Coach bags....

[NYCDiane]

`Okay, here we go again with another Coach thread.... Sorry. LOL!

Yesterday, I was on 57th Street going to Borders. Well, I happened to pass by the Coach store on 57th/Madison and decided to go in for a quick browse to see if they had the bag I was looking for and to check out prices. They didn't. Most stuff had the "C" all over it and they also had the new (very cute) "Poppy" collection.

I was looking for an all leather bag, large (but not gigantic) with outside pockets and a long drop strap. I see one that "might" fit the bill and pick it up. The first thing that came to mind was "WHAT IN THE WORLD HAPPENED TO THE QUALITY OF COACH??????". Not only was the leather a poor quality, but the zipper kept sticking when I tried to open/close it.

The last time I got a new Coach bag was about 10 years ago and it was A-1 quality --- the leather, the hardware, everything..... quality. To this day, that bag looks and feels great. The one I got about 2 years before that is still in perfect condition as well.

Then today while I was at the mall, I decide to stop in Macy*s to check out the Coach bags there. The first thing I noticed was that the Coach counter has all but disappeared. They used to have a large Coach counter with glass cases, etc. Now? It's a few tables scattered about and a register. Nothing to make it stand out from the rest of the handbag section. Anyway, I see a 50% off Coach table and head over. I find a nice bag -- it was small but very nice looking and I liked the look of the hardware but I didn't like the way the zipper looked. I decided I could live with the look of the zipper so I ask the clerk if she would unlock the rack so I can check out the bag. The leather was a *tad* better than the one at the Coach store, but the zipper on this one kept sticking, too. What is up with that???? The bag was 50% off plus another 20% off for "Go Red" day so I could have gotten it for $140. I didn't buy it because it just seems to me that the quality Coach was always known for is no longer there.....

Sigh.......

 

[3boymthr]

Look at where your old bags were made and look at where the new ones are made. That's what happened to Coach. The same thing that's happened to way to many other high quality manufacturers.

 

[Justsyd2]

I totally agree. I wanted one of the new Madison bags for Christmas, so DH and I went to the Coach store because he wanted me to see it in person (as I had only seen it on the internet) to make sure that I really liked it before he bought it for me. Well, we both were disappointed because the threads were coming unraveled on ALL of the Madison purses. We were afraid to purchase any Coach purse because of the quality, so he bought me a Dooney and Bourke that I absolutely love.

 

[Amirah95]

I'm not feeling much of the new bags either. I have two Zoes and one Carly made of great quality and I had to get them from the Coach Factory Store. I got a 50%+20 off on the last two I bought so I did good. I always look to the outlets because they have the older bags there thankfully.

 

[tomthebarncat]

I too have 10 Coach bags that I bought while they were still made in MA. Once Sara Lee bought them they closed the US factories and off shored the bags to China and the trinkets, etc to the Domincan Republic. It is now over priced cheap Chinese Crap!! I still use my older bags and they are in excellent shape, but I work too hard for my money to spend it so foolishly on anything they are now producing. I really do not understand what the attraction is? it is not a designer bag, and never was! the PX sells them and they are not cheap, but you can tell just by looking at them, they are poorly manufactored. Threads hanging off of them, zippers that don't work, uneven seams, etc. and they are all now cloth. I remember when Neiman Marcus stopped carrying them, because of this issue. Save your money and buy a good quality made in Italy/France handbag. FYI: whenever I am in the PX and walk by the Coach stuff, If I see someone looking at the bags, I feel that it is my duty to inform them that they are made in China. Says so right in the bag!

 

[luvdisney00]

I agree, it's so sad! I bought a wristlet last year on ebay that was billed as NWT and "guaranteed genuine" and when I got it I kept looking it over thinking that it might be a knockoff. It looked cheap compared to the older stuff that I had and just didn't look right. I took it with the tags on to the coach store and they assured me it was authentic and purchased from a coach store (they could tell from the # on the tag where it was purchased). Theyeven offered to exchange it for me, but for the price i paid I kept it.

I don't even go into the stores anymore I think I'd only buy from the outlet at a significant discount or on Ebay for a good price because even though they are still cute, they are just not worth retail.

 

[NYCDiane]

I I really do not understand what the attraction is? it is not a designer bag, and never was! the PX sells them and they are not cheap, but you can tell just by looking at them, they are poorly manufactored. Threads hanging off of them, zippers that don't work, uneven seams, etc. and they are all now cloth. I remember when Neiman Marcus stopped carrying them, because of this issue. Save your money and buy a good quality made in Italy/France handbag. FYI: whenever I am in the PX and walk by the Coach stuff, If I see someone looking at the bags, I feel that it is my duty to inform them that they are made in China. Says so right in the bag!

I never bought Coach for the "designer" aspect of it. Way back when, Coach was quality and that was my bottom line. The proof is in the 2 bags I have that have lasted this many years and still look new.

I know what you mean about the new ones --- garbage! Low quality leather, zippers that stick, uneven seams, etc.... From the looks of the Macy*s store yesterday, they're scaling down on their Coach inventory. I wonder if that's happening at all the Macy*s??

I have a very specific type of bag I'm looking for and I feel like it's the never-ending quest!! Prada is waaaaayyy out of my price range. I may hit up the Dooney and Bourke outlet once I save more money. Hopefully, they will have "the" bag that I'm looking for.

 

[uk_wildcat]

I am also disappointed in the quality of the last few Coach bags I have received. My mom got me one for Christmas at the outlet. The zipper is almost impossible to use! I thought maybe it was because it came from the outlet, but now that I read your post, I guess that is not the case.
The last one I was using had the little leather tassel on the zipper and it broke off, so I had to stop using it because it was too hard to zip up without it.

 

[eliza61]

Look at where your old bags were made and look at where the new ones are made. That's what happened to Coach. The same thing that's happened to way to many other high quality manufacturers.

I totally agree but I want to add a "man in the mirror" moment.

This is totally all OUR fault!! We are a Walmart country. We stop caring about quality and our manufacturing industry when we started demanding that we get every thing for $9.99. When we sell our souls to the devil don't be surprised when it turns out to be a bad bargain.


I had this argument on these boards last year when I posted that it took me 3 years to find a decent winter dress coat. Simply because I don't like the garbage in the stores coming from china that falls apart after 1 year. I got blasted.

I had this argument with my girlfriend at the supermarket. She was complaining about the price of grapes and bananas. When I reminded her that it's February and we live in South Jersey and that grapes and bananas have to be shipped in (usually from Chile) she said "I don't care 2.99 for a pound of grapes is ridiculous". Why do we expect to get what we want for the cheapest price regardless.

Have you noticed that a lot of coaches new lines aren't even leather? I will not pay $399 for a cloth bag.

Coach use to be a luxury item. Remember when you got one for a gift or had to save for it. I remember when they used to give you the little bottle of leather conditioner with a purchase. give not sell. But then every body wanted one but started screaming about the price, I've got teenage girls in my youth group that buying them regularly, so Coach did what every company does. starts mass producing the crap in places where they can get labor for $1.00 day.

 

[snowbunny]

We stop caring about quality and our manufacturing industry when we started demanding that we get every thing for $9.99.

Not sure whether consumers demanded lower prices or companies just started trying to undercut each other and that began the race to the bottom line, but you are right...when I was in high school in the 1970s, a nice shirt (union made in USA) cost about $20. The same garment today is $20 or even less, taking inflation into account we are paying something like 25% or what we used to pay. Which people loved until we figured out those were not only our jobs shipped away but also the quality of what we buy. Our landfills are exploding with cheap broken junk.

Ok off soapbox. I have a Coach softsided briefcase that has been in continuous use since 1990, first as my work bag and then as my "mom" giant handbag. I was just this week starting to look for a place to have it reconditioned, there is still a ton of life in it but one of the corners was chewed by a puppy, and so forth. I paid $250 for it in 1990 (in a beautiful family-owned department store that was bought by a chain and close - that's another topic!) and I think they are around $500 now - and not nearly as good!

 

[jfoofj]

I have a couple of beautiful Coach bags I got back in the 90's that I still use to this day. They were a "splurge" item that I either bought for myself maybe once every year or two, or my mom would buy for me as a big Christmas gift. I stopped buying their brand when it became all about the label and having a bag that screamed "I'M A COACH BAG, LOOK AT ALL THE C'S ON ME!" and when you could buy a knock off at every flea market or "bag party".

Lately I have really liked Vera Bradley... they are cute, fun and inexpensive enough that you can buy a new one each season. I do still use my leather and suede Coach bags too, they have really stood the test of time. The funny thing is, the Coach bags I have you wouldn't even know they were Coach bags unless you looked inside the bag at the label... but the Coach bags they make now are all about being know as a Coach bag.

 

[sunnyday123]

So really they are no different than the ones on Canal Street in NYC??

I did not know the "real" ones were made in China.

 

[disneemama]

I have wanted a Coach bag for years. Finally splurged a few months ago and love it. BUT bought it at an outlet with 50%+20% so good deal for a very nice bag. I agree with everyone else Coach is not even close to the quality it once was. Cloth is what they seem to be using for most of the new ones. Doubt I will ever spend that much for a bag again. My extra money will always go in to my Disney fund. I guess I just had to have one, now no big deal. Back to shopping at Marshall's and Kohl's for my bargains.

 

[Janet Hill]

So really they are no different than the ones on Canal Street in NYC??

I did not know the "real" ones were made in China.

Yep you can just go ultra cheap. Who needs the fancy departemtn store.

Reminds me of trip to the Hanna Annderson outlet. I was purchasing a pair of irregular boots for my daughter and the clerk mentioned that a lot more stuff was ending up on the irregular racks lately. I showed her the made in China label. Seems that a lot of companies are going this route.

I seek out made in the USA and it's getting harder and harder.

 

[irishbosoxfan]

I am also disappointed in the quality of the last few Coach bags I have received. My mom got me one for Christmas at the outlet. The zipper is almost impossible to use! I thought maybe it was because it came from the outlet, but now that I read your post, I guess that is not the case.
The last one I was using had the little leather tassel on the zipper and it broke off, so I had to stop using it because it was too hard to zip up without it.

I received for Xmas an Op Art Brooke shoulder bag in gunmetal and plum along with a matching top handle pouch to use as a wallet. I left them in their bag because while I love Coach I didn't want to use it and ruin it. ( ) They were not from an outlet.

Anyways I took the pouch out to use it for my DH's going away party and noticed that there was no zipper pull on it--I used it and a couple of days later called Coach to find out about getting it fixed. Basically I was told I was crap out of luck.

I kid you not.

I seen the new Peyton Carryall (shown below) as well as one that looked like an old style lunchbox (couldn't find pics of it on the Coach site and didn't think to get it's name at the store)

I considered buying one of them but having that phone call fresh in my mind I put it down and walked away.

 

[snowbunny]

The funny thing is, the Coach bags I have you wouldn't even know they were Coach bags unless you looked inside the bag at the label

Same here...I took off the leather tag the day I bought it. I don't care whether anyone knows it's coach.

I did buy my DD one of the small cloth ones at the outlet during a big sale, so it was like $35, which is about what it is worth. It's cute and she likes it, but I'd never have paid full price for it.

 

[LIFERBABE]

I agree. I started noticing the "knock off" quality early last year showing up in the retail stores.

Now, I mostly purchase in outlets and only the old stuff. I have a large Coach collection and all my pieces travel very well. Many of the new bags are very cheaply made. They claim because customers wanted "lighter" bags with not so much hardware, but you know they cheaped out.

A few years back I purchased flip flops and after a season the thong broke on them. I sent it in for repair and they refunded my purchase price, so I have been pretty loyal to Coach since then.

I dont carry it for designer status, that's what Louis and Gucci are for, but it is nice to have coordinating accessories and luggage for travel and my pieces have been excellent for that! Im down to dollars per trip on my luggage and it still looks good!

It really is too bad about the quality, but I am glad I got in while the getting was good.

Dont buy the cheap stuff! Look for metal hardware and metal zippers! That clasp on that new bag pictured would have never been put on an older Coach bag. It would have been more like a lobster claw clasp. I am thrilled I found an old leather Carly at the Vegas outlet last year! That is an awesome bag!

 

[sweetpeakaris]

I am getting a couple Bags from the New Peyton Collection. I love Coach!

 

[Amirah95]

Have you noticed that a lot of coaches new lines aren't even leather? I will not pay $399 for a cloth bag.

Ditto!

 

[Amirah95]

So really they are no different than the ones on Canal Street in NYC??

I did not know the "real" ones were made in China.

Believe me, there is a big difference between the legit Coach bags and the ones on Canal St. I saw and touched one and ummmm no no no T-E-R-R-I-B-L-E. There is some quality left on legit Coach bags and I wouldn't go as far as to say they resemble and feel like knockoffs because they don't. I believe the knockoffs are made in Chinatown, not China. Ha!