How much can I sell my Louis Vuitton bag for? What decides the offer

There's no set price for a pre-owned Louis Vuitton bag, so you won't find a price list here. What we offer depends on your bag itself: whether it's genuine, what condition it's in, what came with it, and how much buyers want that model right now. You can't change the model you own. You can show us everything else clearly, and that's the part this post helps with.

Bags with the same name can get very different offers. A Speedy that's been carried every day, with darkened handles and rubbed corners, isn't the same bag as a Speedy that lived in its dust bag. That's why, when you sell your Louis Vuitton bag to us, we ask for details: the more you give us, the more accurately we can assess its value.

Our page for sellers sets out what we look for: authenticity, condition, completeness and desirability. The sellers' FAQ on the same page adds brand, market demand and age. Here's what each of those means for your bag, and what you can check before you send anything.

Authenticity comes before any offer

Every bag is verified as genuine before an offer is finalised.

What helps here is a clear, honest submission. Photograph the bag in daylight, inside and out, and include any stamps, tags or labels you can see. If you're unsure of the bag's history, because it was a gift, an inheritance or a second-hand buy, say so in your notes.

You don't need a receipt to get this far. Our FAQ says items without documentation can still be sold if they pass authentication.

Condition: the grades we buy at, and what to look at yourself

We buy bags in Like New, Pristine or Excellent condition, priced accordingly. So condition moves the offer, and it's the part you can judge for yourself before you submit.

Go over the bag in good light. Louis Vuitton's own care advice names the corners, folds and bottom as the areas of greatest wear on printed canvas, so start there. Then check:

• the corners, folds and base, for rubbing or scuffs
• the handles and strap, for darkening, marks or cracks
• the edges and piping
• the lining, for stains, ink or make-up marks
• the zips, clasps and other hardware, for scratches and whether they still work smoothly
• on light canvas such as Damier Azur, any colour picked up from strongly dyed materials (the house says light canvas is the most prone to it)

If your bag has natural cowhide leather, it may well have darkened. Louis Vuitton describes this leather as delicate and easily scratched, and says it develops a rich amber patina in time. That's the leather ageing the way the house expects it to.

Don't try to fix it before you sell. The same care page says to avoid home remedies to darken the leather, such as mink oil, saddle soap and leather lotions, and not to clean a stain on natural leather before the patina has developed. On coated canvas such as Monogram and Damier, the house suggests a damp cloth with slightly soapy water, and says mink oil, leather lotions and other home remedies shouldn't go on canvas at all.

Whatever you find, mention it in your notes. We'd see it at the valuation anyway, and a plain description helps us judge the bag properly before you come in.

A box, dust bag and receipt help, but you can sell without them

Completeness is the third test. Our selling page says boxes, dust bags and paperwork add value but are never required to sell, and the FAQ says the same of receipts.

Before you submit, look in the cupboard for:

• the box
• the dust bag
• the original receipt
• anything that came with the bag and comes off it, such as a strap, a pouch, a lock and its keys, or a name tag

A receipt shows where and when the bag was bought, and our FAQ lists age among the things we weigh. If you only have some of these, send what you have.

Keep the box, but don't store the bag in it. Louis Vuitton recommends keeping a bag you aren't using in the felt it came with, in a ventilated place, and says boxes and heat have a drying effect on the materials.

Desirability: why the model matters, and how to name yours

This is the test you can't change. Our selling page says sought-after models and classic houses attract our strongest offers, and the FAQ lists market demand among the things we weigh.

What you can do is tell us exactly what you have:

• the model name, such as Speedy, Alma or Capucines
• the size, if the model comes in different sizes
• the canvas or leather, such as Monogram, Damier Ebene, Damier Azur, Epi or Vernis
• the colour

If you don't know the model name, check the receipt, or compare your bag with the pre-owned Louis Vuitton bags in our collection, where you'll see how we name each bag.

What to send with your submission

Our sell submission form asks for your contact details, the item category, photos and notes. The page asks for clear photos and a short description with details such as brand, condition and model. Here's what to include:

• photos in daylight of the front, the back, the base and corners, the handles or strap, and the inside (the form takes a limited number, so pick the angles that show the bag best)
• the model name, size, canvas or leather, and colour
• any wear, marks, stains, repairs or colour transfer, described plainly
• what you still have: box, dust bag, receipt and any parts that came with the bag
• anything you know about its history, such as where and when it was bought

What happens after you send it

We review every submission against our quality and authentication standards. If the bag is a fit, we invite you to our Sandton showroom for a private valuation at a time that suits you. There we make a firm offer in person, and it's your decision whether to accept. If you do, payment is arranged by secure bank transfer or cash, and the valuation and payment are handled discreetly. You can also sell in person at our showroom (contact us to arrange a visit), and we buy bags from sellers across South Africa.

When your photos and notes are ready, send us your Louis Vuitton bag's details for an offer. If you'd like to ask something first, contact us and we'll help.