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MrsTroppo is my eBay ID (no, Troppo is not my last name, and Grace isn't my first name).  I'm not a lawyer or a Louis Vuitton employee.  I am simply a Vuitton lover who seriously grieves over eBayers who get ripped off after spending $300 for fake or beat-up items.  Just like Craig (one of my recommended sellers), I've given up on reporting counterfeit auctions to eBay since they DO NOT PROTECT BUYERS ALL THE TIME.  I may be wasting my time by writing Vuitton info here, but this is my little gift to Vuitton beginners.

My first Louis Vuitton was about 30 years ago, as a child.  I never ever thought about buying a used Vuitton until I got introduced to eBay back in 1998.  I never ever thought about the risk of fakes.  Back in my early eBay days, Craig educated me a great deal, with a lot of patience to tell me whether the item was an actual Vuitton model.

For the past few years, my compulsive personality has driven me to study Vuitton, including fakes, and I have made tons of collector friends in Japan.  Yes, I was born and raised in Japan, where over 2/3 of Louis Vuitton's products are estimated to end up (no joke!).  There is a huge used Louis Vuitton market in Japan, but unfortunately even used Vuitton's prices are VERY high there because their retail prices are higher than here to begin with.  I became a close friend of a used Vuitton dealer there who trained me to authenticate and price used Louis Vuitton.  We have literally taken apart fake pieces to study from the stitches to the smell of leather and glue.  Normally there is no need to take apart a fake piece to tell its authenticity, but even after going through MANY MANY authentic and counterfeit items, I must admit there are certain vintage pieces (especially the U.S. domestic line) that I'm not familiar with, needing to submit them to my local Vuitton Shop in CA to be 100% sure of authenticity.

Certain information I have is Louis Vuitton's inside secret through my connection with personnel who actually went inside the factory in France.  Normally how they craft purses is unknown.  Of course I do not know their craftsmanship inside out, and I continue to gather info as my mood strikes. 

Many eBay sellers just grab your money and run.  I'm basically a very nice & patient person, and I do not emotionally react very easily but rather try to rectify the problem in a civil & professional fashion.  I do not fault sellers for over-looking blemishes or making honest mistakes, however, I go all the way to nail those who knowingly sell fakes or put the responsibility on buyers when the fault is 100% on the seller's neglect.  That motivated me to create this Vuitton web site.

I do answer questions and give honest opinions as long as my time permits.  I do not buy & sell Vuitton to make a living, and I have my own profession.  Please understand that my time is 100% volunteered in an effort to provide you a "little Vuitton info".   I don't charge a penny to help you out.  So don't get upset with me if I don't answer questions to your satisfaction.  I'm also tired of sellers who get detailed info from me and have the nerve to just paste my email into their auction description without crediting me (I won't name names).  Don't hesitate to write, but if you're lacking common sense and courtesy, don't bother me please  please............ 

I'm a collector of typical "monogram", so I have very little knowledge on Epi, Damier, Vernis, and everything else except for particular models I've own or sold.