When we show you a new Louis Vuitton bag, like the $1,050 Palermo PM at right, or share our Louis Vuitton resort handbags preview, it’s a pretty sure bet that cheaper lookalikes will soon be popping up on street corners and online auctions like Ebay.

But a new court ruling provides restitution to Moet Hennessey Louis Vuitton, punishing Ebay for allowing the sale of fake LV’s, Christian Dior fashions, and several prestige fragrances.

Another crime listed against Ebay is the selling of genuine Louis Vuitton bags outside of the company’s desired retail channel. But isn’t selling an authentic LV on Ebay the same thing as taking your handbag to a vintage store or consignment shop? Are those outside the desired retail channel as well, and are they as liable to lawsuits like this?

Naturally, we understand the crackdown on the sale of fakes, but it just seems unfair to keep people from selling or buying genuine bags on the resale market.

Personally, I found a Louis Vuitton Speedy and an unrecognizable style of tote at a vintage store near my home, each for only $100 because of excessive wear and problems like a broken zipper on the Speedy.The shop owner swore up and down they were real, showed me “authentic” details and the Louis Vuitton stamp inside, etc.

I agonized over whether or not to purchase one. But, because I couldn’t be absolutely positive that these were real Louis Vuitton, I just couldn’t. I searched the Web hoping to find the tote style verified somewhere, but never could. And there are so many details to look for and “telltale signs” of a fakes out there, it can be very confusing and difficult to feel like you’ve got an expert understanding of them.

Like me, I think most true Louis Vuitton customers want to know that their bags are real, and anyone who feels that way is not going to buy on Ebay anyway. You just never know. The people who buy on there don’t really care if the bags are real, and aren’t likely to be Louis Vuitton customers.

But I think that it would be better if Ebay were required to prove that the bags they sell are real, rather than not sell them at all as this ruling seems to imply. Wouldn’t it be great to know that everything on Ebay was authentic? But, then the number of fashion items for sale would be drastically reduced and demand would cause higher prices which would kind of defeat the purpose (avoiding the high retail prices in exchange for settling for a used bag).

The debate rages on!

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