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Tips for Navigating the Secondhand Luxury Handbag Market

Writer's picture: Pamela TuckerPamela Tucker

Gemini AI Pro Generated Image
Gemini AI Pro Generated Image

The topic of luxury handbags made headline news in late December 2024 when dupes of the Hermès Birkin handbag, a notoriously expensive handbag went viral on social media. The dupes, with price points from about $80 - $100, sold by a third-party seller on the Walmart Marketplace became known as the "Wirkin" and these handbags quickly sold out.


Walmart Marketplace and Rebag

Soon after, in January 2025 Walmart and luxury handbags again made headlines. It was reported Walmart and the luxury New York based Rebag, a luxury reseller operating since 2014 would be partnering to offer secondhand luxury handbags, fine jewelry and watches on the Walmart Marketplace. Link: https://tinyurl.com/esby6b6f


Walmart Marketplace and Luxury Reseller eLady

Of note, prior to Rebag's January 2025 announcement, shoppers were already able to buy secondhand luxury handbags on the Walmart Marketplace sold by other companies. One of these is the Tokyo based luxury reseller eLady. As of this writing, eLady has hundreds of listings on the Walmart Marketplace, including luxury brands such as Hermès, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Tiffany, among others. For example, this is an eLady listing for a Hermès Birkin

eLady's Listing on Walmart Marketplace
eLady's Listing on Walmart Marketplace

Link to the above Hermès handbag: https://tinyurl.com/th6z6xmn


Note also there are others selling pre-owned luxury handbags on the Walmart Marketplace, including Luxclusif.


Walmart Marketplace and Rebag

Several news articles indicated the Walmart Marketplace site would feature tens of thousands of items from Rebag's inventory. However, my own observations over the past week suggest the actual number of listings is currently somewhere between 1,000 and 2,000. This discrepancy is understandable considering the partnership is a few weeks old.


Rebag's offerings on Walmart Marketplace include handbags from the brands Chanel, Louis Vuitton Gucci, Dior and Hermès, among others. Interestingly only one Hermès Birkin is listed! On the other hand, the Hermès' handbag style named Eveylne looked to have the most number of listings, with about 35.


While Rebag has partnered with other retailers in the past and it sells on other platforms, its latest collaboration with Walmart is making headlines due to the unexpected pairing of a luxury reseller with a mass-market retailer.


Bloomingdale's and Rebag

In August 2024 Bloomingdale's and Rebag started a partnership to sell Rebag's pre-owned

luxury handbags, (including small leather goods) and accessories on the Bloomingdale's website. Link to website: https://tinyurl.com/hpbys8mj


The partnership also includes Rebag store-within-a store in these Bloomingdales' stores

Name of Shopping Center /Mall

City and State

Boca Raton Town Center

Boca Raton, Florida

Fashion Valley, San Diego

San Diego, California

Sherman Oaks Fashion Square

Sherman Oaks, California

The Mall at Short Hills

Short Hills, New Jersey

A Bloomingdale's Standalone Location

White Plains, New York

Per Rebag's August 8, 2024 press release,"The partnership includes a meticulously curated selection of over 2,500 designer handbags, watches, and fine jewelry, available online at Bloomingdales.com and over 500 items in five select Bloomingdale's stores nationwide."

It also states:"The items bought and sold by Rebag at Bloomingdale's and on Bloomingdales.com will be focused solely on select ultra high-end pieces including handbags, watches, and fine jewelry."


My recent review of Rebag's listings on Bloomingdale's website shows a little over 2,200 items, with about 1,700 handbags and small leather goods and 475 jewelry and accessories items, including 86 watches.


The handbag and small leather goods brands are limited to the following five brands shown in the table below. Given the August 8, 2024 press release mentioning "it will be focused on select ultra high end pieces" it is surprising there are not any Chanel listings.


Also interesting is the inclusion of the Bvlgari and Teflar brands. Both have relatively low price points listed, compared with what is typically considered ultra luxury. Yet, in terms of including Teflar on the Bloomingdale's site, it makes sense as a Bloomingdale's customer could also be a Teflar customer. Teflar, is a genderless brand and the designer won the CFDA Fashion Award for American Accessories Designer of the Year in 2020 and 2021.


Rebag Listings of Handbags and Small Leather Goods

Information as of January 26, 2025

Brand

Number of Listings

Price Range

Hermès

1,269

$356 - $62,605

Goyard

400

$631 - $9,320

Bvlgari

57

$995 - $2,610

Judith Leiber

8

$600 - $3,650

Telfar

3

$375 - $561

Searching for a Particular Louis Vuitton Bag

Dropdown Menu in Rebag Section on Walmart Marketplace
Dropdown Menu in Rebag Section on Walmart Marketplace

While reviewing the Rebag listings on

the Walmart Marketplace, I decided to look for a particular Louis Vuitton bag, the Sac Plat Cross Bag Limited Edition Wild Animals Damier Graphite.


Compared to dedicated luxury resale platforms with advanced search capabilities, the Walmart Marketplace falls short in this regard.


For example, when in the Brand Tab, clicking on Louis Vuitton and then the Handbag Type, the only option listed is Hobo. The Handbag Type option needs to be improved and expanded as the types of Louis Vuitton handbags on the Walmart Marketplace include totes, pouches, backpacks, messenger bags and wallets, and more.


Since I was unable to locate the Louis Vuitton bag noted above, I decided to search for it on other platforms, specifically on Rebag and other partner platforms.


The next place I looked was on Bloomingdales.com and saw Rebag does not include the Louis Vuitton brand on Bloomingdales.com so I then moved on.


Rebag Sells on Multiple Platforms

Keep in mind it's easy to assume you are comparing apples to apples when browsing similar styles, but that's not always the case. Luxury brands may update their designs over time. If the seller doesn't specify the bag's production year or date code, and if photos of key details like hardware, and date code are missing, you might be looking at different versions of the same style. Also, remember that many styles come in different sizes, so always check the measurements.


Rebag Sells on Multiple Platforms

While searching for the Louis Vuitton Sac Plat Cross Bag Limited Edition Wild Animals Damier Graphite, I reviewed Rebag ad the other platforms where Rebag sells, and assumed the bag is the same on each platform. In other words, I'm searching under the assumption

I'm comparing apples with apples. These are the factors I considered:


  • Price

  • Shipping Cost

  • Condition of Handbag

  • Returns Policy


Rebag

The Louis Vuitton bag was easy to search for on the Rebag website. The most striking point about the listing is that the bag could be purchased for two different prices.


The higher price is, $3,165 and the lower price is $3,007. The lower price, a reduction of $158 is available if the purchaser is a Rebag + Member. With this membership, shipping and returns are free.


If the shopper is not a member, shipping is $20 and returns are $75. The Rebag + membership fee is a minimum monthly fee of $50 and it includes other benefits in addition to the lower price of the handbag. Be sure to read the "fine print" and of course ask the Company questions before joining Link: https://tinyurl.com/yu9y4ecz


The condition of the bag is listed as "Great" the third of six condition categories Rebag assigns to handbags. Condition details are described further and it notes the interior has a perfume odor. Not a pleasant thought!


Listing on Rebag

Louis Vuitton Listing on Rebag
Louis Vuitton Listing on Rebag

Benefits of Rebag + Membership
Benefits of Rebag + Membership

After clicking on "Add to Cart" the following section appears. This page, with two columns on the top section shows the two prices and lists the Rebag+ benefits, such as early access to sales and if selling a bag to Rebag, you could earn up to 5% more.


The lower half of this section asks if this bag is to be purchased by paying with a trade. If a trade is included, the shopper needs to provide information and photos of the item and it needs to be shipped to Rebag within 24 hours.


A selling point of this trade feature appears to be that selling an item and purchasing a new one at the same time will end up with the buyer paying only the difference. The downside is if the buyer receives a lower price for the bag once Rebag inspects it in person than anticipated and needs to pay more for the bag than originally thought.


When considering a trade, be sure to carefully read the information and ask your questions to Rebag. Link: https://tinyurl.com/yjx953w5


Rebag has the Louis Vuitton bag I'm looking for. However, I'm unsure whether to buy it as a Rebag+ member or make a one-time purchase. Membership has its perks, like credit towards future purchases, but it also comes with a monthly fee.


Another concern is the perfume odor mentioned in the listing. I'm not sure a charcoal odor absorber would completely eliminate the scent, and I'm hesitant to buy the bag without knowing for sure if I can fix that issue.


I then decided to see if the bag would be less expensive on another platform.


thredUP and Rebag

The Rebag x thredUP partnership was announced in November 2023. The collaboration allows customers to resell their items on thredUP for Rebag credit and shop a selection of Rebag’s inventory directly on thredUP's site.


The Louis Vuitton bag is listed on thredUP. Differences between the listing on thredUP and Rebag are price, shipping fees, condition and return policy, so there is lots to compare! For example, buying this bag on the Rebag website as a Rebag+ member, it would be $292 less and if not a member the price is $134 less, plus $20 shipping. thredUP includes free shipping.


It's worth noting that thredUP and Rebag have different condition rating systems. thredUP uses a four-tier system and has rated this bag as 'Excellent' (their highest rating). Rebag, with a six-tier system, lists it as 'Great' (their third-highest rating). This discrepancy warrants further investigation to understand the actual condition of the bag. Reading the detailed descriptions would be helpful; yet it is understandable if a potential buyer would have concerns. Please refer to the table at the end of this post for comparison details.


Louis Vuitton Listing on thredUP
Louis Vuitton Listing on thredUP

eBay and Rebag

According the information posted on eBay, Rebag has been a member of eBay since 2013. This is interesting as on its own website, Rebag notes it was founded in 2014. eBay lists this bag for $190 more than buying it on the Rebag platform if not being a Rebag+ member. eBay offers free shipping; but returns are not allowed.

Louis Vuitton Listing on eBay
Louis Vuitton Listing on eBay

Note though, eBay has a promotion until January 28, 2025 for this bag, 15% off, up to a maximum of $500. Since 15% of the price of this bag is $503, the total amount of the coupon could be applied, and the bag would cost $2,855.


eBay wins on price and has free shipping, though returns are not allowed. While the price is higher on the Rebag platform, it allows returns, so you'll need to weigh your priorities. Please refer to the chart at the end of this post for comparison details.

Limited Time eBay 15% Coupon
Limited Time eBay 15% Coupon

ShopStyle and Rebag

ShopStyle, the fashion search engine owned by Rakuten, includes Rebag on its platform. The Louis Vuitton bag was found by using the search bar. Once the bag was located, ShopStyle refers the shopper to the Rebag website. Since ShopStyle partners with thousands of companies, it draws significant traffic and therefore makes sense for Rebag to have this option to attract customers.

Louis Vuitton Listing on ShopStyle
Louis Vuitton Listing on ShopStyle

Conclusion

Shopping for a pre-loved luxury bag with Rebag can be time consuming as there are a number of factors to consider. It is possible, depending on the bag, the shopper's priorities can change. For instance, if you are willing to take a risk and know returns are not allowed, you might opt for the lowest price seller, which might not be Rebag, but one of its partners.


In this particular case, based on price, eBay wins, though it is due to it having a limited time 15% promotion. The Rebag + option is also attractive as it has the lowest price for this bag when the eBay promotion expires and provides free shipping and free returns. However, the membership fee might be off putting.


Don't forget that walking away is always an option! If the perfume odor is a deal-breaker, it might be wiser to keep searching for a similar bag in better condition.


Everyone has different priorities when it comes to buying a pre-loved luxury bag.


The table below summarizes the key differences between the listings mentioned above, but ultimately, the best choice depends on your individual needs and preferences. What matters most to you?


Rebag and its Platforms - Comparison Highlights



Full Disclosure: The content in my blog is based on my personal opinions and experiences. It is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. All opinions are my own, and I have not received any compensation for writing this post.


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