Baghunter is trying to make it easier for shoppers to locate preowned Hermès or Chanel handbags.
The site launched a service called Bag Concierge Tuesday, described by the company as “an exclusive and unique method of finding your dream Hermès or Chanel handbag.” Users are required to pay a one-time fee of $99 to connect with Baghunter experts who will help locate the notoriously elusive and oft counterfeited resale items within 72 hours. In the case they are unable to find the bag, the money will be returned.
The concierge service includes dropdown bars for users to specify which style of bag they’re looking for, including color, size and material. After launching a successful beta trial to VIP customers, Baghunter expanded to the public in an effort to relieve the time-consuming challenge of browsing boutiques, auction houses and consignment listings.
With resale companies on the rise, sites like Baghunter continue to have a fraught relationship with fashion brands. Despite detracting from full price sales, consignment companies claim that they are preventing counterfeiting and are opening the market to customers who may not be able to afford a new bag.
Julie Wainwright, CEO of TheRealReal, told Digiday in May that retailers are slowly warming up to the concept and learning how to work with companies like hers and Baghunter.
“The first year we started, they would say, ‘We hate you, go away.’ Now they say, ‘We have to work with you, we just don’t know how yet,” Wainwright said.
Baghunter, along with prominent resale companies like TheRealReal, Vestiaire Collective and ThredUp, build consumer trust through an extensive authentication process that ensures credibility. This typically includes a comprehensive check of stitching, leather, brand stamping and overall tampering and wear. Stores like Tradesy, which also sells preowned clothing and shoes, claim a 99.7 percent level of accuracy.
