I remember reading a story a couple of years ago about Paris Hilton buying a Chanel purse for $2,000 – so I immediately smelled a rat.
“It can’t be real, can it?” I asked my wife. She eyed it suspiciously and ran her fingers over the material. She also inspected the price tag and other attachments closely.
“The tags aren’t right,” she said. “The registration numbers on the tags are supposed to match a number on a hologram sticker on the inside. Trouble is, the hologram sticker is missing. Also, if you feel the lining, it’s kind of cheesy.”
I was shocked and dismayed by the flagrant sale of a counterfeit item at an American retail establishment. This is not the Philippines. This is America!
I called the saleslady over. “Miss, how dare you sell a counterfeit. This claims to be a Chanel purse, but we know it is not. It’s a replica. But nowhere is there a warning that this is not the real thing. All it says on the purse is Chanel. This is improper and unethical.”
The saleslady hemmed and hawed and went into a spiel about it being a reproduction made under license to Chanel. (Sound familiar?) Or, she said, it might even be a factory second or a “refurbished” genuine Chanel purse that made its way mysteriously into the store’s purse bin.
She wasn’t sure, though. “You can ask the manager when he comes in tomorrow.”
No need. I won’t be coming back tomorrow. I’ll be looking for that officially licensed replica Porsche 911 that was made in Indonesia.
I’ve got a couple hundred bucks to spend.