I recently returned a fake Chanel bag to the seconds store. After giving into the big temptation of the knock-off bomber bag from the online reseller, I realized I had made a huge mistake. You know what they say about things that are too good to be true? I guess I should have learned my lesson. It was as if I had a gut feeling that warned me against it, but I had convinced myself that for the price I paid, I couldn’t pass it up.
Boy, was I wrong. When I received it in the mail, the quality of the material was just appalling. It did not even remotely look like a Chanel bag. It was so obvious that even my untrained eyes could tell it was a fake. I was so embarrassed for not realizing it sooner. Of course, the online seller refused to return the money, so I was faced with the only other option: Returning the bag to the store.
Bang goes four hundred bucks, I thought, as I drove over to the nearest Chanel store. I figured the worst they would do is to tell me I wasn’t allowed to return it. I could already imagine how the conversation would go.
But surprisingly, as soon as I revealed what had happened, the salesperson’s face lit up and he said “No problem – we accept it!” He explained that for the store, it was a huge moral victory to return counterfeits to the seller. He said that if more people like me would take the trouble to return fakes, it would really be a huge help in the fight against counterfeits.
Afterwards, I felt so relieved that it went much better than expected. Wow, all I had to do was drive over there and explain, and Chanel was generous enough to accept my return. Isn’t it nice how the company understands that mistakes can happen, and is still willing to extend its hospitality?
I decided that I will never buy any knockoff again, regardless of how ‘good a deal’ seems to be. There’s no forcing good quality. Going through this experience has been a great teachable moment. One thing I can say for sure: I will always be loyal to the real deal, and always in favour of an honest purchasing policy!
Now, I’m sure there must be people out there like me, who made the mistake of buying a fake. My suggestion to them is: Don’t dwell too much on your mistake, just learn from it and try your best to reverse it. This is because, ultimately, taking responsibility is the only way to respect the hard work and effort of the original designer. And also, returning a fake will always turn out to be a win-win situation.
I have also heard that Chanel has recently increased their in-store security and it is becoming highly difficult to return fakes. I believe that this is a great measure to make sure that everyone is able to appreciate the original designs and products of the brand.
But also, this doesn’t mean to stop trying your best for returning fakes. It’s much better to take preventive measures than facing financial losses later. So if ever you get tempted by a ‘too good to be true’ deal, just remember to do your research first, and then take the plunge.
It’s awesome that Chanel is actively on the lookout to protect their designs and ideas from counterfeiters, and that returning fake products back to the store is an accepted practice. In the end, it’s about appreciating the creators’ work, and doing justice to all their hard work and effort.
This makes me feel proud that the luxury fashion industry is introducing such measures, and also appreciates people who take the initiative to help and accommodate a return. And for me, it’s not only about preventing others from being counterfeit victims, but also about standing up for the respect of creative design.