Looking for suppliers of authentic wholesale designer handbags, clothing, shoes and other goods for your business or a business you’d like to start?
Many Suppliers Selling “Authentic” Goods are Selling Fakes
They’re selling what’s called ‘7 Star’ replicas or ‘Mirror Image’ replicas. And these aren’t just any replicas. They’re top-of-the-line knockoffs made in China which come complete with authenticity cards, dust covers, and even serial numbers. They look so much like the real thing, many people can’t tell the difference.
Finding Legitimate Suppliers of Designer Goods is Not Easy
- Many legitimate suppliers have little-to-no presence online, often known only to industry insiders
- Many legitimate suppliers do not publicly disclose the designer brands they carry
- Much of the merchandise you see advertised online is either for fake or non-existent goods, making it very difficult to know whom to trust
How You Can Tell If A Supplier of Designer Goods is Legitimate
Here are 6 things that legitimate suppliers of wholesale designer handbags & other designer merchandise typically have in common. These suppliers:
Offer Merchandise that can be Authenticated by the Designer which means that if you mail the merchandise to the designer to have it authenticated or take it to a boutique, they will verify that it’s authentic. It also means that the designer will typically honor any repairs, warranty issues, etc. that may arise because the product is genuine.
Offer Wholesale Pricing so you can make a profit which, on average, is anywhere from 50-85% off retail for past-season merchandise and 25-45% off retail for current season merchandise.
Offer Past-Season Merchandise – More often than not, legitimate suppliers of wholesale designer handbags and other goods sell past-season merchandise. This typically consists of overstock, excess
and closeout inventory. This kind of inventory is the bulk of what’s available if we’re talking “authentic” product. That being said, current season inventory can be found wholesale, but it represents a small portion of the market.
Accept Credit Cards or PayPal – Many (not all) genuine suppliers accept payment methods that are traceable and reversible, the most common being credit cards and PayPal. With these forms of payment you are protected should anything go wrong. Be very leery of suppliers that only accept wire transfers or money orders unless you are confident that they are legitimate, because once you send them your money, it’s almost impossible to get it back (unless they willingly refund you, of course). I caution people to only use wire transfers with suppliers with whom they have an established relationship.
Have Limited Inventory and Styles that Change from Season-to-Season – Designer merchandise has a very high demand and limited quantities are intentionally produced, which makes the wholesale market small. It’s always a red flag when you see a supplier that has the same styles season-after-season and seemingly endless quantities of merchandise, especially wholesale designer handbags. Legitimate suppliers will have new styles every season (with the exception of signature pieces) and limited amounts of inventory.
Provide their Contact Information Up Front – Legitimate suppliers are always up front with their contact information. A supplier’s name, address (which should NOT be a PO BOX or a UPS address), telephone number, and e-mail should not be a secret or hidden in any way. It’s a huge red flag if you have to do any digging to find out where a supplier is located, how to get into contact with them, etc—seem obvious, but I can’t tell you how many people have done business with suppliers where this has been the case.
If a company claims to be a legitimate supplier of wholesale designer handbags or other designer goods and cannot meet the above guidelines, it is usually in your best interest to avoid doing business with them.
Where Can You Find Legitimate Suppliers of Authentic Wholesale Designer Handbags, Clothing, Shoes, & More?
