Design scam: She spent $2,600 at a luxury store on a bag designed by the Olsen twins and now suspects it’s a fake
A nightmare situation unfolded for Joan Kim after she purchased a $2,000 The Row tote, only for her to be sent a fake bag.
A fashion scam for the ages has grabbed headlines after a TikToker accused Saks Fifth Avenue of selling her a fake designer bag.
Joan Kim, a content creator, posted a video detailing her experience to her followers, in part as a warning to them that the world-famous retailer might not be a reliable place to purchase designer bags.
The TikToker purchased a black tote from The Row as a gift around the holiday season last year because she had fallen in love with the white version, which she bought in person at Saks.
@joanday I just received a fake bag from @Saks Fifth Avenue and spent a couple of hours talking to their customer service and they just want me to send the bag back. And I watched videos where they lie about stains/etc. so I am worries about sending it back and not receiving my full refund. What to do in this situation?! Would you send back a fake bag only for them to possibly scam another customer??? This is just so so wrong. #saks #saksfifthavenue #therow
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What do you do if a reliable retailer sends you a fake bag?
However, when the black bag arrived, she began to notice small details that indicated that the product might not be original.
In the video, she points to the condition of the dust cover the bag came in, which looked much messier than the one that came with the white version. She also highlighted the label placement, which was neatly placed in the corner of the original bag, whereas the one that arrived at her house was sideways and not sewn down well.
Then, upon taking out the tote, she found that the leather didn’t feel real, and that the suede on the inside felt nothing like the bag she already owned.
After a customer service runaround, the company refunded Kim and provided her with a gift card worth the same value as the purchase she had made. Since she doesn’t live in the United States, Kim said she would wait until she returns to use the gift card because she doesn’t trust the authenticity of the bags purchased online.
“If you are thinking about shopping at Saks Fifth Avenue, maybe don’t make big purchases over a thousand dollars,” advised Kim.
@joanday Replying to @Coraline good news!! I got my refund 🙌 plz don’t let this happen again, @Saks Fifth Avenue #saks #saksfifthavenue
♬ 10 minutes! Fashionable and bright jazz piano(1127989) - nyansuke
Kim said that in the future, she would try to purchase products from The Row, the fashion label started by Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen in 2005, directly.
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