters illegally profit at the expense of Coach and affect the entire economy through lost revenues and taxes. In addition, counterfeiters do not typically honor safety and environmental regulations, namely child labor and anti-sweatshop laws. Without a doubt, the high quality and workmanship embodied in genuine Coach product is not duplicated in the counterfeit product; counterfeit quality is typically poor.
Coach DOES NOT offer its merchandise for sale through individuals, street vendors, unauthorized retail locations, internet auctions, or at house parties. The ONLY avenues in which Coach offers its merchandise for sale is via: 1) Coach Stores; 2) Coach Factory Stores; 3) Direct Coach Catalog Sales; 4) Authorized Department Stores; 5) authorized specialty stores; 6) limited duty free locations; 7) corporate accounts; and 8) our website,
www.coach.com. If you purchase a Coach item from an unauthorized source, such as an internet auction, Coach is not required to offer a determination regarding the item's authenticity. Also, Coach will not provide specific tips on how to determine if an item is counterfeit. As you can understand, counterfeiters could use this information to the detriment of Coach. The only way to guarantee the authenticity of a Coach item is to purchase it via the avenues listed above.