Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, or so they say. Well, that may be true of people, but if you are just about the spend big bucks on a designer purse, say from Coach, then you want to be sure that it's the real deal you are buying. The most commonly copied Coach purses are those from the signature monogram range so if you are looking to but one of these items then you really should take care. As well as this, if it wasn't hard enough to find an authentic designer handbag in online auctions such as EBay, counterfeiters are also replicating seasonal and collectable lines like the Coach patchwork collection and many other of Coach's prominent designs. So how do you protect yourself?

are also heavy. This is because of the luxury materials and leather used. A genuine Coach bag will also sport a quality interior. Unless you have been face to face several times with a Coach bag it will be difficult for you to determine the authenticity of the product by weight alone, but luxury goods are made with quality materials. Unfortunately, its impossible to tell the weight and build quality of an item from a listing, but you can raise a dispute with EBay over the item if you believe that its fake when it arrives. Always pay using PayPal if possible as you are protected - often for the full amount.

have a serial number. Although fakes often have serial numbers too, you can verify your serial number if you look inside the bag. The serial number should be stamped in there. All you have to do is call Coach at 1-888-262-6224 and verify that the serial number is authentic. You'll also need to give them the bag's color and style, so you may want to visit their site first and get the proper terms for the purse version you have.