Thoughts on buying purses at the Straw Market Nassau?

I had been looking forward to buying a new purse at the Straw Market in Nassau, but just learned that they are illegal goods. What is everyone's opinion about buying and bringing back purses?

Are you wanting to stir the pot or what?? I bought a nice one I love. I knew it was not a name brand, but its made of nice leather and a nice purse. Anyone would know its a fake.

Are you wanting to stir the pot or what?? I bought a nice one I love. I knew it was not a name brand, but its made of nice leather and a nice purse. Anyone would know its a fake.

My daughter and I each purchased 4 purses from the straw market and NEVER once had any problems getting them home. In fact, to this day I still have and use my LV purse and EVERYTHING still thinks it is real after 5 yrs of using it. I even went into the Coach store at the Mall of America, and one sales lady commented on how gorgous my purse was, I then told her where I got it and all 4 workers had to take a look at it and couldn't believe the quality of it.

So, use your own judgement and decide. If your nervous, just remove all the tags, and put some personnal items in each bag when you pack'em up, this way you can say you brought them all from home and used a different one each day. This is what I learned a few yrs back watching another lady get searched. She went home with all 6 of her bags.

Good luck, have fun shopping.

I forget my brand, a big name brand though and its inside the purse as well as into the leather on the front. cant remove it without ruining the purse.

Mine looks like good quality to me, except one letter of the brand name looks odd. thats why I assume its fake. doesnt make it not a lovely purse.

I dont think anyone was arguing you couldnt bring them home, just the OP seemed concerned, not me.

I had been looking forward to buying a new purse at the Straw Market in Nassau, but just learned that they are illegal goods. What is everyone's opinion about buying and bringing back purses?

Why not. I am going to Nassau on my next cruise and I was planning on seeing if I could find a nice "Couch" or "Prado" bag. (Obviously Coach or Prada)

They are counterfits but still fun to shop for and own.

My daughter bought a fake coach bag at the market in Nassau. She was thrilled with it but of course she was 12 at the time. Personally, I thought the quality was sub par and there was no way anyone would mistake them for the real thing.

If you do see something that you like, be sure to play hardball when negotiating the price. It's amazing the difference from what they start off asking and what you can actually purchase the item for.

I have purchased several. I am going back in June and getting more!!

I usually buy purses in either St. Thomas or St. Maarten. I just like those ports better and I think the quality of the purses is better.

Pretty Lady... Have fun shopping and don't worry about it;). It's like thinking about whats in Hot dogs at a ball game... you just don't do it lol... The Straw Market it fun, smells horrible in the summer but still fun, I always come back with a purse or two...

I don't buy "name brand" merchandise anyway so the name on it means nothing to me. I just want to get a nice purse as mine is starting to fall apart after years of wear and I had heard there were some fairly nice ones at the market. What's a fair price for a purse of that quality at the market? I know they're all different but there must be a baseline of some kind. Experiences?

I don't buy "name brand" merchandise anyway so the name on it means nothing to me. I just want to get a nice purse as mine is starting to fall apart after years of wear and I had heard there were some fairly nice ones at the market. What's a fair price for a purse of that quality at the market? I know they're all different but there must be a baseline of some kind. Experiences?

Seems like I paid $30 ... she asked more, but I had bought some jewelry and other stuff too.

I was the same way, saw a purse I liked and bought it, not for the name on it. I just wanted a nice largeish black purse.

When we went to Nassau, we had a friend ask us to pick her up a wallet to match a purse she had bought in Nassau earlier that year. We got it for $15. If you know your purses, you can tell it's not real. But, if you don't know any better, the one we bought looks real.

You can pay anywhere from $15 - $50 for a decent purse (sometimes higher, depending on what it is) but remember if you don't like the price they are selling it for, there is most likely 10 - 50 other people selling the same one. THEY ARE WILLING TO BARGAIN! ;) Start to walk away and see how fast the price comes down.... I never pay over $25 and always come home with at least two.

Be careful !

Been advised that you have to carefully check all the "lines" in bag stitching, etc......need to be strong and STRAIT !

Love negotiating in Straw Market....best deals we ever made. Were last there in January..and the winds had torn the tent up quite a bit. Word was that they are very close to moving into a BUILDING again...as in this spring.

Never know with them.....it's been YEARS since the original place burned down !! What's the rush, I guess ?????

Thanks for all your thoughts. At least now I know what I am doing with an idea of what to pay as well. Hope to find a nice new purse and will just put all my goodies inside it when we travel home.

I believe it is not illegal for you to purchase "fake" purses outside the US and bring them back to US. It is a problem when doing so in the US. I bought four purses in the Straw Market a couple of years ago. I loved them and received tons of compliments on my "Coach" bag. Have Fun!:)

You can buy lots of "knock off" purses in the U.S. I seen them at various craft shows.

I had been looking forward to buying a new purse at the Straw Market in Nassau, but just learned that they are illegal goods. What is everyone's opinion about buying and bringing back purses?

Well, I don't know where you got your information...but, it's wrong.

You most certainly can bring back handbags from any island...as long as it's not made in Cuba..and as long as the purse isn't some knock-off designer piece.

Well' date=' I don't know where you got your information...but, it's wrong.

 

You most certainly can bring back handbags from any island...as long as it's not made in Cuba..and as long as the purse isn't some knock-off designer piece.

Have you been there G'ma ...they pretty much all are knock offs.

I looked and mine says Gucci.

i buy them every time i go...where i live, you can't buy the good knockoffs. i have about 12 louis vuitton's and they are all different from anything i have seen around here. I am going next week and going to look for a new one. i have never been stopped or asked about a purse. i had no idea that would be a problem. i haven't been in a year, has this changed? anyone know what is currently the U.S. policy on this? any problems getting them back in U.S. I am a teacher and can't afford $5,000 purses, but love having them even if they are knockoffs. I don't want to get into any trouble though.

i buy them every time i go...where i live, you can't buy the good knockoffs. i have about 12 louis vuitton's and they are all different from anything i have seen around here. I am going next week and going to look for a new one. i have never been stopped or asked about a purse. i had no idea that would be a problem. i haven't been in a year, has this changed? anyone know what is currently the U.S. policy on this? any problems getting them back in U.S. I am a teacher and can't afford $5,000 purses, but love having them even if they are knockoffs. I don't want to get into any trouble though.

Unless you are buying it and trying to resell it, then why are you assuming there is a problem?

Seems like you are assuming a lot and getting upset over your own assumptions. There are people who dont like that knock offs are sold. It is not legal to sell knock offs here .. or buying stolen goods .. but you are just jumping from that to bringing them back to the country is now a problem.

Just dont resell it. simple.

My gucci bag if you look, one letter is a little off .. hence its not a exact copy, probably on purpose. I know its not a gucci .. but its a nice bag, and the little change in the name makes it not illegal Im betting to sell in other countries. US laws dont apply.

dont go overboard looking for problems.. Ill bet the other purses have a little change in the name as well.

I'm not a "purse" girl, but my friend bought a suitcase full of Coach bags as gifts when she went. Sure, they are knock-offs. But as long as you know that's what you are getting, haggle away and buy some! :)

I had been looking forward to buying a new purse at the Straw Market in Nassau, but just learned that they are illegal goods. What is everyone's opinion about buying and bringing back purses?

I won't buy illegal goods, period.

I would love to buy a Burberry look-a-like for my friend while I'm in Nassau. Could somebody tell me if they might have something like that in the straw market there?

I haven't been to Nassua - but do any of the other islands have a straw market where you can buy purses and other cool knock offs?? I'm not really interested in purses much, but maybe some jewelry or watches??