Start with the tier, not the number
Quotes for the same Dior style swing from about $60 to well over $400, and the gap rarely tracks the photo. It tracks materials, labor time, and how straight the seller is about what they ship. I check three things before I look at price: leather grade, stitching, and hardware weight. Get those wrong and a $300 bag feels like a $70 one the moment you pick it up.
What each price band usually buys
Under $90
PU or bonded leather, or a canvas print that goes flat under daylight. Stitching runs loose and wanders at the corners, and the hardware is light enough to rattle when you set the bag down. Fine for a shoot or a costume. Not fine for daily carry.
$90 to $180
Split leather or a decent coated canvas. Hardware has some heft, quilting lines up at the front panel, interior is basic but clean. Most buyers land here, and it is the band with the least regret if you order a sample first.
$180 to $350
Lambskin or full grain calf, hand-finished edges, plated hardware with the right color temperature, correct proportions, proper lining and pocket layout. This is where the bag stops looking like a bag and starts reading as the thing it copies.
Above $350
Diminishing returns. You are paying for a factory name and packaging, not a different animal. Ask what changed from the tier below. If the answer is "better box," you have your answer.
Parameters to confirm in writing
- Material type, named specifically. "Genuine leather" is a term with a very low legal floor.
- Stitch count. Ask for a close-up of a corner. Seven to eight stitches per inch is the benchmark on quilted styles.
- Hardware weight in grams, or a photo of the clasp beside a coin for scale.
- Dimensions in centimeters, matched against the authentic spec sheet.
- Lining material and pocket layout, which is where cheap builds cut first.
- What ships in the box. Dust bag and cards add cost, and some sellers quote them separately.
Pitfalls that cost real money
- Stock photos pulled straight from the brand site. Ask for a photo of the actual unit with a dated note in frame.
- Quotes far under the tier you want. A $55 price for a $250 build is a bait listing, not a deal.
- Payment by gift card, crypto only, or a personal transfer with no dispute window. Use something that gives you recourse.
- Labels like "mirror quality," "1:1," and "AAA." They are seller words, not standards. Nobody audits them.
- Wholesale minimums quoted before you see a sample. Order one unit first, every time.
- Customs. Counterfeit shipments get seized at the border, and in the US the goods can be destroyed with no refund from the seller.
One honest note
Selling counterfeit goods is illegal in the US and the EU, and personal imports can be seized and destroyed. When a quote looks like a steal against a $3,000 retail bag, part of what you are buying is that risk. Price it in the same way you price shipping.
Sanity check before you commit
A serious quote comes with a spec sheet, real photos, and a return window. Two out of three, negotiate. None of the three, walk away and keep the money.