Purchasing pre-loved designer bags is one of the best ways to save money when it comes to building your luxury collection, as well as sourcing hard-to-find, now sold-out pieces. Personally, I’ve saved thousands and fast-tracked my designer bag collection thanks to making numerous preloved luxury purchases.
One of the questions that I get asked all the time, is where are the best places to buy preloved designer bags?
It’s important to shop at reputable resellers when it comes to pre-loved designer bags as sadly, the market is awash with fakes. If you purchase directly from a seller (such as on a marketplace like eBay), it’s important to put a check in place to ensure your luxury is the real deal.
Where can I Buy Preloved Designer Bags?
There are various ways to buy preloved designer bags, which we’ll outline below:
Buy Preloved Via a Reseller
What is a luxury reseller? Resellers are people and businesses who have gone into the business of buying selling luxury items. Some will only deal with designer bags, some only certain brands and others may stock a wide range of both designer bags and clothing, for example.
It’s incredibly important to understand the integrity of any reseller, with some being far more established than others. It isn’t unheard of that resellers can sell fakes (not due to attempting to scam someone, but purely because they didn’t pick up that the item was in fact fake). Larger resellers generally have better authentication checks in place. Always request a third-party authentication certificate if that makes you feel more comfortable – resellers can and do get it wrong, but they are generally better to shop with than just purchasing directly from a seller as they will likely vet products before selling to you.
Always ensure when purchasing from a reseller that they are following the law. There are lots of resellers who do not operate within the law, for example, not offering refunds. In the UK the distance selling regulations act protects distance selling (online orders) by the seller has to offer a 14 day return period. There are many resellers who ignore these laws, so make sure they are willing to accept returns, etc. before handing over your hard-earned cash. This is particularly common with the rise of ‘Instagram Resellers’ who do not abide by trading laws.
Buy Designer Bags From a Market Place
The biggest bargains and hard-to-find pieces are often listed by sellers directly onto marketplaces such as eBay and Vestaire Collective. Market places are my favorite places to shop pre-loved, but there are more pitfalls to be aware of when shopping for preloved designer bags this way.
You should have rigorous checks in place to keep you safe. Some of my checks include at least 100 positive feedback on eBay, checking their other items for sale (is this item consistent with their taste), and asking for more pictures of the item. You can even work with the seller to get an authentication certificate before purchasing anything if they’re willing.
Best Places To Buy Second Hand Designer Bags
Here are some of my favorite places to buy second-hand designer bags and other luxury goods. DISCLAIMER: I do not vouch for the authenticity of any of the products for sale via these resellers/marketplaces. It’s important to always do your own research when buying preloved, and I highly recommend the use of good authentication services to check your preloved designer purchases.
- eBay (Marketplace)
eBay is one of the worlds largest marketplaces and the largest when it comes to pre-loved designer bags. This means you’re much more likely to find limited edition, sold out pieces and older models that are no longer available. You can also make great savings on retail prices with certain types of designer bags and other luxury, especially clothing items. When shopping on eBay always be cautious and ensure you use a good authentication service to check designer bags. - Vestaire Collective
Vestaire Collective is a marketplace more widely used by established resellers. Vestaire Collective also offers the service of authentication a purchase, before sending it to you. It’s worth noting that this service can be questionable at times, and some sellers become inactive so it’s worth messaging them before making a purchase.
- Facebook Groups
Private Facebook groups such as LV Lovers UK are a great way to buy and sell preloved luxury. Admins help to sift through fakes by ensuring sellers post certain photographs of bags, as well as the item with a name card to prove you have it. Whilst as with any platform, there can be scammers/fakes that slip through the net, the communities are all for stamping our fakes and there can be some amazing finds in these groups.
- Farfetch Pre-Loved
Farfetch is a fantastic site that lists luxury items from boutiques all around the world, so there’s no issues with authenticity when it comes to Farfetch. They now have a new pre-owned section which is arguably one of the safest places to shop pre-loved luxury. It is worth noting that due to boutiques knowing the value of their stock, some prices are majorly inflated. Farfetch pre-loved is great if you have a ‘unicorn’ bag you want to add to your collection and don’t mind paying a premium for it. - Coco Approved Studio
If you’re a Chanel fan, you need to check our CocoApproved. Coco Approved is a reputable reseller who can ship worldwide, specalising in Chanel designer bags and products. They also stock a range of other brands including Hermes. - Fashionphile
Fashionphile is a great place to shop for preloved luxury, including their section which features preloved designer bags under $1,000.
- The Real Real
The Real Real is a well established luxury re-selling platform which stocks a wide range of pre-loved treasure. The company has experienced issues with authenticity but is working to improve it’s processes to ensure its stock is authentic. - Designer Exchange
A UK based company, Designer Exchange has stores throughout the UK and a well-stock website. From designer bags to fashion, I’ve personaly made purchases via. Designer Exchange and find their customer service is friendly and they’re happy to help you find your dream luxury items. - Sellier Knightsbridge
With a store located in Knightsbridge, Sellier is a great pre-loved luxury site and physical store in London. The team shows its items on Instagram stories and they have a steady stream of rare Hermes bags for sale. - Bagista
Bagista is also a UK based reseller which has some of the better resale prices out of the resellers we have seen. They also offer some of the best prices in terms of selling to them. - Luxury Promise
Luxury Promise has a new store located in London here in the UK, but feature their stock on their website also. Lots of luxury lovers sell to Luxury Promise, so they have a stready stream of unicorn designer bags.
Luxury Hunters Preloved Designer Bags Email List
Love checking what’s out there in terms of the preloved market, but don’t have the time to keep trawling through websites to find the unicorns and great deals? Join our FREE Luxury Hunters Email here to receive weekly pre-loved unicorns, great discounts, and new bags that are on sale.
Where to Sell Preloved Designer Bags?
If you have some designer bags that you’ve loved but are now ready to see them go to a new home visit our page on where to sell your designer bags here.
What Does Pre-Loved Bags Mean?
A pre-loved bag means that the bag has been used and is not brand new. By purchasing a preloved designer bag or other luxury items, you help to be part of a more circular economy and reduce the impact new purchases have on the environment.
Where to Buy Preloved Designer Bags In Japan
Preloved luxury lovers, like myself, are becoming more and more aware of the incredibly stringent copyright laws that must be upheld by business sellers in Japan. Unlike other countries which seem to be slack when it comes to monitoring and enforcing laws around counterfeit luxury products, any business in Japan found breaking these laws end up in prison. Luxury lovers from all over the world are now looking at some of Japan’s best luxury resellers, as they feel safer purchasing from countries like this.
Always remember, depending on where you live in the world your purchase may be liable for import fees and other taxes, you should do your research before purchasing anything so that you don’t get stung by costly importation fees.