Questions to Ask Yourself Before Buying a Designer Handbag

When it comes to handbags and accessories I love a good bargain, but I’m also willing to spend more on quality. So often, we talk about designer bags and accessories as investments, but the truth is most of them are not (and should not be viewed as such). Most designer handbags do not retain their value well, and you are likely to lose a lot of money when it comes time to resell them. This doesn’t mean you should never buy a designer item – it just means you need to be smart when shopping and make sure it’s the right fit for you. Read on for important questions to ask yourself before splurging on a designer handbag, and how to go about reselling it when the time comes.

Questions to Ask Yourself Before Buying a Designer Handbag

Can I get this item on sale?

Why pay full price when you don’t have to? Most bags, with the exceptions of classic bags (Chanel flap or boy bags, Louis Vuitton, Hermes, etc.) or the “it” bag of the season (past season Gucci and Dior, this season Bottega Veneta), go on sale. If you’re willing to be a little patient and strategic, you can get a lot of designer bags for 20-40% off. Another great way to buy a bag is to buy it abroad – with the VAT refund, you can save some serious money shopping abroad.

Do I plan on keeping this bag forever?

Everyone’s opinion on this is different, but you should have a general idea of how trendy or timeless a particular item is, as well as how functional it is. Of course, our tastes and preferences change over time and we may change our minds, but this is a good starting point. It’s totally ok to buy a trendy bag with the intention of trying to sell it down the road – but try to do some research in advance on potential resale value (more on this below).

How often will I use this bag?

Again, personal preferences come into play here. Some people might want to spend more on a work tote and less on a going out bag, and others vice versa. Others don’t want to overspend on something they’ll chuck around or put on the floor, and will only spend on special occasion items. Personally, I find myself reaching for small to medium-sized bags most often during the day, so I am happier to spend on these pieces and use them as much as possible.

I also find certain designers and styles to be too formal and less wearable for day-to-day use – for example, Chanel flap bags are often regarded as “holy grail” bags, but in actuality, they are not the most practical bags for day to day (depending on your personal style). I know I don’t frequent red carpet events, so I haven’t splurged on a small clutch for black tie events. It’s really up to your personal tastes.

How would I feel if I stained or damaged the bag?

Are you the type of person to baby your bags, or do you believe in the philosophy that your belongings are meant to be used, and a little wear and tear show character? When evaluating a bag, think about if it is something you can afford to replace if something happened to it, or if you’d be willing to pay to have it repaired. Also keep in mind that if a bag is too precious, you might end up babying it and never wearing it (which could be great for reselling!).

Do I anticipate trying to sell this bag in the future?

This is tricky, because obviously the more used a bag is, the lower its resale value. If you plan on buying a bag and wearing it into the ground, you probably won’t think about reselling it. But if you’re after a trendy piece and looking to sell it after a few seasons, you may want to be more careful with how you use the bag. Dustbags come with purchase for a reason!

If you’re looking to sell your bag, there are steps you can take to maximize the amount you recoup.

How to Sell Your Designer Handbag

Looking to resell a designer handbag? You’re in luck. The secondhand designer market has erupted over the past few years, with more resellers than ever before. Gone are the days of having to scour high-end vintage and thrift shops for hidden treasures. These days, many high-end consignment shops have their own physical locations and websites that are incredibly intuitive to use. Here’s where you may quickly find that designer handbags are not an “investment,” as more often than not you will lose money on reselling (between depreciation and sellers fees to platforms, you’re looking at recouping 30-60% of a handbag on average).

I sold my Gucci Marmont and Chloe Nile bags (both trendy pieces, in my mind) about a year after I bought them, and was able to recoup about 50% of each bag back. Could I have made another $100-$200 per bag? Maybe, if I was more patient and invested more time and energy into reselling them. I sold both on Poshmark, which takes a 20% cut of all purchases. Sites such as Tradesy, The Real Real, and Rebag take even more.

Some Tips

Apart from Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Hermes, you aren’t likely to make money off of a used handbag – and even then, you might find yourself taking a slight loss. Personally, I consider most Chloe and YSL bags “trendy,” and the amount you can resell for varies a lot based on several factors. In general, black tends to have the best resale value, followed by neutrals. This makes sense, but we can only have so many black bags. If you bought a colorful bag but fall out of love with it, unless it’s a highly sought-after color or limited edition piece, you might find yourself getting less back than you anticipated.

The secondary market is also constantly fluctuating. Whereas you could resell a like-new Gucci Marmont a couple of years ago for almost retail price (keep in mind if you sell it on a marketplace you’re not going to get that full amount back), today that amount is much lower. Remember the Balenciaga city bag? Those are going for $400-500 on resale sites currently. However, sometimes you can get lucky! Before Dior reissued the Saddle Bag, they were going for around $200 on eBay. When the bag was re-released, it sold for upwards of $3k. Now that the hype has died down a bit, you can find it online for around $1,000.

However, with the increase in designer consignment and resale also comes the chance for fraud. Always be sure to authenticate items yourself before purchasing, and not necessarily going off of the site’s authentication (certain sites are known for having lax policies and allowing fakes onto their sites – eek!).

Are you a handbag lover? What’s your philosophy on buying handbags? xx