Hi How much should I bargain when looking for, let's say, a Coach Purse or a Prada Purse, etc. I heard they now take you into a building and show you their stuff Is that true? First timer and not good at bargaining. Thanks so much

I recently got both a Prada and a Kate Spade bag. The Prada bag was like black leather with little rinestones (4 on each side) and about the size of a medium to large house cat. They wanted $45 and we talked them down to $25. The Kate Spade bag is black, brown and tan stripes and the usual smaller ones and we paid $20, don't remember how much they asked for though, it may have been about $30-$35. I don't know whether these were considered "good deals", I spend alot of time in NY and little of it looking for purses. But that was good for my budget.

I also got these purses near Serendipity at (60th btwn 2nd & 3rd) instead of Chinatown. I find it harder to find purses that don't look like such bad knockoffs in Chinatown - where although they may be harder to talk down or cost more I rather look closer to midtown. The guys who look kinda sketchy running around with boxes with sheets of purses in them are in my opinion a better bet. The purses at least look like the real thing. For example they actually say Prada instead of maybe Pagoda!

We were on Canal street about two weeks ago. The designer bags were kept in a back room. My neice bought two coach bags for about $50.00. I wasn't interested just nosy to see what was back there.

Purple -

I hope you're not operating on the asumption that these bags are the real thing. They're all fakes - no matter what you pay for them. Some look a little less fake than others - but none of them are real.

A Kate Spade bag can;t be had for anything near $25 - or $45 - or anything even close.

As for Coach - the knockoffs are so bad - and the real thing not that expensive - why not just go for real when they have a sale?

Well, duh, of course they are fake.

tsk, tsk, tsk... Instead of Canal Street junk, go to Macys where there are having a giant sale on bags of all kinds and from a wide range of designers. Saw very nice bags there that were originally $200-$300 in the $75-$125 range. Why not do that instead?

that should be where "they" are... can't type today!

I've been bargaining on Canal since I was 10 years old.

First, have the cash amount you want to pay for the item in your hand. If the purse is offered at $35, hold up your twenty dollar bill and say "$20." Don't show any other money.

If the seller balks, walk away, slowly. Often you'll win right there. If not, and you really want the item, you can browse for a moment and then offer $25.

If you don't see what you want, be sure to ask. Most vendors keep lots of stuff in the back.

Not long ago, I had a meeting on Varick Street and forgot my sunglasses. Exiting the subway on Canal, I saw a vendor with "Oakleys" for $20. All I had on me was a $5 bill -- and I walked away with the sunglasses.

Finally, in my opinion, you'll get better deals if you don't look like a tourist. I know that's a tough one, but if you look & act like a seen-it-all New Yorker, they'll give up more easily.

Good luck & Enjoy!

Get them on sale??? Do these things ever go on sale??? I don't think I've EVER seen a Coach or Prada or L.V. purse on sale!! Kate Spade maybe. They're so outrageously expensive, why not go for the knock-offs???

You'll find people selling these things everywhere on the streets in Manhattan, but supposedly, Canal St. has the best knock-offs. Most stores have them hidden away, and yes, they'll take you into a back room to look at them. Some stores might show you pictures of them and have you pick, and then they'll go off and bring it back. You might find a few people on the streets selling them out of a big bag as well.

Nothing like bartering with criminals over products created by sweatshop labor. Those children in Asia who created that Kate Spade knockoff for 10 cents a day must be reassured that you are getting such a good deal.

Yes - Coach has sales. And I've even bought some things on sale at Macy's - when you got the sale price plus the extra 10 or 15% off for using your Macy's card.

For me - buying quality - Coach - not Spade - that's out of my price range - really pays - since the things last forever.

And I wouldn;t buy these fakes anyway - since I prefer not to support criminals.

Good grief, give me a break! Tell the Chinese family that runs the little store on Canal Street that they're "criminals."

Let me guess, your self-righteousness only extends to laws with which you agree, or do you never exceed the posted speed limit or jaywalk?

Hypocrites . . . .

Gekko, darling, do you ALWAYS do the right thing? I thought noone is perfect--but you of course

Wrong emoticon

Honestly, does anyone really think that those fakes look real?

I know there are Urban Legend stories where my friend's, neighbor's, sister's, Aunt LooLoo bought one in New York and was shopping in the Chanel Boutique in Paris and all the Chanel salesgirls thought it was real yadda, yadda, yadda.

Anyone with a real bag or that knows anything about them can spot a fake from a mile away.

You always see a big group of women in New York carrying them around.

Good point Gekko!

There are good knock-offs and there are definitely bad ones. Supposedly, some of the good ones are so good that you can't tell unless you look REAL closely. I don't know. That's what the women tell me!

I am in the UK now, and really miss going to NYC to Canal Street to get watches, and handbags. Does anyone know if there's a similar place in London? I asked on the Europe board a while ago, and got no answers.
thanks!

Newsflash: Plenty of women purchase handbags on Canal Street not because they want people to think the bags are "real," but because they're inexpensive and stylish.

The same goes with sunglasses and watches. And "burberry" scarves. And whatever else the vendors are selling.

Those children in Asia who created that Kate Spade knockoff for 10 cents a day must be reassured that you are getting such a good deal.

Since I have Real Kate Spade bags, how should I feel about this?

I thought that the vendors on Canal Street sold look alikes, there are no names on the bags or logos..that is illegal. But you can buy these same bags, on the East Side near the Met, on Madison in the 80s..these people are licensed to sell on the street.
What criminals?
If you ask my husband, he will tell you it is Criminal to charge $700- for a Prada bag in the Prada store in Soho..

Isn't it the truth, Scarlett~

I get Coach for 1/2 price all the time at AAFES and Macy's in Dallas.
Just bought the large wristlet in the traditional beige/brown logo cloth for 22.00.
Bought my husband a beautiful classic black Coach briefcase for 225.00 on clearance.
Also Marshall's gets Coach pieces periodically, but most are grabbed up within minutes. I bought a plain bag at the Marshall's at Grapevine Mills (DFW) for 59.00.
I would love to find that new scribble pattern somewhere... love it!