Let’s have a fun conversation today: How to buy a designer bag on a budget! As someone who has purchased many designer handbags over the years, one of my most common questions I get is how do you buy a designer bag for cheap!
Before we jump into the details, I wanted to share with you a short story about purchasing a designer handbag. The first designer handbag I purchased was the Louis Vuitton Neverfull Bag. I remember in 2007 when I purchased the bag it cost $625. (For reference a LV Neverfull bag today costs $1585) The reason I remember the price is because it was the first designer handbag purchase I made.
Today, 13 years later, I still use my Louis Vuitton Neverfull bag. Over 13 years, I’ve paid roughly $48 a year to carry that bag. Is the bag in perfect condition? Of course not, it’s been used for 13 years. However, it still looks very nice and held up well! With that being said, I’m going to 4 insider tips and tricks on how to buy a designer bag on a budget.
Buy a Designer Handbag in Europe if you are traveling there Already
Did you know that handbags that are created and made in Europe are actually cheaper in Europe to buy? Am I telling you to hop on an airplane and travel to Europe to buy a Louis Vuitton handbag? No. However, if you are already traveling to Europe, this is a great opportunity to big up a designer handbag at a discounted price.
You may be wondering how can I buy a designer bag cheaper in Europe? The reason is if a company is headquartered in Europe and imports the product to the USA. When you purchase the bag in the US, the price reflects additional fees such as import tax, import of the good, and sales tax. If you purchase a designer bag in Europe, you avoid paying these costs, plus you qualify for the tax refund which is an additional 12% off. Below is a small graph with price comparison of the Louis Vuitton Neverfull MM in NYC vs Paris, France
| COUNTRY | TAX / REFUND | PRICE (w/o tax) | TOTAL PRICE |
| USA – NYC | + 8.875% | $1,500 | $1,633 |
| FRANCE – PARIS | – 12% | 1,120€ ($1250) | 985€ ($1100) |
| DIFFERENCE (USD) | N/A | $250 | $533 |
Shop at Garage Sales or Goodwill
If you watch Gary Vee you know he’s a big fan of going garage sale shopping and flipping items that he finds at a local garage sale for a side hustle. With Covid happening right now, garage sales are probably put on hold, but in the future this is another great option to find designer handbags on a budget. This is where you can find some great deals and designer bags cheap! I’ve also seen many people check out their local goodwill. This is another great option to look for designer handbags on a budget.
Shop online at Second Hand Sites
One of my favorite ways to buy a designer bag on a budget is through reseller sites. Yes, you read that correctly, buy a gently used, pre loved designer handbag at a fraction of the cost. Before you go to any website, and try to find the cheapest designer handbag, it’s important that you find a site that verifies the authenticity of the designer handbag.
I know you’re probably thinking and wondering well, I found this designer bag so cheap on amazon, I really want it. The reality is it is probably a dupe and the quality isn’t going to be as good as an authentic handbag. Here are my favorite reseller sites that actually authentic a designer handbag. Buying second hand is a great way to support sustainable fashion and buy a designer bag on a budget!
| WEBSITE | AUTHENTIC BAGS? |
| THE REAL REAL | YES – RECOMMENDED |
| TRADSEY | YES |
| POSHMARK | YES – OVER $500 ONLY |
After you purchase the bag if you are unsure of the authenticity of the handbag, there are places online and in big cities that authentic purchases.
Rent before you buy!
Another option that you have available to you if you aren’t ready to fully commit to purchasing a bag, but want to wear designer handbags, you can rent the handbag from various sites. There are even subscription based services such as Bag Borrow Steal. that allows you to rent the bags every month. You may be wondering why Bag Borrow Steal sounds familiar, it’s because this rental site was featured on the Sex and the City Movie 2!
Recap on how to buy a designer bag on a budget
In short if you are looking to buy a designer bag for cheap or cheaper than retail price then look into buying the handbag in Europe (if you are already traveling there), turn to second hand retail sites, check out local garage sales or even goodwill, and finally if you aren’t ready to full commit to purchasing a designer handbag, then there are plenty of rental sites out there to let you rent a designer bag at a discounted price.
As I mentioned above the price for a designer handbag has gone up over the years. Chanel announced this year that they are raising the prices of the Chanel classic by 21%. I’m sure, LV, Dior, Hermes, and a ton more designers will follow suit. Are they raising the prices because of the Covid? No, the truth is designers raise their prices every year. However, it typically doesn’t hit mainstream news like it did a few weeks ago.
I’d love to hear from you! Do you own a designer handbag, and were you able to find a designer bag discounted?