Vintage Chanel Bags: The best places to buy and sell authentic Chanel items

Where to buy and sell vintage Chanel bags
Where to buy and sell vintage Chanel bags

SAVING MONEY BUYING VINTAGE CHANEL

As most of you know, I love vintage bags as much as I love new and I get a lot of questions on buying vintage Chanel bags and authenticity.  My most recent vintage Chanel bags were purchases from a resale shop in Japan. 

Japan and many parts of Asia have these really nice resale shops where they sell authentic, pre-owned bags in really great condition for less than retail.  Mind you, they are not “cheap” as bags are still only about 10%-30% under retail (my guess at least) but still some savings.

The best places to buy Vintage Chanel bags online

It can be hard to find vintage or pre-owned Chanel bags as I find that Designer consignment shops do carry some, but the selection is not great and it always changes so you would need to stop in pretty frequently.

After doing some research of where to buy pre-owned and vintage Chanel bags online, I pulled together this list of the best places to buy Vintage Chanel Bags online. A lot of these sites do sell other designer brands but since I’m mainly interested in Chanel, that’s where I focused on.

Vintage Chanel Bags: The best places to buy and sell authentic Chanel items

THE PURSE FORUM – INVALUABLE RESOURCE FOR BUYING DESIGNER PURSES ONLINE

First a few things:  I did most of my research through The Purse Forum which is a fantastic resource for anyone that is interested in designer handbags.  The ladies on there are super knowledgeable and I totally trust their opinions and guarantees about authenticity.  All of the below have been confirmed authentic resellers from The Purse Forum and either I’ve had experience with them or I’ve had friends that have had good experiences with them.

VINTAGE CHANEL PRICING

I think that my experience so far when telling people that my handbags are vintage, they automatically think “cheap” or “affordable”.  While they are more affordable than new bags, vintage Chanel bags will still run you over $1,000+. 

Some of the bags are still pretty much the price of retail depending on how popular or rare the style/color/size is.  So buying vintage does not necessarily mean that you are going to save a lot of money but it does mean that you’ll often get a bag that not a whole lot of people are carrying which is why I love my vintage bags.

BEST PLACES TO BUY AND SELL VINTAGE CHANEL BAGS

Vintage Chanel Bags: The best places to buy and sell authentic Chanel items

Fashionphile

Fashionphile is one of the first online retailers for vintage Chanel bags that I found and I have purchased from them quite a few times. All of my experiences have been great and I feel that they offer very fair prices for their pieces. They give great descriptions of each peices as well as what the condition is so you are well aware of the flaws before buying. Other perks that they have is a 30 day return policy as well sell your bag (or any bag you may have) to them.

Bag Borrow Or Steal

Bag Borrow or Steal started the trend of renting bags which I think is a fabulous idea but you can also purchase from them!

Gilt

I have shopped at Gilt for so many years and have always had a great experience. They offer great prices on tons of designers but they have a great selection of Vintage Chanel bags. Their selection changes pretty frequently so I check back on the site pretty often just to see what they have.

SHOP VINTAGE AND PRE-OWNED CHANEL

BEFORE YOU BUY

Before you buy here are a few things to do:

  • Shop around at a few other sites to find similar type bags and note the prices.  Most bags should be in or around the same price point.  If you find one that is $100-$200 lower than other similar bags, you may have just found one for a great price!  If you find one that is $500+ lower than other similar ones, well you might just want to step away or get it authenticated before you buy as the price difference even between used/vintage is not going to be that big.  (Unless, the bag is damaged which that might account for the big difference.)
  • Note what the bag comes with.  All Chanel bags should come with the authenticity card and have the hologram sticker and both should have matching numbers.  (Unless it’s an older bag, which correct me if I’m wrong here but I’ve heard that the Chanel bags before the early-mid 80’s did not have holograms in the bag.) Some come with the dust bags, some may come with the boxes.  Obviously it depends on what the previous owner kept but the price may be affected higher/lower depending on if it comes with these items and if they are important for you to have than make sure to ask the seller if it’s not stated on the product page.  It’s pretty hard to get the dustbag and the box with vintage bags but the authenticity card should always be included.
  • Ask for clearer pictures if needed.  If you care if the stitches on the corner are coming apart or if the straps have any markings/loose stitches, ask for better pictures of each section and be specific as to what you want to see.  A lot of sellers will state where there are loose stitches or marks on the leather but some may just forget and if you don’t ask, they won’t tell you either.  A good seller will be happy to send you closer photos because they will understand about buying a pre-owned bag.
  • Don’t be afraid to buy a damaged bag if you know for sure it’s authentic.  You will be able to take your bag to the “Chanel Spa” and they will do everything from re-dyeing your bag to restitching or even adding new hardware.  Just go to any Chanel boutique, even the ones in Nordstrom and they will send it off for you to get fixed.  Of course it’s going to cost you but from some of the results I’ve seen, they do an amazing job.  It’s a long process (I’ve heard it can take up to 3 months to get your bag back from the spa) so if you just have a loose stitch or maybe a small mark on the leather, a lot of shoe repair shops also do handbag repairs and they can take care of the smaller less Chanel specific fixes (like dyeing the bag or adding new hardware).
  • Serial number: Fake bags do have hologram stickers and authenticity cards but one trick is to google the serial number that is given (all good sellers will have a picture of the serial number within the bag).  A lot of the counterfeit bags use the same number and the search results will pretty much tell you it’s fake as there are many well known fake serial numbers that are being used.  If even just one other bag shows up in your search with that same number, you will know it’s fake.  (just do a google search of “Chanel bag 7244764” and see what pops up.)
Vintage Chanel Bags: The best places to buy and sell authentic Chanel items

I hope my shopping tips have helped!  I really think vintage and pre-owned bags are just as fabulous as new and you can find different styles that you may never have seen.  I bought my vintage classic flap because I wanted a flap but didn’t want the one that everyone and their mom has so I found the unusual size of a 10″ flap that was more square than rectangle. 

It was exactly what I wanted and for a bag that’s 20+ years old, it’s in great shape!  And it just goes to show that buying Chanel really does keep it’s value as I’ve seen many bags that my mom owns that she bought in the 90’s go for about the same as what she paid for.  Kind of crazy that a handbag can hold that kind of value! 

Would love to hear any other tips from experienced vintage/resale shoppers.  Please share in the comments!

SELLING YOUR CHANEL BAG

For those of you are looking at selling many of the sites above share their process of selling bags through them.  They usually take a percentage but you know that you will get quality buyers through them.  You can also look into a designer resale shop in your area or to do a bit of research on the Purse Forum and ask the girls there, they all seem very knowledgeable!

SHOP VINTAGE AND PRE-OWNED CHANEL BAGS

BUYING NEW CHANEL AND OTHER DESIGNER BAGS

I get a lot of emails from readers who stumble upon sites that sell new designer items for great prices and they ask me if I’ve heard of them.  I don’t buy my designer shoes and handbags from any place other than well known stores – Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks, Barneys and Net-a-porter or on the actual designers website (like miumiu.com or ysl.com). 

Since this post is for vintage or resale so the sites mentioned above are the only ones that I have experience with.  Any other ones I have not heard of and my best suggestion for you is to just google the name of the website and add “fake” or “authentic” to the end of the search term and usually you’ll get search results which will give you the answer.

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  • Elaine A (TOBeautyReviews)
    May 3, 2011 at 1:07 pm

    Excellent post Tiffany, a lot of great information 🙂

  • PetiteLittleGirl
    May 3, 2011 at 1:37 pm

    Thank you so much for this post, Tiffany! I was sad to hear that Chanel raised their prices again. With this rate, I probably can't afford a new one. I don't mind vintage/preowned as long as they are authentic. I have no idea where to start looking for one. This post is very informative. Thanks again for sharing great tips 🙂

  • Twenty.Something
    May 3, 2011 at 1:43 pm

    Great post! Awesome info.

    Thanks for sharing. I have 1 Chanel vintage bag that I got in Hong Kong at a resaler… I love it. Hope to be able to afford more one day 🙂

    xo
    http://artfashiontwentysomething.blogspot.com

  • Vicky
    May 3, 2011 at 1:44 pm

    Thank you so much for this post, Tiffany! This is the most comprehensive Chanel one stop shop information I have seen so far. Great tips!

  • PetiteAsianGirl
    May 3, 2011 at 1:47 pm

    Excellent guide, Tiffany. I get a lot of questions about Malleries and other resale sites, but I’ve never personally used any of them. Fashionphile is one of the oldest and most reputable resellers, so that may be why they jack resale prices up higher.

    Like you said, don’t be afraid to buy bags with slight blemishes or defects, but I would add to only do that if the price is really great. I would also recommend getting a quote from restoration places to get an idea of the costs to fix it (and if it’s even possible). I’ve considered several bags in slightly imperfect condition in the past, and the quotes I got from Lovin my Bags were pretty steep at $300-$500 to fix or “restore” the problem. I’m not sure if Chanel themselves charge higher or lower than that.

    Also, if possible I try to buy directly from the previous owner (if possible) to avoid the middleman reseller and get the best price, but of course you get lower variety to choose from that way. I also like to scour ebay for good deals. For two of my pre-owned bags, the owners were local so I asked to inspect the bags/box/cards in person before committing to buy. I think I would love these resale shops in Asia that you describe! I’ve heard about them in Japan, but never came across any while in HK.

    I also wanted to add you can find brand new bags online either on eBay or Bonanza (for not much less $ than retail, but there are colors and styles from previous seasons that you can’t find now in-stores) sold by resellers, who seem to buy and hold new bags, then sell them after Chanel’s price increases. I got my third bag this way. I saw the seller had many, many positive feedback from authentic listings in the past and was also listed on TPF as reputable, which gave me comfort to buy online.

  • Chic 'n Cheap Living
    May 3, 2011 at 2:20 pm

    I love TPF and have been a visitor for many years for many types of items (ladies there are great at authenticating Hermes scarves too). I've seen a lot of resellers in Singapore and Hong Kong but am still slightly weary. I bought my first vintage Chanel through the TPF MP.

    Thanks for the resellers and like you said, always authenticate because all it takes is one fake bag!

    xoxo,
    Chic 'n Cheap Living

  • CessOviedo
    May 3, 2011 at 2:47 pm

    Think I might be working extra hours, I want a Chanel bag more than anything in the world, these sites will be very useful, gotta find the perfect one before I invest on it, but definitely want vintage!

    Cess O. <3
    The Outfit Diaries

  • issa
    May 3, 2011 at 3:18 pm

    good post! i do love my vintage chanel stuff!!

  • Really Petite
    May 3, 2011 at 3:50 pm

    Excellent post Tiffany!!! I may be the only one but I just can't do the whole vintage thing unless it's from a family member…LOL

    I'm just weird that way- it has to be brand new, crisp- straight from the Chanel boutique/Bloomies/Neimen or else I freak out 🙂

  • Annie
    May 3, 2011 at 3:52 pm

    great tips!

  • Lily
    May 3, 2011 at 3:57 pm

    Thanks so much for sharing. I have seen fashionphile before but I am going to check out the others ! I desperately want a vintage Chanel but like you said vintage does not mean they are "cheap" (not even close! ha) LOVE your bags!!

    xxLily
    goldandgray.com

  • Sunshine
    May 3, 2011 at 4:00 pm

    one of the most informative post EVER. i'm gonna stop myself from browsing those websites because i have no self control once i see something i want lol…

  • Uyen C.
    May 3, 2011 at 5:43 pm

    Love love love this post! Thanks Tiffany, it was so informational.

  • Aly ~ Cooking In Stilettos
    May 3, 2011 at 5:45 pm

    Great post Tiffany! I'm always hesitant with purchasing Chanel online – and you do get what you pay for. It's an investment, but well worth it. What's that line from Sex & The City – " I like my money where I can see it, hanging in my closet."

  • alison*elle
    May 3, 2011 at 5:50 pm

    Thanks for this post Tiffany – I'm bookmarking it! I'm on the hunt for a Chanel myself and can't wait to go through all those websites you posted 🙂

    xo, alison*elle

  • Linda
    May 3, 2011 at 5:58 pm

    Thank you so much for this post! I've been dreaming of a Chanel bag for so long. Now I can work on the research 🙂

  • kimmie
    May 3, 2011 at 6:41 pm

    Great post, Tiffany! I'm saving up to buy my first Chanel, but it looks like it'll still be a long time away.. and then the new price hike. OUCH.

  • Lisa
    May 3, 2011 at 7:07 pm

    This was a really awesome post Tiffany! I've sold like 5 bags to fashionphile and I do agree with you their prices are a bit steep for purchasing but it's great when your the seller because you def get the most bang for your buck back! I actually got more money back for my gst then what L paid for it.

    I've been searching high and low for a vintage chanel piece ( ideally i would like one in an exotic leather but the prices for vintage exotic are still crazy) because I do agree with you as much as I love my new chanel babies the vintage ones def have more character.

  • Alterations Needed
    May 3, 2011 at 7:16 pm

    Great post Tiffany! And very timely, considering the pending Chanel price increase that will send many ladies hunting for better priced vintage handbags. TPF is the best resource for any and all used handbag options, not to mention full of drool worthy reveal photos!

  • Make Mommy Chic
    May 3, 2011 at 7:22 pm

    Tiffany- thanks for sharing your research with us, especially now that Chanel rose the prices yet again for their classic bags. Maybe after checking out these sites I could finally get my beloved Chanel. Great post!

  • MizzJ
    May 3, 2011 at 11:16 pm

    Thank you so much for this post Tiffany! I was just having this conversation the other day actually and you've saved me hours of research!

  • Jacqueline
    May 4, 2011 at 1:04 am

    Thanks so much for putting this together Tiffany!

  • Aney
    May 4, 2011 at 1:07 am

    Great advice Tiffany! Thanks for sharing all this information – it will definitely come in handy 🙂

  • Alexa
    May 4, 2011 at 3:18 am

    Terrific post! The ladies over at TpF are really good a sniffing out the fakes. You look lovely, as always!

    http://www.cashmereandcandy.com

  • cryskay
    May 4, 2011 at 6:02 am

    wow thanks so much for spending the time to write this post! its going to be my bible!

  • Carolyn
    May 5, 2011 at 6:33 am

    always such helpful posts 🙂 btw hope you're feeling better from allergies!

  • Alison
    May 5, 2011 at 7:57 am

    Great post! I got my vintage Chanel purse in Hong Kong and I love it! The great thing about HK is that you can bargain:) My aunt knew the reseller so she was able to talk down the price!

  • Anonymous
    May 5, 2011 at 6:52 pm

    Tiffany, Can you do a blog on how to clean & protect your chanel bags? Do you buy any leather bag cleaner & spray water resistant leather protector? Thanks!

  • Brooke
    August 28, 2011 at 11:04 pm

    I buy luxury items for people all over the world so if you ever need help finding a certain handbag email me [email protected] I have been doing this for years and have connections to all of the very best people and stores. I always welcome new clients 🙂

  • emma
    September 5, 2011 at 12:09 pm

    You can also buy 100% authentic pre owned bags, shoes and clothing at http://www.stylesequel.com. The new destination for luxury pre owned fashion and acessories

    Emma

  • danisherman
    October 18, 2011 at 3:15 am

    Hi the other day I found this cute little vintage store, and I saw this Channel bag, it seemed very real to me, its sand colour, the leather feells real, and there is no serial numer inside and it doesnt say chanel Also the logo on the outside lost a little bit the color so from gold it turns into silver a little bit , its a litle damage but its driving me crazy the owner told me that its real that in the 70s it disnt came with a number inside the so idk can u please help me thank u my email is dani05gsgmail.com

  • larissa
    October 27, 2011 at 7:04 pm

    love the bag in your first picture! any idea how i could find that one?!

  • Elizabeth
    November 4, 2011 at 3:21 am

    Hello Tiffany,
    Thank you so much for mentioning Malleries.com on your post. If you do not mind, I would like to add a note about Malleries. Yes, we do have different sellers from all over the world but Malleries vets the sellers before the seller can open a shop on Malleries. We turn down many applicants so customers can know they are buying authentic. All shops must agree to have an authenticity guarantee. So I hope you do not mind my saying, we do not just let anyone open on Malleries. Being from all over the world, allows us to have a great selection.

  • Alex George
    November 9, 2011 at 4:29 am

    Hi Tiffany,
    My sister is living in Hong Kong & I'm in search of another vintage Chanel bag. Do you have a name or address of the resale shops or individuals?
    Thank you.

  • tiffanystylish
    November 11, 2011 at 6:13 pm

    @Alex George I'm sorry, I do not. I just walked around and stumbled upon stores or I asked other shop owners if they knew of any. But I don't remember store names or anything since it was last year. Sorry! But there are quite a few shops, I'm sure you can find some! 🙂

  • ellen
    December 25, 2011 at 11:35 am

    Hi,just notice this lade had a same post on her blog as yours:http://viktorialove.com/2011/05/07/a-fashionistas-guide-where-to-buy-vintage-chanel-bags/

    Thought you may like to know.

  • tiffanystylish
    December 26, 2011 at 5:58 am

    @ellen i appreciate you letting me know! I have notified her to take the post down.

  • -alicilera-
    January 1, 2012 at 4:07 am

    hi ! can i know how much you bought yr 2 featured chanel vintage bags so that i can have a feel of how much i should be looking at?

    thanks much!

    [email protected]

  • Luxury Mart
    February 5, 2012 at 1:23 pm

    Great post!
    Keep up the excellent work.

    Max
    Consignment Director at Malleries

  • The Fab Miss B
    April 23, 2012 at 4:02 pm

    So helpful! Thank you so much.

  • Eve Nightwish
    June 8, 2012 at 3:43 pm

    its odd but i think i saw this one other post that sounds and looks alot like yours….and it was posted after your post…just a heads up. maybe you already know 🙂

  • Eve Nightwish
    June 8, 2012 at 3:44 pm

    This is odd but i just came across your post and then immediately read another post that was the same. maybe you already know about it, but this is just a heads up anyways 🙂
    http://viktorialove.com/2011/05/07/a-fashionistas-guide-where-to-buy-vintage-chanel-bags/

    • tiffanystylish
      June 9, 2012 at 7:17 pm

      Hi! I appreciate you alerting me. I had asked her to take it down back in December which she did, but it looks like she put it back up. Grrr… I will be contacting her again. Thank you!

  • e792b70c-aae8-11e1-b9da-000bcdca4d7a
    July 13, 2012 at 8:58 pm

    Love your post!! I'm also a fan of Vintage Chanel handbags 🙂 One of the reasons is because their a little bit cheaper than retail and second reason is because you can find some really unique vintage Chanel bags out there, who doesn't want that! And I love one of a kind pieces too …. So I know/like Malleries and Yogi closet, they have really good deal.But I did come across another site recently that was similar when I was looking for a maxi Chanel (hehe I don't really like big bags but I really want a big Chanel bag …school) so anyways I came across the site it was called …. theluxurycloset.com ok OMG they have so many xl real Chanel bags I don't know where to begin lol Btw love you 10" Chanel!! Lucky you it's beautiful!

  • e792b70c-aae8-11e1-b9da-000bcdca4d7a
    July 13, 2012 at 8:59 pm

    Love your post!! I'm also a fan of Vintage Chanel handbags 🙂 One of the reasons is because their a little bit cheaper than retail and second reason is because you can find some really unique vintage Chanel bags out there, who doesn't want that! And I love one of a kind pieces too …. So I know/like Malleries and Yogi closet, they have really good deal.But I did come across another site recently that was similar when I was looking for a maxi Chanel (hehe I don't really like big bags but I really want a big Chanel bag …school) so anyways I came across the site it was called …. theluxurycloset.com ok OMG they have so many xl real Chanel bags I don't know where to begin lol Btw love you 10" Chanel!! Lucky you it's beautiful!

  • Nicole AE
    May 22, 2013 at 7:58 am

    Hi! If you believe it I just bought a Chanel bag from a vintage shop in Tokyo and it is exactly the one that you have in your first picture– with quilted lambskin and a double CC charm on the zipper 🙂
    Do you know the name and number on the bag? I am looking for it online and can't find it!
    For other readers, Tokyo is an AWESOME place to buy designer bags and some trusted resellers (all in the Shinjuku area) are: Daikokuya, Brandoff Tokyo, Ginzo, and Komehyo. You will salivate just from walking inside! 🙂

  • Mama Bear
    July 4, 2013 at 9:27 am

    HI, thanks so much for your post. Very helpful as I begin my quest in search of my own vintage chanel.

    FYI, not sure if it's already been mentioned but your article has been copied and pasted (without reference) on another site. I guess you should be flattered!
    http://viktorialove.com/2011/05/07/a-fashionistas-guide-where-to-buy-vintage-chanel-bags/#comment-63582

    • tiffanystylish
      July 7, 2013 at 8:47 pm

      Thanks Mama Bear. I have repeatedly asked her to take that copied post down but I'm sure it's one of her more popular posts so she takes it down for a day and then puts it back up. Thank you for letting me know though!