This guide will hopefully give some insight on buying authentic Coach handbags. While it is a widely copied brand, there are some good ways to spot a replica. For Signature bags, looking at the C's is very telling. The sets of C's that touch should be symmetrical. The other ends should not touch, but curve so that if they were continued they would form nicely shaped O's. It is important to note that any bags with O's or G's on them are fake. Also, the C's are always in sets of twos. Steer clear of any "creative" C patterns. Signature bags will not have signature linings.

The sets of C's should run in perfectly vertical and horizontal lines; there are some exceptions to this such as the mini-signature collection and some signature hobos. Seams running through the bag will line up perfectly with the C sets. It is easiest to see this at the points where the C's connect. There should be a symmetrical section "cut off" by the seams which should run through all the sets the same way. You should be able to make a visual line from the C connecting points in between the other sets of C's. The best place to get a good visual is the Coach website.

Authentic dustbags commonly come in two styles, though there are some exceptions. The most common is the dark brown dustbag with red trim and drawstrings. There are also white dustbags with red lettering and drawstrings generally for accessories. Some fake dustbags are a lighter brown with black lettering, and white with black letters. Some fake dustbags almost resemble tissue paper.

The place of manufacture for Coach handbags can be a source of confusion for buyers. They are made in America, China and the Dominican Republic among other places.

Siding some of the smaller products, real bags should have a serial number or registration number on a leather patch inside the bag. Registration codes are not unique to each item and can be copied by counterfeiters. However, larger bags without them are usually fake. The numbers after the hyphen represent the style of the bag. Always make sure the style matches the bag; some fake bags will not match. However, if the bag and style numbers do match it still is not a sure sign of an authentic bag.

For more information on Coach tags and registration numbers click here. This site has many good pictures of authentic and fake handbags as well as tags and registration numbers.

When purchasing a Coach handbag always look at the stitching. Coach employs perfect thick double stitching. Some fakes will have thinner messier stitching. Many real bags will have YKK zippers- usually the logo is very small and not on the leather pull. Some bags are not marked. It is a good idea to steer clear of any bags with plastic wrapped handles. For general guidelines on buying authentic bags on ebay click here.