Like new, excellent, good: how to read a bag's condition
Every second-hand platform uses its own scale, and the words are similar enough to be confusing. This is ours, including what really goes into each category.
The three classes
Like New
The item has not been used, or has been taken out of the house once. Intact corners, clean interior, hardware without visible scratches, no deformation. Often comes complete with box and tags, sometimes with the original receipt.
It happens more often than you think: unwanted gifts, impulse buys, style changes.
Excellent Condition
The bag has been used, but sparingly and carefully. This category includes minimal signs: light scratches on the hardware, slight polishing in friction areas, the interior with some traces but no stains. The corners hold up, the shape is maintained, the zippers run smoothly.
It is the most numerous class in our assortment, and it is also where the price-to-performance ratio is best.
Good Condition
Wear is visible and we specify it. Corners with signs, handles darkened by use, obvious patina on the vachetta leather, interior with stains, dull hardware. The bag is intact and usable, but does not pretend to be new.
The price reflects all of this. Those looking for a specific model without paying like new will find the most concrete deals here.
Why the class alone is not enough
Two "excellent condition" bags can have flaws in very different places, and a mark that doesn't bother one person can be decisive for another. For this reason, next to the class there is always the extended text of the conditions: it indicates where the marks are and how they appear.
The class helps to filter, the description helps to decide. If you only read the former, you are using half of the information.
What we do not consider a defect
On a used item there are characteristics that belong to the material and time, not to damage:
- the patina of the vachetta leather, the untreated natural leather that darkens with use and exposure to light;
- the small settling creases on soft leather, which also appear on a new bag after a few weeks;
- the storage smell on items that have been closed for a long time, which dissipates with airing.
However, when an element affects use, for example a stiff zipper or a shoulder strap with crease marks, it is included in the conditions.
Where to find this data
On each product page, in the Technical Sheet accordion: brand, type, condition, extended conditions, year and decade when determinable, measurements in centimeters, included accessories, and notes. It's the same grid for all items, so you can compare them without re-reading different text each time.
If, after reading, you still have a question about a specific item, write to us on WhatsApp at 331 203 9599: the bag is in the store in Arcore and we can look at it together.
