I feel so disrespected by this 4th grade art project lmbo

And the seller wants me to mail it back to China before she would refund me.

Bring on the jokes, let’s all laugh

I started buying reps this year. I used all the famous numbers and factories. 90% of the items I received are in a defective condition and cannot be worn. Bags fading, parts falling out, belts on clothes completely disintegrating, hardware fading, and more issues.

It’s just not worth it, I’ve spent around £6,000 maybe? I wish I put this towards an authentic Hermes bag instead of so many fakes. This is just not worth it.

If you’re a newbie and thinking about it just don’t start.

Now this is my 187 bag… I came back from the supermarket and it just looked like that, I assume the piece fell off while I was walking, I lost it. I did hear something metallic falling but I ignored it because why would I drop something metallic, turns out it was pieces of my bag.

I’m just sad and disappointed and wish someone told me how things were when I started. Most of my post are about quality complaints and you see so many happy posts in this subs, maybe some people don’t own authentic? I don’t know.

EDIT: I’ve had this bag since July… it is now sep 2nd.
So this happened only after a few wears

Been wanting to do this forever and just didn’t get a chance. Want to know if my ladies can guess which one is which. Ready, set, gooooooo!

I think we’re all ready to hear the verdict.
Burgundy is authentic, black is from 187, and beige from GOD. Now I think whoever got it right should give us all more details and tell us what were the giveaways.

Hope you all enjoyed it 🥰

I was a part of the original r/repladies back in 2019, before the (media) flood. Thank to my weird sense of writing everything down in a note & hardcore research back in the day, I somehow managed to keep track of a lot of the sellers, their contact information, and their albums. Back during YUPOO time where we exchanged the "trusted" seller's passwords like they were secret codes, constantly changing every other month, and those who became friends with the "trusted sellers" to receive care package & gifts from them.

Now, as the rep world got bigger and new faces & new inquiries, it seems like the previous trusted sellers are fading into the background and new sellers emerge.. but what happened to those who once dominated the repladies world? Or even the kind ones or the silly ones?

Apple with her famous LV Mini Palm Spring. Linda and her million of relatives, Alisa, Aaron, etc (I know about their B&S so don't bring that up lol). Fisherman providing the best of the best shoes. Anna was short with her responses but she WILL get you the high quality bags. Old Cobbler famous for his LV totes. Oli with their many factory connection. Reykay. Betty/Tina. Aku. Aadi. And many more.

A part of me wanting to share my list but also scared of the backlash and being held responsible for possible B&S (which, I'm not dealing with that lol). Another part of me feel sad as the sellers we once loved, hard to compete with the growing competitions and possibly retiring.

Maybe it's just nostalgia talking.

Went on a date last night and we stopped for ice cream. The cashier spotted my mini Chanel (187 from Heidi) and asked to see it. I lifted it up so she could look from behind the counter. Cool.

Then, in front of my date, she goes, “Oh yeah, I have fakes too. My favorite one I bought in Turkey.” My face just turned red. I hit her with, “I guess you get in where you fit in,” and kept it moving.

Ma’am. What?

And then she just kept talking about fake bags like we were in a support group. But I’m sorry… how do you go from scooping mint chip to trying to expose someone mid-date? I’m just here for ice cream, not a handbag panel discussion.

Was that not rude? Is it just me, or was that wildly unnecessary?

Welp…

I posted a QC yesterday and it ended with the seller threatening me to delete my post.

This is a seller who, based on what I’ve seen, usually delivers very high-quality pieces, even down to the stitching, which obviously matters a lot with Hermès bags. That’s also why this situation caught me off guard.

I raised a few concerns directly with the seller. According to him, the bag was perfect, there was absolutely nothing wrong with it, and I was basically “seeing things.” Shortly after that, he started spamming me with messages like “hi?”, “hello?”, “any more questions?”, and just “?” over and over.

Mind you, it hadn’t even been 12 hours. I wasn’t happy with the bag, and normally waking up to QC photos makes my day, but this time it really didn’t.

I had waited patiently for this bag to be made. I never rushed him, never sent question marks, never pressured him in any way. Since I still felt unsure, I posted the QC photos. Many of the comments pointed out the same issues I noticed: wonky stitching, a smudged stamp, and other inconsistencies.

Because the seller didn’t want to take my word for it, I showed him the comments.

That’s when he immediately went into full defense mode. Instead of trying to discuss things or meet me halfway, he offered to refund my deposit. I accepted cause I didn’t feel like going back and forth with someone who clearly didn’t want to engage.

After that, he repeatedly demanded that I delete my comments and posts, in a very rude and aggressive tone. He also changed the WhatsApp chat settings so I couldn’t take screenshots or save any images.

At that point, it became very clear this wasn’t about resolving a QC concern. It was about controlling the narrative.

And honestly, this just makes you wonder: how much can we really trust glowing reviews if negative experiences are pressured into being deleted the moment a seller feels uncomfortable? Obviously, after reading all of your comments on the Doris post, this situation hits a little differently.

It really makes you think about how many negative experiences never get to stay up, especially when sellers or mods step in and pressure people to delete posts.

Not saying this is the same thing but it does make you wonder how transparent things really are when criticism isn’t allowed to exist.

And oh. If anyone wants a very mid bag for $1000+, it’s up for grabs 😂

Tokyo police just arrested a 78-year-old grandmother and her 44-year-old daughter.

The charge: running fake Hermès bags imported from China through pawnshops across the city.

The daughter, Hisano Watanabe, allegedly sourced nothing but counterfeit Hermès from Chinese suppliers.

Each time, her mother, Takako Sato, carried the bags into a shop and collected the cash.

In one 2024 hit at an Edogawa pawnshop, eight fake bags brought in 14 million yen — about $90,000.

The counterfeits were so convincing that trained appraisers logged them as authentic.

Police say the scheme ran across multiple shops over the course of a year.

Total estimated damages: more than 100 million yen, over $640,000.

Both women deny the charges, insisting they did nothing wrong.

China's counterfeit factories have gotten good enough to fool the pros — and this is the result.

I just noticed that some of the groups I belonged to are now gone from my feed and I’m getting a notification that they are private and you cannot message the mods. What do I miss?

\*\*Please no judgement. I’m not in debt and I have disposable income. 🫶🏼

It’s my one year anniversary since I’ve been introduced to reps and I’ve bought 70 bags, reh0med 52 of them , and kept 18.

Im still buying, and refining my collection but I’ve spent almost 8k on the bags I have kept and my next few bags may get me closer to 9k. Is this normal? Has anyone else gone through this? I don’t know, it freaked me out seeing how much I spent. But then I think, well that’s not even the cost of one Chanel bag.

I also have an auth collection that is worth much more, but reps was my way to stop spending so much on auths 😭😭😭

Final update: Wish I could change the title to Real Housewives or Mob Wives Energy! 😃

This thread blew up to 55k views. I wasn’t expecting so much engagement with spilled tea about scandals and allegations that I didn’t even know about.

What’s important is that those who are aligned with sharing their true experiences are more than those who swamp like bees to every thread to protect this seller. I mean, see the like count 😝😆

The standard has been set for Baobao’s fans to be considerate when replying frustrated buyers no matter how much you love this seller. I warned you about bad press and it’s happening with over 100 shares.

When they go low, we go ___ 🔥 LOL

———————————————————————

I SAID WHAT I SAID about Baobao.

It’s an open forum unless I missed the memo. Groupthink is not one of my strengths at all. The same way they harass buyers with less satisfactory reviews about Amelia, they wanna try it on this Baobao issue.

Downvote all you want. The truth stands 💯💯

Edited to add:
I’ve watched the ‘gang’ ridicule buyers from sharing their thoughts on these forums. People have deleted helpful threads because they were bullied to silence by these faceless characters.

Edit#2: No bandwidth to reply individually
I wanted to make this post yesterday, but I knew that her fan club would either hijack the thread, blame me for the situation or praise Baobao thereby discrediting my concern. This recurring pattern is not isolated to today’s post. Whenever anyone has an issue, they jump to Baobao’s defense.

Anyways, I’m frustrated that items purchased in April and May have not been dispatched. As expected, “her quality is the best” “she’s human” “I usually wait for over month” “go to Neiman Marcus” and all kinds of senseless unrelated comments. They do this to silence people from sharing opposing views of their favorite sellers.

Why did I create a second thread? Bad press is good payback!! Kinda petty 😃

I’m done with this topic. Moving back to the jewelry sub where babes spend thousands of dollars on jewelry, scrutinizing every single detail and 18k gold tone without reprisal. We send jewelry back to China for correction if the t in Cartier has a different font. That’s my standard.

Peace ✌🏼

Can you guess which is Auth - 187 - Blake?
2 are medium (25cm), 1 is small (23cm)

Yes, I know I could’ve taken better comparison photos! I honestly didn’t plan on posting this. I was just cleaning out my closet/bags and quickly snapped these pics for my own reference. Sharing the photos I have just for fun! 😊

——

A - Authentic! Purchased at 31 Rue Cambon in 2024, a month before I discovered reps 🥲

B - 187

C - Blake

I don’t understand the anti-rep people on this sub who hide behind fake concern and desperately try to convince themselves that they can always spot a fake. Unless it’s a really poor-quality replica, no, you usually can’t tell just by looking at it.
Otherwise, professional authenticators wouldn’t exist. There would be no need for training or for spending time examining whether a bag is real or fake. The fact that even authenticators use flashlights, inspect the stitching extremely closely, and sometimes take hours or even days to reach a conclusion proves that you cannot reliably determine authenticity at a glance.
Please stop acting superior just to discourage people on this sub from buying bags. It’s ridiculous.

At the time I had a small authentic collection, maybe 10 bags, and my last “big” purchase was the Louis Vuitton Pochette Métis in reverse. It was SO hyped and impossible to get – sold out everywhere – so I was calling, stalking the website, the whole thing. My SA finally called and said she had one and I was so scared to miss it that I told her to just ship it without even seeing it in person.

When it arrived I was too excited to notice anything at first, but after a few uses I started seeing all the flaws… the corners were uneven and a bit crooked, the shape wasn’t as clean as I expected, and then the glazing started having issues after just a couple wears. There were bumps and wavy areas everywhere.

That’s when I ordered a high-quality rep of the same bag just to compare… and honestly, that was my eye-opener. From then on I pretty much stopped buying new bags retail. Now I stick to authentic vintage for classics and go rep for new styles so I can try them, live with them, and only take the plunge on auth if I’m truly obsessed.

What’s your story?

Why is everyones first instinct to attack people? A lot of people don't know how to use reddit and people make mistakes. Every time I'm here I see so many snarky comments. It’s free to be kind!

Edit: all the bitter comments replying to this post are proof that this sub is filled with people who need a chill pill. Getting triggered at a post telling people to be kinder says a lot about you. Btw I never once insinuated that people shouldn’t do their own research, but if someone makes a repetitive post or anything of that sort just kindly respond and move on!

I am positive this post will eventually get drowned out, but for all those who do come across it, please please stop being so trusting. Don't trust everyone in the comments section of your post, don't trust mods, don't trust sellers, don't trust anybody claiming they can source 1:1/mirror/whatever they need to tell you to take your $$$ replicas. Why do you think Wagoonladies was so strict about "there's no such thing as a TS", but you can find a seller you trust (kind of).

The reason everyone says research is important, you need to look things up etc is because once you read post after post on sub after sub over a long period of time, you are able to set realistic expectations and get a better view of the reality of what you are purchasing. There are shills everywhere; people will say anything to sell you on their bag/seller/factory. Why do you think so many splinter groups keep popping up whenever one sub has drama? There are splinters of splinters at this point. Many of these subs have mods who think they deserve to get paid or compensated for their work, and if you think they are being 100% transparent after receiving stuff for free/getting paid, you're too naive.

All you see is one part of a whole picture because that's what they want you to see. The only reason OGRL drama blew up recently is because the mods fought with each other. People had been speaking up about that sub for a long time but their posts kept getting deleted/banned/attacked by minions. There are factories that never let a negative review see the light of day because those posters get so hounded, they delete their posts. If you're lucky, you come across it before it gets taken down. Lots of factories, even good ones like the beloved god factory, post shill reviews on public subs. Nobody is the best for everything, but you can usually find the best for a particular design.

If you decide to post asking for x item, best factory etc, remember that your comments will contain scammers. Don't trust that commenter who claims they own auth and it's "identical". How do you know they own auth? You can trust side by side comparison photos a little bit, but you can't trust anyone going "trust me".

That's it. That's my PSA.

I saw this and had to say something

The latest trend in the Rep community isn’t even a type of bag so much as it is a question any sane buyer is asking themselves, so let’s talk about it:

Are some TS taking advantage of the market they’ve created to start seriously up charging?

A TS is here to offers top quality for the price

So what is the explanation when they start sending PSP’s with different bags in the pictures, charging more money than other sellers even though they’re vetting from the same factory, or maintaining their price position even though their quality has changed for the worst?

Is it better to go with the TS who has the highest prices? Do you have a vetting process, or is a recommendation enough?

I’ve noticed the bags with the lowest quality bought from “TS” sometimes get the most attention.. I guess theirs something in us that just can’t look away 🫣 😆😭

…Where do you draw the line and if the quality fails.. who decides who’s a TS and who’s not?

*picture is borrowed from another Reddit user who inspired this post [u/queenann](u/queenannsgout)[e](u/queenannsgout)[sgout](u/queenannsgout)

I joined the subreddit a few months ago and I noticed that a lot of people are really unsure about wearing their reps outside as they fear being exposed/ noticed.

I’m here to tell you that you should wear those reps with full confidence. I have a part time job as an assistant to a wealthy family and therefore am surrounded by any and all types of rich and wealthy people from multiple industries. I have mostly met wealthy people that aren’t necessarily famous through the family, and it’s been interesting to say the least. But I guarantee you that about 95 percent of them own at least one rep!!

Lately I’ve sat in and listened to many a conversation ABOUT reps. Where to buy. Where to get. What the best was. Obviously, these being rich people, a lot of these conversations detail about specific trips to China just to get to see the reps firsthand and buy them then and there.

I promise you no one is going to look at your bags or your outfits or shoes and automatically assume that it’s a rep. The key to wearing a rep is wearing it with confidence, 100% confidence!

The funny thing is, most people don’t pay nearly as much attention to what you’re wearing as you think they do. We’re our own biggest critics. You’re the one who knows it’s a rep, so naturally you feel like everyone else must know too, but they reall y don’t.
If anything, I’ve learned that the wealthier someone is, the less they care about policing what someone else is carrying. They have bigger things to think about. And ironically, a lot of them are buying reps themselves because they don’t see the point in spending thousands on an item they know can be replicated so well.

Of course, there are exceptions. If you’re trying to pass off a rare, $200,000 bag while you’re wearing something that doesn’t make sense with it, people might find it unusual. But that’s not because it’s a rep, it’s because the overall picture doesn’t add up. The same would be true even if the bag were authentic.
Wear what makes sense for you, buy pieces you genuinely love, and stop overthinking every little detail. Confidence does more for how something looks than a receipt ever will.
At the end of the day, nobody is walking around QC’ing your outfit in real life. That’s something that mostly exists online. In the real world, people glance, think “nice bag,” and move on with their day!!

I know there have been a lot of posts lately about newbies, gatekeeping, and exposure, but I actually think that’s important. Some really good posts have already been made, and I’m here to back them up.

When the same issue keeps coming up from different people, it usually means there is a pattern worth paying attention to.

And I’m not saying any of this because I think I’m the queen of reps or because I’ve never made mistakes. Quite the opposite.
I know some of this because I have made the mistake of being too open with information myself.

I thought I was helping. Sometimes I was. Sometimes I was also contributing to the exact problem I’m talking about now.

This is really about cause and effect.

• CAUSE: A huge influx of brand-new buyers enters the community
Social media makes reps look easy.
Someone sees a TikTok, Reel, YouTube video, or influencer showing a “$6,000 bag for $300,” and suddenly they want in.
They haven’t necessarily learned the terminology, the risks, seller etiquette, QC, factories, payment methods, customs issues, or how private this world historically has been.
EFFECT: They enter expecting instant access
Instead of researching, people start asking:
“Who is the best seller?”
“Give me their WhatsApp.”
“What factory?”
“Send me the album.”
“Who has the best Chanel?”
And because many of us genuinely want to help, we answer.
Then that information gets copied, screenshotted, reposted, shared in DMs, and handed to the next ten people.
Access starts moving much faster than education.

• CAUSE: People are given trusted information before they understand why it is protected
A seller contact may look like nothing more than a phone number to a new buyer.
To someone who has been in the community longer, that contact may represent years of reviews, trial and error, trusted relationships, scam avoidance, and learning which seller is actually connected to what.
EFFECT: Private information starts being treated like public information
People post screenshots.
They name sellers on public platforms.
They tag accounts.
They openly discuss factories.
They send seller details to strangers.
They mention Reddit groups or private communities directly to sellers.
They put things on TikTok that previously stayed buried inside niche forums.
And every time that happens, the circle gets wider.
The wider the circle gets, the harder it is to control who is watching.

• CAUSE: Influencers discover that replica content gets views
This is probably one of the biggest changes.
Rep content is entertaining.
“Real vs fake.”
“Best DHGate finds.”
“My secret luxury seller.”
“Designer dupes you need.”
That content performs well, so more people make it.
EFFECT: A community that survived through discretion becomes content
What used to require digging through forums, reading reviews, learning terminology, and slowly figuring things out can now be introduced to hundreds of thousands of people in a 30-second video.
That brings buyers.
But it also brings scammers, opportunists, brand attention, platform attention, law-enforcement attention, bad actors, and people who have absolutely no understanding of the culture they just entered.
Social media didn’t invent reps.
It changed the scale of exposure.
And scale matters.

• CAUSE: Sellers suddenly receive massive amounts of inexperienced traffic
A trusted seller who once dealt mostly with buyers who understood the process can suddenly have hundreds of new people contacting them.
EFFECT: The buying experience changes for everyone
Sellers get overwhelmed.
Communication gets worse.
Prices can rise.
Quality can become inconsistent.
Popular sellers become impossible to reach.
Some stop accepting new customers.
Some change numbers.
Some disappear.
And unfortunately, scammers notice the demand and step in pretending to be established sellers.
The more desperate people become for access, the easier they are to scam.

• CAUSE: New buyers skip the research stage
This is the part I think people misunderstand when they hear “gatekeeping.”
Research isn’t some hazing ritual.
It is actually how you learn to protect yourself.
EFFECT: People become dependent on other people’s answers
If someone simply hands you “the best seller,” you haven’t learned how to identify a fake contact, compare factories, read reviews, recognize manipulated PSPs, know when a price makes no sense, or spot a scammer.
So the minute something goes wrong, you have no framework for figuring it out.
Research is not punishment. It is part of learning how to safely participate.

• CAUSE: Experienced members keep spoon-feeding every newcomer
Again, I have done this.
I genuinely thought, “Why make someone spend six months learning what I already know? I can just help them.”
And there is nothing wrong with helping people.
EFFECT: Eventually we create buyers who know the contacts but not the culture
That is the mistake.
Someone can know ten sellers and still know absolutely nothing about reps.
They can have every album bookmarked and still not understand discretion.
They can know factory names and still have no idea how to QC a bag.
Information without context can actually make someone more vulnerable, not less.
That is something I learned myself.

• CAUSE: Newbies are excited to share what they just learned
And I completely understand this part.
You finally figure something out, find a great seller, receive an amazing bag, and you’re excited. Someone else asks and your instinct is:
“Don’t worry, I got you.”
I see this happen even when someone else has intentionally declined to share certain information.
One person protects it, and then somebody immediately jumps underneath them and sends it anyway.
Usually it is not malicious.
They think they are being helpful.
EFFECT: There is no point in anyone protecting information if somebody else immediately gives it away
That is how information spreads exponentially.
One person tells two.
Those two tell five.
Those five post it somewhere else.
And suddenly something that previously required research is circulating among hundreds of people who may not understand why it was being protected in the first place.
Good intentions do not automatically equal good outcomes.

• CAUSE: Every good post turns into “DM ME”
This is another consequence I don’t think we talk about enough.
Someone takes the time to make a detailed QC.
Someone posts an incredible haul.
Someone writes a thoughtful seller review.
Someone shares comparison photos that could actually teach the entire community something.
EFFECT: Experienced members stop posting quality content
Because instead of getting discussion about the bag, construction, leather, stitching, hardware, factory differences, or QC…
their inbox becomes:
“Seller?”
“DM me.”
“Link?”
“WhatsApp?”
“Can you send me their info?”
“Who did you buy this from?”
And then the exact people who could be creating the best educational content in the community stop posting because they don’t want 75 private messages every time they share something.
That is a huge loss.
We are accidentally discouraging the people producing the content that actually teaches newcomers how to become better buyers.
Think about that cause and effect.
We want better-informed newbies.
But then we bombard experienced members for contacts until they stop making the QC, haul, review, and comparison posts that would actually educate them.
That is completely backwards.

• CAUSE: Everything becomes easier to find
EFFECT: The community becomes easier to find too
And that is the larger issue.
Gatekeeping is not about sitting on a throne deciding who deserves a handbag.
It is recognizing that this entire ecosystem depends to some extent on discretion.
There is a difference between helping someone learn and broadcasting the entire infrastructure.
There is a difference between answering thoughtful questions and handing someone a complete seller directory five minutes after they arrive.
There is a difference between community and content.

CAUSE: We stop handing everyone the entire playbook.
EFFECT: The people who actually want to learn will prevail.
They’ll research, read, ask questions, make mistakes, and figure it out. The ones who don’t want to put in that effort will get scammed, get frustrated, or drop off.
And honestly, that natural filtering is part of what keeps the community filled with people who have actually earned their place here — not just people looking for the fastest shortcut.

I want my sellers to have business.
I want my friends to get the best possible reps.
I don’t want newbies getting scammed.
I don’t want anyone losing hundreds or thousands of dollars because they didn’t know better.
But I also think we have reached a point where protecting people cannot mean removing every single obstacle for them.
Some of the obstacle is the education.
Some of the digging is what teaches you.
Some of the time invested is what makes you understand why certain information should not be thrown all over the internet.
So maybe the answer isn’t “never help newbies.”
Maybe it is:
Help them learn how to find the answer instead of always handing them the answer.
Because right now, the cause and effect is becoming pretty obvious:
More exposure → more inexperienced buyers → more oversharing → more scammers → more attention → more pressure on sellers → experienced members posting less → less education → less security for the community.
And we are on a very obvious downward trend.
I’m not claiming some magical authority here. I’m talking about pattern recognition.
If you were around during the OG rep days, you can feel the difference.
The culture is changing.
The level of exposure is changing.
The way people treat seller information is changing.
The quality of discussion is changing.
And none of those things are happening independently of each other.

Cause. Effect.

So yes, help people.
Answer questions.
Teach newbies.
Make QC posts.
Share your knowledge.
But we probably need to stop treating every piece of information like it belongs in the public square.
Because if we want this community to continue existing in anything close to the way we’ve enjoyed it, we need to start treating access like something worth protecting again.
Lock it down, ladies.

Hello everyone,

I wanted to caution you about TS Kate (0901) who is listed as one of the trusted sellers on the RepLadiesClub page. She had scammed me and I had written to the moderators (as mentioned in their rules) back in February and the moderators did not even bother to reply. Yesterday I saw her advertising herself and misguiding people to buy from her. I replied to the post saying not to buy from her as she had scammed me and I was permanently banned from the community within minutes. They have time to ban you from speaking the truth but not help a customer who has been scammed. So, please be careful dealing with sellers listed on RepLadiesClub.

Thanks 🙏

* Additional info: She goes by the name Grace_ballam0g03q. I am sure she will create new profiles after this. But just wanted you all to know. (Please let me know if I cannot post usernames).

I had commented this on a post about the TikTok seller issue, it's only going to get worse and thought it needed its own post.

This community is having a massive influx of newbies, I would conclude it's from social media putting the idea in their head- they either get scammed or figure a way to source themselves.
There is so much information on these subs. There is zero reason for hand holding. I did it all myself without any hiccups.
I think we should start locking it down though. I don't mean gatekeeping. I'm happy to confirm last 4 or make posts about scammers but as a community I think we need to buckle down and stop handing out info as much as I see. I use to give way too much info out and it has bit me in the ass.

How do we stop giving out information and protect this community but also not be completely hostile?
The more our fav sellers get passed around the QC gets worse. Shipping gets slower. New policy's get put in place because newbies do charge backs or are just intolerable about stitch count. I am very protective of my sellers. They are people and have treated me very well.

What's the answer? Do we ban together to actively copy and paste the same answers to questions that are already answered? QC/PSP requests that are low energy.

The TikTok lady can source all the crappy bags from her following as she wants but there has to be a way to slow down the demise of our community

Newbies who think this is extreme I promise you there will be a day, not to long from now, that you'll understand why people are stingy with their connections and want you to use the search bar.

Someone smarter than I am, what's a good strategy? What is something this current community can do to really lock down and protect what we have before it's gone?

Edit: can we all agree to write the same thing over and over on lazy QC and already answered questions such as payment methods, PSP vs Factory photos, contact information, shipping methods, abbreviations etc etc

"This has been answered and I suggest using the search bar to answer this question-if you don't know this answer you're not ready to purchase"

Easy and simple and if everyone just copy and pastes this generic answer over and over it will force the poster to search better.

Second edit: I just wanted to say I appreciate all the ones who get this and the community that's been built. I have actually made friends here and I love that strangers can come together to protect a hobby that I deeply enjoy. Protecting this community isn't just to keep getting lovely items but to keep our sellers and factories safe but also to continue to be apart of such a great group of like minded people.

is it still too early to find the best 1:1 quality variation of this bag?? i've seen the authentic one in person and its very glossy. does anyone know which factory and seller does this bag the best justice ??

I cannot wait for this to be available omgggg 😮‍💨 what do you think?? Let’s hope they ball this out of the park (or how they say it lol im not a native English speaker)

So… apparently Kata Factory has been seized/raided, and right now there’s still a lot of uncertainty about whether they’ll be able to keep taking and fulfilling orders normally. Some people are saying things are slowly moving again, while others are still waiting, so honestly… who knows what’s going on

It also makes me think about how HUGE the rep market has become. There are so many more people looking for reps now, and platforms like T*kTok have made replicas way more visible to a completely different audience.
And honestly, whether we like to admit it or not, this is a risky and complicated market. Factories can disappear, warehouses can get raided, sellers can suddenly stop responding, shipments can get seized… none of this is exactly a normal retail experience

I guess Kata is just another reminder that things can change VERY quickly in this world.

I don’t know if they will get back in business, for sure I’m thankful that I got my Rodeos, Le cities and my Hug Bag Ferragamo from them, they are a masterpiece and I’ll keep them with care and love

So apparently several people screenshot my post and sent it to Reykey (6327) and he's asking me to delete my post because it's hurting his business. He said he doesn't have a Reddit account saw my post because people sent it to him. I'm not deleting the post. I'm sure I can tell him I'll delete the post if he sends me screenshots of who sent him my post. Because I'm very curious what was said.

I felt it was important to share my experience. So I'm not deleting the post. He's saying he's a trusted seller and he really does get his bags from God Factory eventho my experience and interaction makes that claim questionable.

Like he said, lots of people have left positive reviews for his God Factory bags, so what do I know?

ETA: Idk what gender Reykey is. I never asked. So I just went with male.

Since there’s a lot of discussion around sellers that are nice/not nice

I thought I’d share one line opinion/experience summaries of different sellers in terms of their personality so newbies/those looking for a seller can find a match for themselves.

Anyone who wants to share, please feel free to add on!

Please remember these are only personality reviews, not reviews of their products since most sellers source from the same places anyway

And DO NOT DM ME FOR SELLER INFO PLEASE USE THE SEARCHBAR AND GOOGLE AND COMPARE NUMBERS ACROSS MULTIPLE SUBREDDITS TO PROTECT YOURSELF

1. The infamous Amelia - extremely unkind, will likely insult you if you annoy her. Not for newbies, does not like being asked questions on quality, how to order, payment etc.
2. Please do not go to her if you’re a newbie, you will get burnt. Honest and upfront about quality BUT doesn’t like being asked questions lol. So if she answers instead of insulting you, it’s a solid answer. Very blunt and to the point, you’ll never get a “dear” out of her. After years of working together i received a smiley face and I nearly asked “omg what are we?”

She’s still one of my favourite and long time sellers, but I also speak Chinese and have my own reasons.

1. Doris/Baobao - These two are so similar personality wise that I wonder if it’s the same teams. They’re nice/friendly enough. Will answer basic questions on what factory to choose for a bag etc.

However please remember that sellers are not experts in luxury goods, their opinions should be taken with a grain of salt. Baobao’s recommendations tend to be better than Doris, but I’ve also gotten recommendations from her that weren’t the best.

1. Tong - Friendly, friendlier and chattier in Chinese than English. Will answer basic questions. Upfront about quality. More restricted factory access than Baobao and Doris

2. Amanda - friendly, nice, however tends to ghost people. Your bag WILL arrive once you’ve paid and GL but you might get 0 communication in between. NOT for the anxious. She also ghosts people BEFORE taking your money, sometimes it’s kinda hard to get her to actually take my money. If you’re ready to pay, call her. She’ll respond faster.

3. Maya - both her and her assistant are very friendly. Nothing much else to say. Will answer questions about quality but not necessarily proactively tell you.

4. Didi - neutral, not mean ; sometimes friendly. Will answer questions about quality, if you’ve ordered with her often and she knows your standards she will tell you. She doesn’t send PSP and can be hard to work with on returning items so NOT recommended for newbies

5. Belly - ultra friendly. Her and her team have great customer service. Unfortunately she’s had a run in with the law and they aren’t online; their albums are taken offline. I’ve included her as she’s said to return soon. Great seller for newbies looking for clothes

6. Anna Lin - friendly, not much to say. Limited selection of clothes, good for newbies looking for clothes

7. Chloe - blunt, direct, doesn’t talk much, but is not mean. Will answer questions, sometimes has more knowledge than other sellers. Is also priced a bit higher than average. Doesn’t do returns most of the time so you’re stuck if you get an item with defects but will tell you upfront

8. Leo - friendly, cheaper than most sellers. Just a warning that the quality of the clothes he sources can be hit or miss. He’s not super talkative

9. Ai Weiyuan/Alice187 - can be quite friendly. Also known to bait and switch and lie to buyers about factories, claiming some factories make items they’ve never produced. Buy at your own risk.

10. Anna (Lindashian) - friendly until you have a problem, then will get mean. Also known to bait and switch and lie

11. Garmen - ultra friendly. Great English. I reccomend her to new buyers often. Limited selection. Doesn’t disclose factory. I haven’t had a problem with any PSPs yet so I can’t judge how RL is handled tho.

12. Jessie - friendly, big selection. However she doxxed a buyer on one of the old subs so won’t be going back.

13. Miss Larry/L: friendly, some jackets are made by their own team so can be customized. High quality leather (usually), but has been caught multiple times making fake accounts pretending to be buyers to leave themselves reviews. Some jackets that aren’t custom made can be found at other sellers for cheaper

14. Mandy - nice, friendly. Has been caught baiting and switching occasionally

15. Heidi - really depends on the person you get. Has a huge team. Is the only seller that lets you pay a 50$ deposit for bags from 187 and RL if you’re unhappy with the PSPs and not pay the remaining amount. Do note your deposit will be forfeit and she won’t work with you again. I preordered the new pony hair 25 bag with her as 187 doesn’t do returns or exchanges and I don’t want to spend 600$ on a bad bag if the PSPs are terrible

16. Luna - friendly, unremarkable (not an insult). Not much to say, my order went without a hitch, but she’s not very knowledgeable. Gives not so great reccomendations on quality but not in bad faith.

17. David - Fine, unremarkable also. Friendly. Decent seller for newbies to start with

Anyway I’ve got more I’ve worked with, but off the top of my head these are the ones that first came to mind. If people find this useful I’ll expand and add more.

UPDATE: I have some time so adding a few more people I’ve worked with, keep in mind my experience is subjective

1. Janie - easy to work with, friendly, good English, fast replies. A bit overpriced imo

2. Vincent - same stuff as Janie but cheaper, but slow shipping. Friendly but English isn’t the best so be patient and use short sentences

3. HP- friendly, good English, so is Booker’s. But shipping and PSPs are slooooooow. He also only does paid PSP for items that have factory photos

4. Laomao - Unremarkable (In a good way). I only had one order but it went fine, friendly.

5. Zhong Wen - same as laomao, no comments, only one order, no issues.

6. Reykay - NOT reykey. Please note there are a LOT of sellers pretending to be the OG Reykay whose number ends in 1101. She’s friendly, blunt. Haven’t personally had issues but I see controversial reviews often, BUT, I wonder if those people are engaging with one of the fake Reykays

7. Marko - NOT my experience, commenter below mentioned he has great customer service I’ve personally never had an order with him. Did some digging and a close friend attested to having a great experience with him so I thought I’d add this in, but there’s also another person in the comments below with a pending issue so take it with a grain of salt

8. Wang - decent clothes, friendly. Uses gtranslate. Be patient and use small sentences. Takes payment by card.

9. Old Cobbler - people have had great experiences with him, I personally have not, but in general people say he’s friendly and easy to work with. Very overpriced imo tho. Doesn’t disclose factory.

10. Allen - friendly, easy to work with. Will source bags, good for newbies. Does not disclose factory