Where to buy authentic handbags and accessories for resale.

The wholesale space for luxury goods is growing quickly with more overseas companies expanding into the US.  This can be an amazing opportunity for your business,  having access to authentic, pre-owned handbags and accessories for resale but before you start buying, make sure you are asking the right questions so you know exactly what to expect from the company you parent with.

There are basically two types of wholesale companies, ones that own their inventory and ones that are middlemen for auction houses overseas. Both are excellent options for purchasing authentic pre-owned goods for resale but they work a little differently so understanding each ones business model will allow you to plan accordingly.

There are several factors to take into consideration when looking to work with any of these companies and asking the questions below upfront will make your wholesale journey a lot smoother.

Before The Buy
Questions to ask each wholesale company you are interested in working with:

Do you need to have a resale business to be approved to buy wholesale?

Most all wholesale companies require you to have a business/resale license and have an established resale business. Make sure you have all of your documentation ready along with links to your website and social media accounts before applying.

Does the company own their inventory or is it auction style?

There are two types of wholesale companies, ones that own their inventory and others that act as a middleman between you the buyer and an auction located most likely in Japan. Both are fine but this is important to know because if they own their inventory, your items will be shipped to you right away and if it’s auction style, you need to be aware of the timeline between when you win the auction and when you will receive your items.

How does auction style wholesale work?

Auction style wholesale works like this. The wholesale company partners up with an auction house, usually based in Japan, to offer wholesale goods to people located all over the world. You log into to the wholesale companies website to access the auction and place your bids. This is different than other auctions as you will determine the highest you will go on an item and that’s what you bid. You won’t know if you have won until that auction is over but they usually have these a couple of times a week depending on the auction house that particular wholesale company is working with.

Here are a few other questions you should ask before you place your first bid.

  • Who pays for shipping and duties?
  • Will it be shipped straight to you or does it go to the wholesale company first?
  • How long will it take for you to receive your item?
  • What is the return policy (return shipping charges)?

Is there a buy-in amount?

Some wholesale companies require a set amount to purchase product and it can vary to $0 up to $10K. Make sure this is one of the first questions you ask when working with new wholesale companies.

How are they rating condition?

Condition is everything in resale so you want to have a very clear understanding of how each company rates items. Below is a general example of condition ratings for handbags.

How are they rating condition?

Condition is everything in resale so you want to have a very clear understanding of how each company rates items and ask all questions before ordering.

Are all items authentic and will I receive certificates?

Authenticity is the biggest questions and one that should be first and foremost in your research of wholesale companies. While it is widely known that Japan has the strictest rules on authenticity, mistakes happen so make sure you know who is authenticating the items you are purchasing and will you receive the authenticity certificate.

Some wholesale companies will include these certificates for free and others will charge for them so you need to know which companies does what and then factor that into your pricing.

How long will it take to receive your items?

One of the biggest differences between wholesale companies is whether they are auction style or they own their inventory.

Auction style wholesale can take a few weeks for you to receive your items depending on when the auction closes, where it ships to first and when it will finally get to you.

If a wholesale company owns their inventory, it means they have it in stock so depending on where that location is and where you reside, it can me a matter of a few days to receive the product.

Who pays for shipping?

Who will pay for shipping and/or duties if items are coming in from overseas and who is the carrier? Will there be insurance included? Who pays returns shipping if an item is not as described? All questions you need answers to before you start bidding.

Do you cover duty fees?

I don’t know of any company that will cover duty fees on small orders but you can always ask when placing larger orders.

Do they accept returns and if so, what is the process?

Make sure this is spelled out whether on their website or an email from them.

Do they offer an exchange program?

An exchange program is offered to return inventory that may not sell or there are issues (condition or authenticity) with the items. Most all companies offer some type of an exchange program but make sure you know what the rules are, the timeframe for returns and who pays for shipping.

Wholesale Companies

We have no affiliation with any of the companies below so make sure you ask all questions before you purchase as we are not responsible for any outcomes.

Arigatou Share Japan
Location: Japan
Business Type: Inventory Owner
Buy-In: No
Categories: Handbags, Small Leather Goods, Fashion Jewelry
Ships To: Worldwide
Free Shipping: No (but they do offer it if you are on their email list)
Return Policy: Within 14 days

Fmasarovic
Location: Japan
Business Type: Inventory Owner
Buy-In: No
Categories: Handbags, Small Leather Goods and Fashion Jewelry
Ships To: Worldwide
Free Shipping: Yes
Return Policy: Within 14 days (must contact them within five days of receipt of items)

Le Prix
Location: Washington DC
Business Type: Auction Style and In Stock Inventory
Buy-In: No
Categories: Handbags, Small Leather Goods, Fashion Jewelry, Clothing
Ships To: Worldwide
Free Shipping: No
Return Policy: Exchanges within 60 days but read their Exchange Program details as there are many rules.

LXR
Location: Canada and New York
Business Type: Owned Inventory
Buy-In: Yes
Categories: Handbags and small leather goods
Ships To: Canada and United States
Free Shipping: Yes
Return Policy: Within 14 days
Contact: damien@lxrco.com

Aucnet
Location: Japan
Business Type: Auction House
Buy-In: No
Categories: Handbags, Small Leather Goods, Watches and Fashion Jewelry
Ships To: Worldwide
Free Shipping: No
Return Policy: See website for details
Notes: This is one of the biggest auction houses in Japan and if you are looking for a large, steady stream of inventory, this may be a great option.

MyGemma
Location: New York
Business Type: Inventory Owner
Buy-In: No
Categories: Handbags, Small Leather Goods and Fashion Jewelry
Ships To: Worldwide
Free Shipping: No
Return Policy: Within 14 days (must contact them within five days of receipt of items)
Email: leah@mygemma.com

The Brand Collector
Location: Paris and Charlotte, NC (opening early 2023)
Business Type: Auction
Categories: Handbags, Small Leather Goods, Fashion Jewelry
Ships To: Worldwide
Free Shipping: No
Return Policy: Within 14 days
Email: dmapela@thebrandcollector.com

Star Buyers Auctions
Location: Japan (Valuence is the parent company)
Business Type: Auction House
Categories: Handbags, Small Leather Goods, Fashion Jewelry
Ships To: Worldwide
Free Shipping: No
Return Policy: See website for details
Terms and Conditions
Notes: This is one of the biggest auction houses in Japan and if you are looking for a large, steady stream of inventory, this may be another great option.

Queen Bee of Beverly Hills
Location: Alabama
Business Type: Wholesale and Drop Shipping
Buy-In: No, but there is a $69 a month membership fee (or yearly fee)
Categories: Handbags, Small Leather Goods and Fashion Jewelry
Ships To: United States
Free Shipping: No
Return Policy: See website for details
Notes: Make sure to ask all questions before signing up

There are also several companies that offer wholesale through live selling auctions on apps like Comment Sold or ShopShops or that sell through their Facebook, Instagram and/or TikTok pages and I’m in the process of building out that list but for businesses that do sell this way, my only advice would be to vet these companies very carefully and ask all questions before you purchase.

One more piece of advice to make your wholesale purchasing experience smoother. Do your homework before you start buying from any wholesale company. Figure out the brands and styles that you want to start selling and research the resale value for each style. Always take into consideration your total costs for each item (item cost + shipping + duties (if applicable)). From there you can determine what you would like to sell it for before you even purchase so you know what you’re working with.