Washington woman scores $80 Chanel purse at Value Village. Then the worker does something spiteful: ‘Don’t trust…they’re not your friends’

Striking gold on brand-name items at a thrift store is like finding a needle in a haystack, so much so that there's a secret rule: keep your mouth shut and carry on.

However, one seasoned thrifter learned the hard way how loose lips jeopardized her chances of getting an $80 Chanel purse at Value Village.

What Happened With the $80 Value Village Chanel Purse?

“Today, I thrifted a Chanel purse for $80,” Washington-based thrift shopper Bree (@breezy_too1) says, holding a black quilted Chanel Boy Bag adorned with golden hardware. “It was $89.99 with 20% off.”

Since this was such a steal, she expressed excitement to an employee she was familiar with, who then asked the bag's value. At first, she says she was apprehensive because she feared the bag would be repriced.

“Oh, my god, I don't even care,” she reports the worker saying nonchalantly. However, after the content creator spilled it, she says her worries were confirmed.

“She [expletive] cared!” Bree says, exasperated. “Because I left, ran some errands, and came back to look for another bag—can't find it.” Why? “I'm looking in the case, and then I see it! A Chanel and YSL. The bag was older, not as nice as this, and smaller. It was $1,700 plus tax.” Moral of the story? “Don't trust the people there. They're not your [expletive] friends.”

What Is Value Village?

Value Village is quite different than the average thrift store. It's classified as a “for-profit company.” Instead of reselling secondhand belongings from good Samaritans, the company buys them from non-profits and resells them for a profit. From there, the funds are allocated to support local community programs.

Each store in the U.S. has its own designated non-profit it accepts donations on behalf of. For example, in Bree's state of Washington, Value Village locations accept donations on behalf of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound of Seattle and Northwest Center of Seattle, per Value Village's website.

‘$80 Is Way Too Much'

Bree's story time garnered over 29,000 views, and viewers' jaws virtually dropped. 

“That's why you never talk to the employees about thrift stores! You exchange pleasantries,” one viewer commented.

“That's concerning because it wasn't even authenticated before being priced that high,” a second stated.

“They act like it will benefit them!” a third remarked.

Moreover, others pointed out that Bree's find likely wasn't legitimate Chanel.

“$80 is way too much for a knockoff. I report the stores that sell knockoffs,” one commenter said.

“It should be against the law [to sell] dupe designer bags for [$1000s] without authenticating them at the thrift store,” another remarked.

In the comments section, Bree confirmed that the bag was, by her measure, an impressive Chanel counterfeit: “It is a high end dupe as were the others that Value Village sold for $1,700.”

Is Selling Fake Name-brand Products Illegal?

Indeed, it is under both federal and state law. More specifically, in Washington, counterfeiting is classified as a misdemeanor but can be bumped up to a gross misdemeanor or even a felony, depending on certain stipulations. But a problem for consumers who have fallen prey to dupe luxury items is intent. In order for a business or seller to be charged, their intent to knowingly sell these counterfeit products must be proven.

How to Spot a Knockoff Bag

Depending on the business, they may use their own authentication process for brand-name merchandise. Sometimes, knockoffs may slip through the cracks and end up on shelves. To prevent snagging a fake, luxury fashion blog Taste the LUXE shared its tips on how to verify a real one for yourself:

• Check stamps and serial numbers.
• Feel the material's quality and durability.
• Examine for evenly spaced, perfect stitching.
• Look at zippers, clasps, and embellishments for flawless construction.

As of this writing, Subplot couldn't find whether Value Village authenticates brand-name items.

Subplot News reached out to Bree via TikTok comment and direct message and to Savers Value Village, Inc. via press email. We will update this story if they respond.

@breezy_too1 Storytime on why to NOT to tell THRIFT STORE employees what the item is worth. Do not tell them what your thrift is worth because they will betray you in a heart beat! Thrift store, Value Village, and Goodwill workers are not your friends! I promise that you think it but they are not! They have are greedy and will increase the other items asap! #chanel #gucci #ysl #birkin #goodwill #thriftedluxury #poshmark #whatnot #reseller ♬ original sound – Breezy_too1

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