How to Determine If Coach Purse Is Authentic

Street vendors are not authorized to sell Coach purses.

Buying a Coach bag is a major purchasing decision for many people. Wondering whether or not your Coach purse is authentic shouldn't be part of the deal. Shopping at the Coach store or an authorized retailer is the best way to ensure your purchase is an authentic Coach product. If you do purchase a Coach purse and want to determine if it's counterfeit, there are several easy ways to find out.

Instructions

1. Inspect the fabric to verify the "C" or "CC" pattern is going straight up and down. The pattern should be centered on the front and back panel of the purse. The seam should go straight through the pattern -- the letters won't be cut.

2. Examine the stitching. The workmanship in a Coach purse is uniform and impeccable with double-stitching. Anything less is a fake handbag.

3. Look for a leather label with a serial number. Most authentic Coach handbags have an embossed, not printed, leather label inside. There is no leather label on some vintage or smaller authentic Coach purses, including the clutch, swingback and mini.

4. Check for lining. Only a Coach Classic Handbag comes without a lining. This is a sure way to determine if the handbag is a fake.

5. Examine the zipper to look for an engraved YKK. This is the only brand of zipper that Coach uses, but the letters can be hard to read on smaller versions. The zipper should operate smoothly.

Tips & Warnings

• Coach only sells through its own stores and authorized department stores. There are no authorized boutiques or independent distributors.

• Authentic Coach purses are available online only at coach.com and the sites for Macy's, Dillard's and Nordstrom, according to the manufacturer.

References

• Coach: Counterfeit Education