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-   -   where to get a cheaper Louis Vuitton bags and wallets (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/where-to-get-a-cheaper-louis-vuitton-bags-and-wallets-795976/)

nj05047 Jul 17th, 2009 12:12 AM

where to get a cheaper Louis Vuitton bags and wallets
 
Hello guys, sounds stupid but i need ur help, my friends found out that we will be going to Paris in September, they are asking if i could buy them Louis Vuitton bags and wallets, any idea what/where department store in Paris i could buy in a better/cheaper price? thank you guys.

StCirq Jul 17th, 2009 05:17 AM

Tell your friends that with the current exchange rate you're not likely to get any bargains on anything in France compared to what they could find at discount sites on the internet or at any US mall. Besides, do you really want to spend your vacation time shopping for other people?

Christina Jul 17th, 2009 09:09 AM

They don't discount that merchandise in regular stores, in fact, I don't buy that kind of stuff, but I thought no one was allowed to sell it except in Louis Vuitton stores. Their flagship store is right on the Champs-Elysees, but things won't be cheap there. I don't know if they ever have markedowns or sale merchandise, though. LV is one of the most expensive brands in the world, they do a lot to protect it and don't allow it being sold cheaply. Besides, sales in Paris are regulated anyway to certain time periods, and September isn't one of them, although I think stores are allowed to sell old merchandise or discontinued stuff at a discount outside the regulated sales periods. I think they have a few small boutiques in some luxury dept stores, but since they have their flagship in Paris, I would be surprised if they allowed other stores to sell their stuff there. If they did, my best bet would be Bon Marche. It's not cheap, so if that's the goal, I think you can forget it.

ParisAmsterdam Jul 17th, 2009 09:14 AM

Vintage Louis Vuitton:

http://www.isl-antiquites.com/uk/produits.php?cat=6

tod Jul 17th, 2009 09:29 AM

Nobody can tell the difference between the real or fake: Even I have had Louis Vuitton Denim Fabric in my shop - needless to say it flew out pretty quick!

http://www.sofiasreplica.com/

http://www.basicreplica.com/tahitiennes.html

http://www.nvo.com/louisvuitton

scatcat Jul 17th, 2009 09:35 AM

I have bought lots of LV handbags, wallets, key chains, and one duffel bag. I have bought all but one wallet at the LV boutique in Nice. In my experience(and that's a lot) I have never found any LV product on sale or discounted if you buy multiple items. I can save a small amount of money by getting them in France. The VAT helps with that. You can get on the LV site and check prices by Euro and US dollars. Then remember that you will get back about 12% VAT. Not sure the exact amount. I have it credited to my credit card and I've checked it before but I don't remember the exact figure.

Cries_Van_Notebook Jul 17th, 2009 09:54 AM

I agree with St. Cirq. Go to LVdotcom and check the prices of items that you would like to purchase. When you get to Paris, compare prices with the exchange rate prices. There is a very nice LV store on Rue Bonaparte, next door to Deux Maggots.

LV is very exlusive; if you think you are going to walk down the street and find a $1400 Bastille Bag in some shop on Rue Cambon for $600 you are sadly mistaken. If you do, it will be fake.

The only place I have ever seen deep discounts of Louis Vuitton is someplace like BagBorrowSteal when it has a merchandise clearance of USED bags.

You can also find USED and sometimes new LV at Craigslist NYC. You have to be very careful, however, because much of the stuff is FAKE.

I have lots of LV luggage that I inherited from my grandmother, including a steamer trunk.

PS
Louis Vuitton bags are out. The bag of the moment is the Proenza Schouler PS1 bag. #2 is the Balenciaga Arena bag.

Thin

Guenmai Jul 18th, 2009 09:46 AM

njo5047-Yes, the price of Vuitton is less in Paris than in the U.S. I've been buying it there regularly since 1980. If you want, new, Vuitton- store, authentic Vuitton, then you'll need to go to a Vuitton store. If you go to tripadvisor.com and and go on the France forum and look for the thread that someone started entitled, "buying handbags in paris vs the USA" June 27,2009, then I've answered this question in full there along with other posters. I just happened to have jotted the thread name and date down since this question is asked so much and I've answered it so much.

And yes, the dollar is down which will affect the price. But due to the dollar being down it will also affect the price here in the U.S. as Vuitton gets price increases here. Happy Travels!

flsd Jul 18th, 2009 10:45 AM

Find friends with better taste in handbags and wallets. ;^)

lennyba Jul 18th, 2009 11:12 AM

<he bag of the moment is the Proenza Schouler PS1 bag. >

So did you get it or not?

Cries_Van_Notebook Jul 18th, 2009 06:58 PM

Guenmai, you are right. I went to LVdotcom and looked at the Abbesses Bag for France e-shopping (850 euros) and looked at the same bag for USA e-shopping ($1,330.00). With the exchange rate you would save about $130 if you bought the bag in Paris.

However, don't forget that if you use many American charge cards in Europe you have to pay a conversion fee, so that would eat up some of the savings.

Thin

pat Jul 18th, 2009 07:23 PM

My friend asked me to get her one in Nice. It cost more than at home in the US

dutyfree Jul 18th, 2009 09:23 PM

I have learned a lesson in my travels besides flying international for the airlines-DON'T ever volunteer to shop,"pick up",scout or whatever you want to call it for friends back home. I have spent too many hours trying to find everything from a duplicate crystal Christmas ornament in Prague in the pouring spring rain to African necklaces in Senegal that they had admired from previous trips.
Go and enjoy your trip instead.People do not understand the time commitment,effort and extra money that you end up shelling out to get them their purchases.
Feel better getting that off my chest-thanks!

Padraig Jul 18th, 2009 09:55 PM

Cheaper Louis Vuitton? Surely the whole point of buying Louis Vuitton is to tell the world that you don't need cheap stuff.

cathies Jul 18th, 2009 11:14 PM

LV does not have sales - ever. :( I have that on good authority from a friend who works in the Sydney store.

Guenmai Jul 18th, 2009 11:29 PM

njo5047- If you decide to pick up some Vuitton pieces for friends, then have them write down exactly what they want and go on vuitton.com and click on France to get the French price. Then go on xe.com to get the exchange rate.

Then tell them that you need the money UP FRONT and will refund them the detaxe money when it comes back to you which could be 2 months. And remind them that first, the prices you're quoting them are approximate as the dollar does fluctuate and the actual exchange rate will probably be lower than the xe.com exchange rate, and second that we have an $800 duty exempt limit and if it goes over that, then whatever is over the $800. is supposed to be taxed. I declare everything, but several times have had custom's agents just flag me through although I was over the limit. It depends on the agent. They also need to be aware that that $800 limit also includes whatever you may want to buy on your trip and have to declare. They need to know this so that they don't use up your whole limit.

I have bought Vuitton items for friends in the past, but only if I didn't plan to use up all of my duty exempt limit on various shopping items bought for either myself or family members requesting different items to be brought back.

Thin....tax has to be added to the American price and here in L.A. it's 9.25%. In France the base price is lower than the American price and then there's detaxe. So, it's quite a bit less if bought in France.

Padraig-As for your comment, the whole point of buying LV is not to tell the world that one doesn't need cheap stuff. Different folks like different things and for different reasons. And as for LV, every single bag and luggage piece that I have had has held up incredibly well and over decades and whichever pieces I have tired of and sold I've gotten at least what I paid for it back or more...depending on how long I kept the bag/luggage piece.

My briefcase, bought in the early 80s, for less than $150, including detaxe, at Vuitton Paris, still looks like new and I could easily sell if if I wanted to for more than I paid for it.

If one only bought luxury items to tell the world that they don't need cheap stuff, then I guess that would also go for folks who drive luxury cars, Mercedes, Lexus, BMW, etc...of which I don't and let's throw in the folks who have $500. cell phones...of which I don't. I still have my old school Verizon of over a decade. Oh, and let's throw in those who spend thousands on art works... and the list of consumers and their purchases could go on for a very long time.

I say life is short and if one wants to buy an item that he/she finds pleasure from then it's his/her right to spend his/her hard earned money on whatever makes him/her happy. Happy Travels!

stfc Jul 19th, 2009 02:13 AM

I'm with dutyfree and Guenmai. I go abroad a lot with work, but often for only short stops. I never ever respond to requests from anybody to waste my down time trying to get them things that are 5% cheaper than at home.

The reality is there are very few differences these days in high-end consumer product prices anywhere in the world.

If your friends can afford Louis Vuitton they can afford to go to Paris themselves to buy it.

nj05047 Jul 19th, 2009 09:24 PM

YOu guys are great help. Guenmai thanks for letting me know that there is $800 limit for teh trip and to be declared, i will tell my friends to just buy LV here in US (im suer they will understand), i dont need headache i want to relax while in Paris and not to think of what to buy for them.... Thanks so much guys!

bluzmama Jul 19th, 2009 10:14 PM

I spent a one day out of 3 1/2 days in Paris shopping with a friend who was trying to purchase perfume for a friend at work. My friend is an extremely slooooww shopper while I make up my mind and I'm done. After purchasing the perfume she stopped at an ATM put her bag on the ground and took out some cash. She forgot to pick up the bag (I hadn't paid attention or would have held it for her) and remembered after we left but of course it was gone. I love the dear friend but would never travel with her again and would not agree to the small amount of vacation time that I have shopping for merchandise that can be purchased at home.

irishface Jul 20th, 2009 04:51 AM

Not only the time and money expended but the space taken up in your luggage coming home. Tell her politely to buy her own stuff. (I don't always put things diplomatically so hope you get the idea.)


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