Knock off purses

[D L and K's Mom]

We will e going to NY City next week. It is a little shopping and fun visit for my 2 DDs and my friend and her niece. We are visiting Amer Girls Doll Store, Sony, Disney and Build a Bear etc. I also mentioned to my MIL that my friend and I are excited to buy some knock off purses and she freaked out. She said that we cannot put them in our luggage because if they are found we will get in big trouble. I was talking about buying 2 not 200? She also siad that we are funding terrorists when we buy these bags.... I have no idea what she is talking about. I am hoping this does not start a huge "refillable mug" type thread. I just wanted to see what others thought...ok let me have it........

 

[monkeyboy]

“When you buy for example a counterfeit watch, the money is channeled into the pockets of Mafia groups, terrorist groups,” said Jean-Michel Louboutin, executive director of police services at Interpol.

 

[minijeanie]

Go for it!!!

Go to Chinatown ...there are a hundred places to buy the knock off bags. Guess you will be funding the chinese Mafia

there are lots on the street corners in midtown as well.


MY dd works in build a bear in our home town -there are so many animals to choose from and I think they are reasonably priced. btw she loves her job

Your DD will love American Girl. what a fun trip!!!

AND ps


BUY 3 BAGS

 

[BellePrincessBelle]

She is right you will be funding terrorists. If you research you will find that the 1st bombing of the WTC was funded by the profits from counterfit bags sales. If you feel comfortable with your money going there then go for it. I would never.

 

[Blondy876]

This is going to get ugly fast. I think I will keep my opinion to myself and watch the drama.

 

[Amapola]

<climbing on soapbox>

Counterfeit = stealing, in my book. Counterfeiters are stealing a designer's ideas, talent, and intellectual property. Counterfeit goods are made under sweatshop conditions and exploit everyone in the supply chain (except the big guy making $$$ at the top). Counterfeits are illegal, plain and simple. Buying one is stealing as much as buying pirated software, music or movies is. Google it.

It's one thing to buy one of those purses that look like LV or Coach or whatever, but the design on the fabric is different -- those are "inspired by" or whatever.

<off the soapbox>

 

[emmabelle]

I just wish that the counterfeits looked a little more fake, since I've been asked on more than one occasion if my four genuine Coach pocketbooks are fakes. It kind of bugs me.

 

[katerkat]

Ahem. Technically it is not illegal to buy the bags. It is illegal to sell them. So by buying them, you're TECHNICALLY not doing anything illegal and they shouldn't cause a problem in your luggage.

Morally, now, that's a different story.

 

[Briarmom]

I just wish that the counterfeits looked a little more fake, since I've been asked on more than one occasion if my four genuine Coach pocketbooks are fakes. It kind of bugs me.

I hear that. I get upset when I see others in fake Chanel sunglasses, too.
I don't want others to think my sunglasses and bags are fake.

 

[Beth76]

Oooh goody. Now I have something good to watch tonight.

 

[Darth Cupcake]

IMHO handbag designers are artists. It is illegal and immoral for others to copy an artist's work as a way to make undeserved money. I would not support these attempts.

 

[Pam]

I hear that. I get upset when I see others in fake Chanel sunglasses, too.
I don't want others to think my sunglasses and bags are fake.

I feel the same way about my tush and "girlfriends."

I sooo don't want anyone thinking they are a fake knockover - trust me -- they are 100% designer original!

 

[scooter15]

You know its not very hard to get real designer hand bags for a discounted price. I bought a really nice Kenneth Cole purse originally for $150 on sale for $40 at Macy's!!! Also, I've seen a handful of Kate Spade purses at Nordstrom Rack.

 

[ashjohnson80]

what if you buy a fake purse for $2 at a yard sale that someone else had bought from the terrorist funding counterfeiters?

 

[justapixel]

I'm selfish. Now that I can afford a Coach bag, I won't get one, because too many people are carrying the fakes.

I don't know about terrorists, but when you carry a fake bag, it devalues the real ones. And, those of us who might have carried a real one, won't. And, I think it's stealing from the designer, who spent time and effort coming up with something beautiful. The knock-offs don't use the same materials or craftsmanship and many of them are made by children in third world countries.

I always wonder at the women I see carrying around a Louis Vuitton knock-off in a local grocery store wearing flips-flops, a stained tee shirt and Levis and pushing a runny-nosed kid in a cart. Do they really think they are fooling anybody? I suppose a woman carrying a $2,000 purse could be wearing jeans from 1995...but I don't think so. Why would anybody even carry a knock-off when there are perfectly nice, non-fake purses out there?

My advice? Save your money until you can afford the real one. It will last longer and you'll be prouder of it because you worked for it.

 

[minijeanie]

calling all nyc people.


I am from NJ and frequent NYC 10x a year. The people who sell these bags, IMHO are just small little guys. they look kind urban and not all that wealthy. I can't imagine that they front terrorists.


I would say the hot dog guy or nut guys are more reasonable to be connected someway but have a hard time believing the small little handbag guy who walks around to find a spot to set up


Someone tell me different. or am I that just naive

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

calling all nyc people.


I am from NJ and frequent NYC 10x a year. The people who sell these bags, IMHO are just small little guys. they look kind urban and not all that wealthy. I can't imagine that they front terrorists.


I would say the hot dog guy or nut guys are more reasonable to be connected someway but have a hard time believing the small little handbag guy who walks around to find a spot to set up


Someone tell me different. or am I that just naive

No, you're not naive. I've never heard of the handbag/terrorist connection. I actually purchased stuff from one of the terrorists (no I'm not joking). He sold candy, magazines and cigarettes at Penn Station in Newark. There were no handbags.

Anywhoo, I'm OT. I see the bags on a regular basis and I have to tell you that some of them look REALLY fake. If anyone with any common sense looked at some of them they could see they are counterfeit. And I really don't believe that the counterfeit market is cannibalizing the true designer handbag crowd. Does anyone really believe that people are not buying real designer bags because there are bad knock-offs being sold in Times Square? "Ooh, I can buy a real bag for $175 or go to TS and buy a cheap looking knock off for $10. Hmmm, what should I do?" I would believe that the majority of the market for these are for people that are not going to be spending hundreds of dollars on a real bag.

Anyway, just my 2 cents. However I do believe that the screeners for TSA will not yank you off the plane because you counterfeit handbags. I'm pretty sure you could pack 100 of them in your luggage and they wouldn't care.

 

[Cool-Beans]

<climbing on soapbox>

Counterfeit = stealing, in my book. Counterfeiters are stealing a designer's ideas, talent, and intellectual property. Counterfeit goods are made under sweatshop conditions and exploit everyone in the supply chain (except the big guy making $$$ at the top). Counterfeits are illegal, plain and simple. Buying one is stealing as much as buying pirated software, music or movies is. Google it.

It's one thing to buy one of those purses that look like LV or Coach or whatever, but the design on the fabric is different -- those are "inspired by" or whatever.

<off the soapbox>

You are aware that Coach purses are knock-offs, right? Expensive (for some people) knock-offs, but knock-offs none-the-less. You aren't actually getting a designer's bag, you know.

 

[moppety]

You are aware that Coach purses are knock-offs, right? Expensive (for some people) knock-offs, but knock-offs none-the-less. You aren't actually getting a designer's bag, you know.

I have never heard this! I buy Coach for the quality of the leather, I'm not much of a purse-hound myself. Who are they knocking off?

 

[PrincessaC]

You are aware that Coach purses are knock-offs, right? Expensive (for some people) knock-offs, but knock-offs none-the-less. You aren't actually getting a designer's bag, you know.

A knock off of what?