Brand Alley is a designer discount website that basically offers designer goods at outlet prices. They operate on a flash sale basis and have limited stock, so if something catches your eye you have to act quickly. They do men's and women's fashion, as well as homeware and accessories.
I had read negative reviews about Brand Alley before and I found stories from a few years ago that claimed Brand Alley were selling fake Prada bags (see one of the stories here). From my research it appears that Brand Alley's supplier in that instance had supplied them with counterfeit bags, but they took it very seriously and appear to make every effort to ensure authenticity in its products. However, as with every retailer that is not directly the designer, it is a case of buyer beware.
I had been scoping Brand Alley out for a while and saw that they had the Lanvin Jiji bag on sale for about £700. Considering that this bag is usually well above £1,000 it was a great deal. On impulse I picked it up and eagerly awaited my package. This was in August 2016.
I had heard complaints that Brand Alley take an age to deliver, but my package came within 3 days, which was a pleasant surprise.
I carefully examined the bag from all angles. I had also made a point of checking out the Jiji in person at a Lanvin concession, so I knew what I was looking for. The bag seemed fine to me and arrived in good condition, but to make sure I took pictures and sent them to Authenticate First for authentication. I would be glad to write a review of their services but suffice it to say I was very happy with Authenticate First.
They confirmed that the Jiji was real and supplied me with a certificate of authenticity. However, after some soul searching and further reviewing the bag, I decided it wasn't for me. I had been excited by the great discount, but in truth I didn't feel that the bag was worth even the discounted price. For £700 you can get some really special pieces from other brands, and the Jiji just wasn't exciting me enough to justify the price.
I had not cut the tags off and had retained all of the original packaging. I sent it back to Brand Alley within 14 days and received a full refund within 3 weeks (it was right at the tail end of 3 weeks).
I had been worried I would not get a refund, and emailed Brand Alley for confirmation. They were very helpful and told me that bag refunds usually take longer to process because they have received fake bags in the past after sending the customer the real thing, so bags are now checked more stringently before refunds are offered.
Overall I had a positive experience with Brand Alley. The bag arrived in a timely fashion and in good condition. The customer service was speedy and helpful, and they issued my refund within the time they allowed. I would definitely use Brand Alley again, although perhaps in future only for bags that are already on my wishlist, instead of being swayed by the discounts.
I have made a handy little info graphic of my tips for buying from discount websites.
And of course, check the returns policy of any website before buying an item! I hope this was helpful to anyone considering Brand Alley :)
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