An Eye-Popping Price!
During a recent casual search on
Poshmark, I came across a listing for a rather plain used Louis Vuitton handbag -- just a rectangular shoulder bag with a front zip pocket. The style in the listing is called Louis Vuitton Pochette Cite Shoulder Bag. Given it is just a simple item, nothing looked to be rare or particularly adorned, I was surprised to see it priced at over $22,000, really closer to $23,000, which, with tax, would be near $25,000. The listing's photos showed scratched hardware and some stains. Yes, a secondhand bag with visible wear was being offered for nearly $25,000.
An Immediate Reaction
Two thoughts immediately occurred to me. (1) Was there something special about this bag that I could not see in the listing? Were similar bags listed for such high prices on Poshmark and other resale platforms? (2) Does Poshmark review outlier listings, especially those exceeding a certain price point? I decided to explore each of these points.
Review of Listings for Same Handbag
Keeping in mind my search for the Louis Vuitton Pochette Cite Shoulder Bag might not always be an apples-to-apples comparison, because the year the bag was manufactured might be different, or perhaps there is a slight change to the style, I looked for other listings with the same name of this bag on Poshmark.
When listing on Poshmark, there is not a condition of the bag category that sellers need to include, such as Pristine, Very Good, Good, Fair, etc. (Category conditions are found on many other reseller platforms such as myGEMMA andThe RealReal). The only category regarding condition on Poshmark is New With Tags (NWT). If this box is not ticked at the time of listing, the item is considered to be classified as secondhand. Sellers on Poshmark can show the condition through clear photos and also could explain in their own words the condition through the product description, such as stating, for example:"worn edges" "stained lining."
Same Bags Listed on Poshmark for Much Lower Prices
I spent about a half hour searching for the same bag on Poshmark. To be clear, my Poshmark search might not have revealed all the listings of this bag due to other sellers not including the name of the bag, listing a different name, and also for other reasons that resulted in more of the Louis Vuitton Pochette Cite Shoulder Bag not appearing in my search results.
The same seller of the $25,000 bag (with tax!) had about 30 other listings for this bag, ranging mostly from $2,000 to $3,000. There were about 30 listings for this bag posted by other resellers and they were priced from around $900 to $2,000. The questionable listing, priced at nearly $25,000 with tax, remained a stark outlier.
Reached Out to Poshmark Support
Seeing such a wide range of prices, I contacted Poshmark support, questioning how it could permit such a hefty price tag. In my email, I included: "Yes, I understand prices are set by the buyer, but this seller seems to be potentially engaging in price gouging." I expected Poshmark to review the listing given the unusually high price. That was not to be. Poshmark responded promptly, but their reply was not only unhelpful but also alarming.
From Poshmark Support
The email reply from Poshmark seemed like a generic response, without a thorough review of the pricing. It stated:
"Thank you for reaching out to us. We understand your concerns and frustrations regarding this matter. Please see that the listing price that a seller chooses for an item is ultimately up to their discretion. Oftentimes, we find that the item is listed at a high price to cover the shipping cost they had paid and the commission that Poshmark keeps, so they are generally not trying to make a profit. We hope this clears up your concerns." (Note: I changed some of the font above to bold to be sure you don't miss that part of the response!).
Their response was shocking, particularly their mention of shipping costs. I quickly responded to that email, stating, among other points: "Unless this package is being hand delivered in an armored guard Rolls Royce, or private jet, postage should not exceed $8.00." I am still awaiting Poshmark's response to my follow-up emails regarding this exorbitantly priced used item.
The Same Louis Vuitton Bag on Other Resale Platforms
In my search for prices for the Louis Vuitton Pochette Cite Shoulder Bags, I came across a number of listings at other resellers. These prices are shown in the tables below. Because condition criteria vary across resellers, a precise comparison is difficult. The tables highlight these differences for buyers to consider when purchasing a used luxury handbag.
Two Comparison Tables
Louis Vuitton Pochette Cite Shoulder Bag on Other Resale Platforms - In Alphabetical Order
Louis Vuitton Pochette Cite Shoulder Bag on Other Resale Platforms - Priced High to Low
Conclusion
While the listings above may not feature the exact same bag, the bags appear identical and have similar names. I therefore made the comparison. Based on my review, the price range for this used bag is alarming - - from about $500 to $25,000, with the highest at Poshmark.
I am troubled that Poshmark dismissed my concerns about the bag's exorbitant price, given this wide range. This should serve as a warning to those shopping on resale platforms. Do your homework, ask questions, and be wary of unusually high prices.
Full Disclosure: The content in my blog is based on my personal opinions and experiences. It is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. My research for this post was conducted from February 21, 2025 through February 24, 2025, so it possible the companies mentioned in this post have updated their platform content. The handbag with the question marks is a Gemini Pro AI Generated Image. All opinions are my own, and I have not received any compensation for writing this post.
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