Designer handbags have that one-of-a-kind look that fashion-conscious women love, but it takes a hefty budget to love their price tag too. That’s why many women buy designer knockoff handbags instead of the real thing. Unfortunately, it’s easy to be taken advantage of by unscrupulous merchants if you make this type of purchase without the knowledge to protect yourself.

There are good and bad types of replica handbags available. If you buy the good type, you’ll have a great fashion accessory at a reasonable price. If you buy the bad type, you’ll be buying an expensive fake.

The first type, the replica handbag, also known as designer-inspired, is a knockoff that doesn’t pretend to be anything else. Nobody will try to fool you into thinking you’re buying a Gucci or Prada by attaching designer labels to it and making false claims. These replicas are simply a way to have a little fun with your wardrobe without spending a lot of money. They look fabulous and are usually the hottest look of the season, so you’ll be stepping out in style.

“Bad” knockoff handbags are simply counterfeits. They carry designer labels but their looks give them away as fakes. Manufactured at dimestore prices, they have a dimestore look about them. Not what you want when you’re trying to look like you can afford designer goods.

By following a few easy tips, you can usually spot a counterfeit designer handbag. If you see a handbag that claims to be a genuine designer item being sold anywhere but a high-end department store or boutique, be very suspicious. Designers carefully control where their goods are sold, and they don’t allow any inventory to escape to roadside markets and online auctions.

If you’re buying a designer handbag online, make sure it’s from a well-known retailer. Anyone else is in a great position to take advantage of you because you won’t be able to see and handle the bag until after you’ve paid for it. When you buy online, you can’t even tell whether a bag is vinyl or leather by looking at its photo.

Take some extra time when you shop online to find the site’s returns policy. If it’s not listed, or it’s shorter than 30 days, then take your business elsewhere. Don’t buy from stores that charge restocking fees. A store that needs to charge these fees in order to stay profitable isn’t going to be dealing in genuine designer handbags.

Always pay for designer handbags online with a credit card. Your credit card issuer provides additional protection for you by letting you initiate a chargeback if the product isn’t what it was claimed to be. Debit cards and direct payment services provided by online auctions don’t afford you the same protection.

Online stores originating in other countries often take more than 30 days to ship their goods to you. They also operate outside the reach of most United States laws, so they’re a riskier way to shop.

Phrases like “authenticity guaranteed” should make you laugh, not reach for your credit card if they refer to designer goods. No designer would ever claim that his goods are genuine. A designer handbag speaks for itself.