How to Buy a Real Coach Bag for Knockoff or Outlet Prices (2024)

Coach is a timeless brand, but spending hundreds on a new Coach bag or accessories can be a hard pill to swallow. It’s always nice when you can buy a real designer Coach bag for a great deal. We scoured the internet to find all the best tips on how you can score a new bag without buying a fake.

Be sure to download the KCL app and set up Coach deal alerts so we can notify you as deals go live!

1. Here’s how to spot a real Coach bag…

Before we go shopping, we first need to know what to look for in regards to a real Coach bag, outlet Coach bag, or knockoff.

Here are some telltale signs your Coach bag is real:

• The zipper has “YKK” on the zipper pull.
• The serial number always starts with “No.” and there are four digits after the dash. Certain products such as a clutch, swing pack, and mini will not have a serial number.
• The “CC”‘s line up with the seam, and the pattern always has two vertical and two horizontal patterns.
• Legit Coach bags come with a dust bag.

2. Look for a bull’s-eye stamped inside your Factory Outlet bag to save 30 – 50% on the real thing.

Coach Factory Outlets have two different kinds of merch — bags made specifically for the outlet stores (lower quality) and Coach store overflow.

About 90% of what you’ll find at Coach Factory Outlets are made-for-outlet bags, which means lower quality but a lower price. Expect made-for-outlet bags and accessories to be 30 – 50% cheaper than the real thing.

If quality is more what you want, look for the overflow merch, as it’s the best quality for the lowest price.

Here’s how to tell if your bag was made for the outlet:

• An “F” at the beginning of the numbers inside your bag means it’s a bag made just for the Coach Factory Outlet. These are first-quality.
• Older Coach Factory Outlet bags had an “X” stamp on the Coach creed.
• Factory Outlet bags will not come with the dust bag.

Here’s how to tell if your bag is overstock from a Coach store:

• A bull’s-eye stamped on your bag’s label at a Coach Outlet means it’s Coach store overstock (and not lower quality made just for the outlet).
• Two bull’s-eyes just mean the bag is final sale and can’t be returned, still from the Coach store

TIP: A sales associate almost always hands me a 20% off coupon when I walk into the outlet store.

3. Get 30 – 50% off by signing up for an account on CoachOutlet.com.

You do not have to head to an outlet mall to score great deals from Coach Outlet. You can join CoachOutlet.com to get special-offer emails. When you sign up, you’ll receive a $10 off $100 coupon. Plus, you unlock exclusive rewards like early access, birthday gifts, coupons, and more. In June 2021, they were offering up to 70% off everything, plus an extra 20% off! That’s a hot deal right there.

4. Sign up for 6PM.com emails to get up to 75% off Coach.

6PM.com is a great site to score a real Coach bag for up to 75% off. Sign up for their emails to know when the next Coach flash sale will happen. Prices drop as low as $99.99 (including shipping) for 100% leather Coach bags, regularly priced at $418.

6PM.com is owned by Zappos, which sells quality name-brand items, so rest assured you’re not getting factory rejects.

5. Become a Rue La La member for an extra 25% off Coach.

You can get beautiful real Coach bags on Rue La La for up to 60% off. Sign up for their emails to know when the next extra 25% off members-only sale is happening. Prices are up to 45% off without the extra 25% off. You can score a Coach Dempsey Signature Canvas Camera Bag for $195 (reg. $350) — that’s 44% off. Plus, if the extra 25% off members sale were going on, you would save another $48.75!

6. Get up to 84% off the real thing from Marshalls or T.J.Maxx.

Marshalls or T.J.Maxx are great stores to find hidden gems like Coach bags. They are stocked with past-season Coach bags and wallets. Recently, I found a handbag at T.J.Maxx that retails for $250 marked down to only $40! — an 84% savings! But be aware that Coach’s one-year warranty is void if you purchase your Coach from retailers like Marshalls or T.J.Maxx.

7. Get 50% off during Coach’s Winter Sale in December.

Just in time for holiday shopping! You can save up to 50% during the Coach Winter Sale, which runs from late December through mid-January. This sale is offered in store and online. Plus, they add new items daily so you’re bound to find something!

8. Wait for the end-of-year clearance sales to get up to 50% off at Dillard’s.

I waited to get my Coach from Dillard’s, and my patience paid off. Just after Christmas, the Coach I had my eye on, originally priced at $290, went on clearance for just $203. Dillard’s was also running a promo for an additional 30% off clearance prices, which made my Coach just $142. Look for this sale every year at the end of December, and shop in stores to avoid shipping fees.

9. Get 25% off coupons when you subscribe to Coach’s email list and follow Coach on Facebook.

Get the best deals by doing what we do best — use coupons! Coach occasionally puts out 25% off coupons which are valid on any full-priced item at the Coach store. Get these coupons by joining their email list and stalking their Facebook page. To join their email list, keep your eyes peeled for a pop-up, or scroll all the way to the bottom right to sign up.

10. Use ShopSavvy to make sure you’re getting the best price.

Eyeing a specific Coach bag? Don’t spend your hard-earned dollars until you’ve shopped around. The ShopSavvy app lets you compare prices while in the store. Just scan the item’s barcode, and ShopSavvy will tell you the best place to buy it.

While I was at the Coach store, I did a quick ShopSavvy scan of the Willow Camera Bag to figure out who had the best price:

• Macy’s: $165 (WINNER!)
• Coach: $275
• Saks Fifth Avenue: $275
• Dillard’s: $206.25

11. Get 65% off as a Coach employee.

Working where there are perks is always nice. As an employee, you will score 65% off Coach and their sister brands: Kate Spade and Stuart Weitzman. Occasionally, the company will offer “employee events” where the employees get additional discounts on particular categories.