Is there a women's version of TRF? Luxury goods, handbags, shoes, etc.

[DeeTee]

I was thinking today, is there a women's forum like TRF?
A group of women who talk about there handbags, cars, etc.

Im curious how women talk about these things on an Internet board. If they are as cool as us and if there is a general comradery throughout.

[anothernewphone]

I've stumbled into some purse forums in my searches, so they're definitely out there. Shopping for LV bags brought me across a few while looking for advice.

[jedmonds]

my wife is way cooler than me and frequents http://forum.purseblog.com/

[armen34]

My wife was looking for those forums but apparently she hasn't found any good ones... Any advice will be helpful

[Dr. Prunesquallor]

Originally Posted by [email protected]

I was thinking today, is there a women's forum like TRF?
A group of women who talk about there handbags, cars, etc.

Im curious how women talk about these things on an Internet board. If they are as cool as us and if there is a general comradery throughout.

Oh, my God yes. Its called The Purse Forum, aka TPF. My wife spends hours on there. Purses, jewelry, fashion, Royals, Real Housewives, God knows what else. I take and post photos of her purses when she gets new ones - "Incoming" for purses. They have experts who evaluate for fakes. TPF for women = TRF for men.

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by Dr. Prunesquallor

Oh, my God yes. Its called The Purse Forum, aka TPF. My wife spends hours on there. Purses, jewelry, fashion, Royals, Real Housewives, God knows what else. I take and post photos of her purses when she gets new ones - "Incoming" for purses. They have experts who evaluate for fakes. TPF for women = TRF for men.

Shhhhhh! My wife might hear you.

[armen34]

Thanks, I may regret telling her but I'm hoping we can cut the cost of buying new all the time and possibly selling some

[jedmonds]

Uhm....

http://forum.purseblog.com/

is tPF....

[Dr. Prunesquallor]

Originally Posted by jedmonds

Uhm....

http://forum.purseblog.com/

is tPF....

You are correct, sir. Sorry. Didn't know the url.

[TheVTCGuy]

Do they have a TUMI site?

[the_Hunter]

Originally Posted by TheVTCGuy

Do they have a TUMI site?

Don't get sucked in..

[CLH15]

are there also trusted dealers for purses etc? Wouldn't mind treating the other half lol

[Dr. Prunesquallor]

Originally Posted by CLH15

are there also trusted dealers for purses etc? Wouldn't mind treating the other half lol

I can't believe I know this, but yes there are: yoogiscloset.com is one. My wife flips LV purses there all the time.

Now I feel the need to mow the lawn and build something in the garage...

[Dr. Prunesquallor]

Originally Posted by CLH15

are there also trusted dealers for purses etc? Wouldn't mind treating the other half lol

As I understand it, differences with some of the exclusive purse brands vs. watches are:

1). There is generally not a large unsold inventory, not so much grey market. Supply and demand are pretty much matched.

2) If a model/style is discontinued, the manufacturer often destroys remaining inventory . I have seen photos online of very expensive handbags heading to the incinerator. There is a disturbance in The Force at The Purse Forum whenever that happens.

[bdex75]

You may need this now.


And let's hope my wife never finds that forum.

I bet the LV fakes on eBay are 10x that of Rolex fakes. Read a story on the Internet the other day that talked about what percentage of LV goods were fake, and it was staggering. 99% kept coming up. Meaning 1% is real. Which is why I go to Saks and pay up.


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[Dr. Prunesquallor]

Thanks for the manual, Brandon. I'll read it while I'm working out this afternoon. Then steak and beer for dinner and I'll feel better (after a good loud belch, that is).

Your impression of the LV counterfeit handbag issue is accurate, I believe. My wife can spot the fakes a mile away and the authentication/trusted seller is just as big a deal as with Rolex.

[gtnator]

Originally Posted by Dr. Prunesquallor

I can't believe I know this, but yes there are: yoogiscloset.com is one. My wife flips LV purses there all the time.

Now I feel the need to mow the lawn and build something in the garage...

This is useful info for anyone like me who's paid full MSRP for LV bags for the wife. If you buy from this trusted seller are the bags exactly the same as the ones in boutiques? What DONT you get, warranty, etc?



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[CLH15]

Originally Posted by Dr. Prunesquallor

I can't believe I know this, but yes there are: yoogiscloset.com is one. My wife flips LV purses there all the time.

Now I feel the need to mow the lawn and build something in the garage...

Originally Posted by Dr. Prunesquallor

As I understand it, differences with some of the exclusive purse brands vs. watches are:

1). There is generally not a large unsold inventory, not so much grey market. Supply and demand are pretty much matched.

2) If a model/style is discontinued, the manufacturer often destroys remaining inventory . I have seen photos online of very expensive handbags heading to the incinerator. There is a disturbance in The Force at The Purse Forum whenever that happens.

Thanks again for the information! Seems really really weird when you mentioned they destroy remaining stock?? Imagine if Rolex destroyed the 116520s because the 116500 were released

I guess its a womans world - something we'll never understand lol.

[Dr. Prunesquallor]

Originally Posted by gtnator

This is useful info for anyone like me who's paid full MSRP for LV bags for the wife. If you buy from this trusted seller are the bags exactly the same as the ones in boutiques? What DONT you get, warranty, etc?



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I'm probably near the limit of my knowledge here.

I'm pretty sure LVs are never on sale or discounted. There are trusted on-line resellers, but they may be equivalent (or higher) prices than MSRP for new. Most resellers (like Yoogi's) are used ("pre-loved") only.

[Dr. Prunesquallor]

Originally Posted by CLH15

Thanks again for the information! Seems really really weird when you mentioned they destroy remaining stock?? Imagine if Rolex destroyed the 116520s because the 116500 were released

I guess its a womans world - something we'll never understand lol.

It's all about maintaining the product image and exclusivity. Customers who pay full price for the bags never ever want to see them discounted later or end up behind the plastic at Costco. Huge embarrassment factor.

IIRC they do move around any unsold bags to various stores and finally offer discounts to LV employees. After that I believe the remaining bags are destroyed.

This may be internet myth, but I have heard it several times.

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by Dr. Prunesquallor

It's all about maintaining the product image and exclusivity. Customers who pay full price for the bags never ever want to see them discounted later or end up behind the plastic at Costco. Huge embarrassment factor.

IIRC they do move around the unsold bags to various stores and finally offer discounts to LV employees. After that I believe they are destroyed.

This may be internet myth, it I have heard it several times.

A member of this forum has a spouse high up at LV and has said similar things about LV's stock control. Never any discounts. Employees get limited access to discounted stock, and then last years stuff. Zero gray market opportunity.

It's hard to say you're exclusive if your product is cheap and everywhere. A different business model than Rolex for sure. But I would think the manufacturing costs for a watch significantly outweigh those of a purse, which makes it easier to bite the bullet throwing a production run of purses.into the fire.

I go to the LV boutiques. There are three within an hour of me and the stock is a bit different at each. They always seem to recognize me when I come in, (though I'm only in there every 4 or 5 months) and they are very attentive and knowledgeable SA's. When I bought my wife's Never Full, we went through every purse in my price range before I settled on the one. It's hard to find that kind of customer interface anymore, which is another LV initiative to keep their clientele.

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by gtnator

This is useful info for anyone like me who's paid full MSRP for LV bags for the wife. If you buy from this trusted seller are the bags exactly the same as the ones in boutiques? What DONT you get, warranty, etc?



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When you buy at the LV boutique they assign your details to the product in their system. Any of their stores can pull up my sales history. I don't need the original receipt, they have all the information at their fingertips.

I don't know how you would get a warranty if there is no record of you in their system. Maybe someone else can weigh in, but I believe at LV the warranty follows the buyer, not the bag.

[locutus49]

My wife used to be on that forum. She collects Hermes, but has some LV and Prada. Her Birkin and Kelly have increased in value over the years.

[Dr. Prunesquallor]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

A member of this forum has a spouse high up at LV and has said similar things about LV's stock control. Never any discounts. Employees get limited access to discounted stock, and then last years stuff. Zero gray market opportunity.

It's hard to say you're exclusive if your product is cheap and everywhere. A different business model than Rolex for sure. But I would think the manufacturing costs for a watch significantly outweigh those of a purse, which makes it easier to bite the bullet throwing a production run of purses.into the fire.

I go to the LV boutiques. There are three within an hour of me and the stock is a bit different at each. They always seem to recognize me when I come in, (though I'm only in there every 4 or 5 months) and they are very attentive and knowledgeable SA's. When I bought my wife's Never Full, we went through every purse in my price range before I settled on the one. It's hard to find that kind of customer interface anymore, which is another LV initiative to keep their clientele.

Buying at the boutiques is indeed quite an experience. When I go overseas, my wife thoughtfully locates the LV boutique nearest where I am staying and provides me with a buying list.

At the Paris store (aka "The Mother Ship") the sales lady took the item description (a pocketbook) and brought back three identical items and asked which one I wanted. She took pity on my confused expression and examined each item in detail looking for any tiny imperfections and then told me which one I should get.

In the Abu Dhabi boutique, the sales lady looked up my wife's purchases online, made all the correct compliments then went meticulously over the scarf I was getting her (since it was the only one they had in stock) before pronouncing it acceptable.

These folks do NOT fool around.

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by Dr. Prunesquallor

Buying at the boutiques is indeed quite an experience. When I go overseas, my wife thoughtfully locates the LV boutique nearest where I am staying and provides me with a buying list.

At the Paris store (aka "The Mother Ship") the sales lady took the item description (a pocketbook) and brought back three identical items and asked which one I wanted. She took pity on my confused expression and examined each item in detail looking for any tiny imperfections and then told me which one I should get.

In the Abu Dhabi boutique, the sales lady looked up my wife's purchases online, made all the correct compliments then went meticulously over the scarf I was getting her (since it was the only one they had in stock) before pronouncing it acceptable.

These folks do NOT fool around.

My wife is the opposite. She steers me away from LV. She loves everything in there, and the will power wanes a bit when the bag is in hand, so she will find a way for us not to be at that end of the mall.

My LV visits now are clandestine and centered around traditional gift giving holidays. I've been banned from the Hermes store.

[Fredrik]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

I've been banned from the Hermes store.

By them or your wife...?

I have so far only bought ties at Hermes, but i have visited them a couple of times lately thinking of picking up a Steve messenger bag. I do however have a problem justifying buying it, I don't even need more bags... I too sometimes spend time at the purseblog and browse for used items.

[Muzz]

I must say, LV stands behind their products like no one else. I use my bags daily and wear does happen. When there has been a problem (no always a defect but wear) they have usually replaced the bag even if I purchased it at another store.

Their data base is top shelf!!!

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by Fredrik

By them or your wife...?

I have so far only bought ties at Hermes, but i have visited them a couple of times lately thinking of picking up a Steve messenger bag. I do however have a problem justifying buying it, I don't even need more bags... I too sometimes spend time at the purseblog and browse for used items.

By my wife, Hermes would love me to come by I've apparently spent too much money on ladies wallets there. Interestingly, she bought me a belt there after the ban.

[Dr. Prunesquallor]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

By my wife, Hermes would love me to come by I've apparently spent too much money on ladies wallets there. Interestingly, she bought me a belt there after the ban.

I mean, geez - Hermes is a whole other level isn't it? My wife shows me some Hermes prices online just to make me feel better about LVs.


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[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by Dr. Prunesquallor

I mean, geez - Hermes is a whole other level isn't it? My wife shows me some Hermes prices online just to make me feel better about LVs.


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Hermes has some amazing stuff. The quality is off the charts.

They have a boutique at DOH, a few doors down from Rolex (best prices in the region BTW). I was travelling to Qatar a lot and was killing time in the boutique. I rationalized that my TDY pay would cover the costs (it's not like it was base pay, right?). My wife de-rationalized that thought process for me.