Legal Question in Business Law in Washington

selling replica designer handbags

I've been looking into starting a purse party business and have decided on doing designer inspired bags. While doing my research I came across articles on designer replica bags and how they are illegal, although some sites said if you tell people they are replicas and not real it's not illegal to sell them. I found a woman who was selling off her inventory of ''replica'' bags and they look like the real thing logos and all and some even have tags that say Chanel or emblems that say Coach. So what's the story, are replica bags legal to sell or not?


Asked on 9/23/08, 8:36 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Susan Beecher Susan L. Beecher, Atty at Law

Re: selling replica designer handbags

Not.

Unless you have written permission from the owner of the trademark (e.g. Chanel) to sell these "replicas", it is still trademark violation. Some of the sites might tell you that it is legal to sell them without such permission, but these people are interested in selling their bags, not in providing you with good legal advice, so don't trust them.

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Answered on 9/23/08, 8:47 pm


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