A woman bought a Coach bag from SHIEN. Then she took it to a Coach store to have it authenticated. And the result might surprise you.
Abi Downs (@abi_fashionandlifestyle) is a fashion and lifestyle content creator who recently decided to buy herself a Coach handbag. But instead of going to an official Coach store, the customer says she bought the bag from Shein.
While Shein is an online retailer known for its cheap prices, it’s also garnered a reputation for questionable product quality. According to several online sources, including this Reddit post, the fast-fashion company appears to have started selling Coach handbags in the last three months. But several users question whether the products are authentic.
So naturally, when Downs uploaded an unboxing video of her new Coach bag that she bought from Shein, one commenter asked, “Did you get it authenticated?”
How does Coach authenticate bags?
Downs responded with another video. This time she filmed her bag as she attempted to have it authenticated by an expert at the Coach store.
The TikToker is upfront about the origins of the bag, telling the store associate that she purchased it from Shein.
The associate explains what details customers should be looking for when buying a genuine Coach bag.
“You’re looking for the Storypatch,” she says, pointing inside the bag. The associate is referring to a small label that details the bag’s materials and method of production.
According to the official Coach Facebook account, the Storypatch was introduced in the 1950s. The company uses the feature as a way to designate a bag as an authentic Coach product. “The Storypatch is marked with a unique registration number for every style. Every Coach bag has one—take a peek at yours and check,” the post reads.
The associate also tells Downs, “On the hardware, you’d have Coach logos on them as well.”
In the caption, Downs adds “Leather quality” as a feature to note when trying to authenticate a bag.
Was the bag real?
Downs’ video received over 143,000 views. But many viewers felt that the content creator was being misleading.
“This video is incredibly deceptive. There is absolutely no ‘authentication’ here,” wrote one viewer.
“I am confused is it real,” echoed another.
Downs responded in the comments, “They basically said yes it is and it’s from the Coach outlet.”
It seems that Shein is, in fact, an authorized seller of Coach bags. In an unboxing video from content creator Namolinah (@namolinah), who also said she purchased her bag from Shein, the official Coach TikTok account commented, “Enjoy your new bag!”
@abi_fashionandlifestyle Replying to @Dimitra Mazaraki Went to the @Coach store in London to authenticate my bag | There are a few tell tale signs that they look out for (the story patch✅, branded embossed hardware✅, leather quality✅) however anything bought through a third party can be difficult to tell. I got my tag monogrammed aswell (they dont make the black tags alot so im glad i was able to get this one with my name on it #coach #coachbag ♬ original sound – Abi | Fashion & Lifestyle🪩
Others wanted more details from Downs.
“Does it come in Coach packaging,” one person asked about the bag. Downs confirmed the bag arrived with a dust bag. However, she said, the dust bag was wrapped in plastic.
Another asked, “Is there much of a difference in price?” Someone else remarked, “The prices are the same so they better be authentic.”
Once again, Downs responded, “Similar to Coach’s outlet website prices. Cheaper than they’re in store new season items. You won’t find any new season items on Shein.”
Update: A representative for Coach told the Daily Dot the following in a statement:
Coach is not affiliated with Shein and does not offer services to authenticate merchandise or determine whether serial numbers match actual Coach items. Coach offers merchandise for sale through the following methods of distribution: (1) Coach Retail Stores and www.coach.com, (2) Coach Outlet Stores and www.coachoutlet.com, (3) authorized department stores, (4) limited duty free locations. You may click on the following link to obtain additional information on authorized Coach websites: Authorized Locations.
Please note that Coach vigorously pursues counterfeiters and the shops, websites, vendors, and flea markets that sell counterfeit Coach merchandise.
If you purchased the item from an authorized Coach retailer, you can be assured that the item is authentic. To learn more about our brand protection and authorized channels, please click HERE.
The Daily Dot reached out to Downs via email.
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