SO I've read more than few complaints on here about the TPFers. Took the initiative and joined a while back, been blogging for about 7 months now on there. Not an excessive amount, mostly I watch, I've made less than 40 posts. So this is what I found: You have a forum made up of some professionals, but ALOT of stay-at home ladies who are most likely A) lying about their fortune and their vast collection of expensive bags. B) sitting at home on their butss while living off of their husband's dollar. C) utterly naive and helpless in every way possible so that they must run and rely on the help and opinion of a complete stranger before they spend literally thousands on these handbags.
When joining, I never opened my own threads, commented on a few to help out ladies who truly needed the help and had no idea what they may be buying, BUT I DID post items from Ebay for authentication, as well as Bonanzle, Ecrater, and Craigslist. I had to post from all sites to be sure that there was no prejudice from one or the other. I purposely chose bags from sellers who either very openly stated they were members in good standing with TPF, or listings where sellers made no mention of affiliation to any type of endorsement from any authentication company. Many of the listings from "avid tpfers" were fakes even infant buyer could spot a mile away, these sellers had minimal feedback, and claimed to be selling their NWT items for HUGE discounts. HELLO red flag number one, if you paid thousands for a bag you didn't liek when it arrived, why didn't you just return it? WHY would you be taking the loss on Ebay etc.? When I submitted these items for authentication, they got immediate responses of "looks good" from Lee, and/or Will. I posted my OWN listings for authentication, these are bags with original receipts, from bags I personally WALKED IN to Louis Vuitton boutiques and bought. Taking all of the detailed photos they requested, which by the way, I am a trusted power seller, turbo lister, I have more than 11000 POSITIVE feedbacks at 100%. No, I am not promoting my self here, that is why I have made no reference to Ids. Funny, when I would post these photos, they would ask for further pictures...mind you, more photos and more highly detailed than those of registered TPf members. So I obliged with more photos, I frequently got replies from "will" of not sure...where he would follow up with "A-TEAM"..(still not sure what this is) and get a final review from "Lee" of "fake". Within 24 hours the TPF minions would gather and descend on my listings, getting them removed. I had used bags that I purchased directly from My poupette, had certifications of authenticity from them and all...submitted photos and ...that's right, all fake...then followed up their fake comments by providing them the certification from My poupette and got put on ignore.
Bottom line, The purse forum is a blog enabling counterfeiting through it's members, and supporting them in doing so. Many (not all of you ladies please don't freak out) of the members spend countless hours on this blog...claiming no pay? For these "services". Unsuspecting buyers ask for what is clearly labeled at the beginning of threads as an "opinion" of an "authenticator" and put as much weight on these opinions as if the owners of these bag companies themselves had come out and told them they bought it here! How did these people gain such a following? If your an ebay seller as I am, it IS in your best interest when selling high end items to watch these blogs throughout your listing to see how they sabotage your sales. I've also seen buyers whom AFTER they bought items and received them, ask for the "opinion" of these authenticators, and based on this, claim fake on their items, demanding returns and refunds, causing huge fees, chargebacks, negtive feedbacks, and so forth to the sellers. They don't ask for any rhyme or reason from these authenticators, just " Oh, you said fake, that's good enough for me". Not what is wrong with the bag, nothing. This forum is causing a lot of grief for a lot of good people, I don;t doubt that it does weed out SOME fakes, but for the most part, what I've seen these past few months, they enable counterfeiting to the fullest, and rally their members to wreak havoc on your Ebay and other sales sites listings. it's relly sad...But IF you're a seller, become a member, because the evidence yuo gain there from people who have bought from you and then cry fake based on these opinions with NO evidence of a wrongful sale, may just save you from those expensive chargebacks, and close down a few of these scammers.