purses sold near The Sheraton
 

I hear that they are cracking down on the people selling purses in the "backroom" on Canal Street" and that you can find them near the Sheraton on 52nd Street. Anyone know anything about this? Thanks!

Would you like to know where to buy crack near the Sheraton too?

Ah, the never-ending passion for fake handbags... hey, they ARE like crack!

If you are looking for nice handbags, skip the crooks in front of the NY Sheraton. They'll ask for $25 easily.

Go instead to Times Square area: Broadway7th Avenue and W. 43/44/45 Streets. A few feet into the side street going towards 8th Avenue, there's always a vendor selling nice handbags for only about $5.

As an alternate location, go farther south to Herald Square area near Macy's. On Avenue of the Americas (6th AVenue), near W. 33/32 Streets there are likewise vendors selling the handbags for about $5. The vendors stay a few yards into the side street, going towards 7th Avenue.

Happy browsing! Welcome to New York.

Sometimes you can buy them on 49th btwn 6th & 7th.

I work with 2 gals that buy these bags and think they are real. I don't get how they figure that you can buy a bag that sells for hundreds of dollars for $40.00. It doesn't make any sense.

These are copies not fakes sold in Times Square. Yes, by all means purchase them as they are sold by licensed vendors trying to make a living.

You'll find them on just about all street corners in Times Square.

What's the difference between a copy and a fake?

Dooney & Burke copies Louis Viutton.

The guy in the back room selling you a Louis Vuitton that is not made by the company is selling you a fake.

Thanks Go! I always wondered about that as well.

DO D & B sell for $40 around Times Square??

The copies sold in the above-mentioned examples are not D&B "versions" of Viutton! (No, don't expect to find genuine D&B bags for $40 anywhere.)
To further explain the difference between a copy and a fake. Generally, the fake will carry a phony label of the original manufacturer and is intended to convince the non-expert that it's an original.
Again, in a general sense, the copy is just that, an imitation (i.e., a similar version) of the original with no actual labels or whatever directly relating it to the designer version.

Be sure to bargain with the guys sellings purses on the street. Rarely should you pay more than $20.

Two tips:

Make the offer out of earshot of anyone else and be prepared to walk away. You'll probably get chased down the street to make the sale.

Enjoy NYC!

Thanks Howard that is very helpful.

Debi
The women I referred to as paying $40.00 per bag buy them from a lady that goes to NY and brings them back and sells them out of her truck. So, with Howards definition, they are actually paying $40.00 for a fake.

Thanks Howard! I was having trouble explaining!

PS: For those who don't realize it, the fakes are illegal, the copies, generally, are not.

Any handbag that you buy on the street for $5 (wouldn;t that be plastic or vinyl???) or $20 or $40 is worth exactlty what you pay for it - if you're lucky. Most likely they will start to unravel and wear very quickly -since you simply can;t get anything in a decent quality for that price.

If you want a quality handbag at a good price check out Centruy 21, filene's basement or the upscale malls in Secaucus or Woodbury.

The ones on the street are not real - but either "fakes" - poor quality duplicates pretending to be real - or copies (legitimake makers different enough not to violate copyright tules - but much lesser quality than the name brands).

The Kate Spade knockoff I bought on the street in Manhattan for $10 fell apart after about 3 months--the straps separated from the bag. If I had bothered to get it repaired, it may have lasted a bit longer. I suppose I got what I paid for, but I wouldn't buy a cheapie like that again. What's the point?

Someone will no doubt post that they bought a $10 Chanel knockoff and when the chain broke they took it into the Chanel store and the staff couldn't beleive it was fake and how all the salespeople at Chanel ran out and bought one.

Yadda yadda, urban legend.

I too bought a fake off the street years ago and had it fall apart in short order. Lesson learned. I have had expensive bags fall apart as well, but at least then you have some recourse. I would rather have one great, well made bag hanging in my closet than 10 crappy ones.

NewbE, if you bought a real Kate Spade bag for $300 and it fell apart after seven and a half years would you be upset? You got the same length of service dollar-wise for your $10 fake.

But, Patrick, it's not just a question of dollars and cents!

The same length of service- but not the same lookk or quality. If you judge on that basis you're better off with a plastic bag from the supermarket.

All I'm saying is if you're as happy carrying around a fake one for 3 months as you are for carrying around a real one for 7 years -- for the same amount of money, what's the difference -- other than you won't get tired of the fake one like you might the real one after a few years.

I keep handbags much longer than 7 years, Patrick, although it's also true that I tend to buy classic styles. And to clarify, I was perfectly happy with my $10 knockoff for the time I used it, as it was a trendy style that I would not have wanted to invest more in. As I said: you get what you pay for. I hope none of these knockoff enthusiasts thinks the fake will last as long as the real thing would.

I bought a fake one, but it was just for the cloak and dagger aspect. It's a nice little bag but I'm not under the illusion that I have a real one or anything. It was just a fun thing that we did after lunch one day and it's a funny story to tell what with the false walls and all!

I have a few fakes I got in Chinatown in SF and they're actually good quality. I wish they didn't have the fake label on them, i.e. they were a copy and not a fake, because I just like the style and I'm not trying to fool anyone. However, I did spend about 50.00 on the purse, probably why it's well made.

Personally, I don't think supporting people who sell illegal items is a good idea, but I also don't see how high end brands can get away with selling some darn ugly bags for upwards of $1,000. Thus, if I see a bag I really do like, and it's $20, you bet I'm gonna buy it, and not expect it to last more than a few months. $20, $5, whatever... if it looks like it will hold up until the next season, it is probably worth the splurge!

Another way to go is to shop consignment. I picked up 2 Kate Spade bags for a total of $100, and they were almost new.

Just want to clarify that "graciegirl" and "gracie" are not the same peron. I am "gracie" -- have been since we were first required to register many years ago.

I'm going to jump in here and agree with NYTraveler - skip these guys selling fakes that will inevitably fall apart and take the trip to Century 21 or Filene's..even Loehmann's. You're apt to get a bag that may or may not be a designer but it will be something you like and probably MUCH better quality. Happy Shopping!

Those of you who think the "real" items are better quality are kidding yourselves.

A few years ago, my wife bought me a "real" Gucci belt. One of the screws in the buckle must have lossened up and I lost it. We stopped at a Gucci store to see about repair/replacement. They wanted $20 to "evaluate" it and said minimum repair cost is $50. That really was a screw!

We wound up taking it to a local shoemaker who found a replacement screw and charged $5.

My wife had a similar experience with a real LV purse when the zipper broke.

In the future, for about the same price, I'd rather buy 10 fake Gucci belts, than 1 real one, and support the legal thieves.

I have had the opposite experience with legitimate goods. I purchased a Fendi bag in the early 70s when the company was not as well known as it is today. Three years ago, I brought it to the Fendi store in Manhattan beacuse the stitching on the handle was torn. They fixed it for me at no cost..after 30 years!