Poshmark launches counterfeit check for luxury goods

Poshmark, the women's online fashion service company, has launched the 'Posh Concierge' service that allows women to check that their purchases of luxury items are the real deal.

Poshmark allows people to buy and sell goods online such as clothing and bags, with about 20 per cent of what is sold on the fashion app is new clothing. But the rest is used and generally high-end - ranging from J. Crew dresses to Hermès purses and bags from Louis Vuitton and Gucci.

For those who want to make sure the designer label is real, the new Posh Concierge service stops an item more than $500 from being immediately shipped from the seller to the buyer.

Instead, the seller receives a pre-paid, pre-addressed shipping label to send the item to Poshmark. Then Poshmark, through its in-house staff or experts around the country, checks the validity of the item within 48 hours, and then sends it on to the buyer if it satisfied the item is genuine.

Poshmark allows shoppers to negotiate their own prices much like the online auction site eBay, but there is a risk that some may try to sell on fake goods to make a profit, or are unaware that they are selling a counterfeit.

On average, about .05 per cent of items sold on Poshmark are disputed for their authenticity, according to the firm.

The free service, which Poshmark is touting as a 'luxury authentication service' for high-end handbags, accessories and other designer items, aims to get this percentage down to zero. 

Dani Greene, a Poshmark seller of luxury items and owner of Curated Luxe, says: "I am thrilled that Poshmark is launching Posh Concierge. Selling my designer items on a marketplace like Poshmark is important to me because I can control my prices, creatively merchandise, and interact directly with my customers."

"When it comes to buying and selling luxury merchandise, credibility is critical," explains Manish Chandra, founder and chief executive of Poshmark.

"Poshmark now matches the assurance that has existed in traditional consignment shops but at half the price. By empowering our community of 500,000 sellers to set their own prices and run their own designer boutiques from all across America, Poshmark continues to change how fashion is bought and sold."