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.