How to avoid fake Kipling bags
Although Kipling own their own factories and are very, very serious about quality control it's inevitable that counterfeit bags will spring up from time to time.
There are tell tale signs if you know what you're looking for and with Ebay there are also a few other helpful pointers that should ensure you're only buying a genuine Kipling bag.
Almost every Kipling bag comes with a keychain which is usually in the form of the Kipling monkey mascot. The exception to this is small wallets and make up bags.
Counterfeited Kipling money keychains usually have the tab with the Kipling name sewn direct to the body whereas the original ones have the tab sewn to the underside of the monkey's left arm.
There are some Kipling bags that do not come with the plush monkey keyring. Limited Edition bags sometimes will have a golden coin, a metal or plastic keyring or even no keyring at all. If that is the case then always ask the seller where the keyring went. Most sellers will tell you what happened to it or even list it as missing in the auction.
The Kipling round logo is also another tell tale sign as to whether a bag may be fake or not. On an original, the Kipling logo patch is very close in colour to the outer fabric whilst on a fake it is often quite different.
Every Kipling bag or wallet manufactured in the last seven years have a white label inside the item stating the colour, product code and the Kipling name. Every bag less than seven years old should have this label.
As with most internet auction sites it's possible to gauge the credibility of the seller by the feedback rating of that person. "Feedback rating" is the accumulated score of positive reports from previous buyers for that particular seller. The higher the rating then the more likely the seller is a "stand up guy". Be sure to check previous feedback for the seller as negative reports can be found there.
If you're not sure about the product then ask to see more photos. If they're reluctant to provide these then that could be another indication that something isn't quite right.
A seller with a low feedback rating doesn't necessarily mean they are trying to cheat you. They could simply be a new Ebay seller. In many cases, these people often offer the best deals as they are not professional dealers but the fact they have a low feedback rating should be balanced against everything else.