I have a question about the TJ Maxx stores.Last week I was browsing the accessories at TJ Maxx when a patchwork wristlet with a red clearance tag caught my eye.I picked it up and couldn't believe what I saw.It was actually fake!I asked the sales lady on the floor about it,and she told me that she has no clue about it,they just stock the items,so I would have to talk to the manager.That's when things got ugly-I told the manager that the item was not authentic,she asked me if I worked for Coach(which I obviously don't),then asked me how I could tell(I told her everything I noticed-the trim was cheap plastic,the zipper was cheap,the lining was that thin yellow fabric that was stiff and actually crinkled to the touch,loose and crooked stitching,etc,etc)and she became very insulted and asked me,"So you are saying that we sell bogus Coach?"I told her no,I have actually bought Coach items from TJ Maxx before,but this particular item is definitely not authentic.I even suggested that maybe someone bought a real one and returned a fake one,but no,she said that was an original tag.She went on huffily about their buyers and they buy authentic items,blah blah.I knew it was a losing battle at this point but I said,"I am not trying to be a vigilante here,but it would be a shame if someone actually bought this for $80(that was the clearance price-they had the retail price at $258-which I also pointed out to her that that item was never even close to that price,even at retail)thinking they got a great deal".She obviously had no intention on even giving me the benefit of the doubt,and told me snootily "Thanks,I will pass it on".She was so rude and insulted you would think I called her own personal bag a fake!
Needless to say I just had to go back because I knew exactly where it was going to be "passed on" to.Sure enough it was right back on the shelf again!
Has anyone actually seen any fake items at TJ Maxx before?And if you have did you bring it to their attention?If so what was their reaction?
I know that I am not an expert,but this item was REALLY obvious.It just doesn't seem right to have her give me an attitude and put it back on the shelf without even checking to see if I was right.I only hope that whoever looks at it will hold it in their hand for a few minutes before buying it and realize how cheaply made it was and put it right back.
Sorry for the long post,but that was actually a shortened version.I am still flabergasted!

I'm not really a coach person however I have seen fake dooney & bourke at TJ MAXX before. I was fortunate enough to talk to a great sales person who took the item off the shelf and cut the tags off and marked the "leather" trim with an X so that it couldn't be sold. I would email TJ MAXX and tell them what happened to you. I'm hoping that if they get enough emails about them selling fake items they might do something about it (i.e employee education) Another thing to take note of... I'm not sure if coach does this or not..... dooney & bourke has "exclusive" items and most of the time the only way to find them is at DB factory outlets and TJ MAXX and Marshalls. I hope this helps.

Let me tell what I believe happens at TJMAXX. First, the sales associates are not educated about the products they are selling. A buyer goes into TJMAXX and sees a real Coach or Dooney item. They realize what they have at home is counterfeit. They buy the item and return to TJMAXX to get a refund by handing over the counterfeit item. I have seen fake Dooney at my local TJMAXX and highly suspect this is how it happens since I don't believe TJMAXX knowingly sells fake merchandise. There personnel have no clue what to look for when an item is returned. It's a bait 'n switch type thing.

I heard that even at the LV boutique, only the manager can authenticate a purse. So I am guessing the SAs are not educated on how to authenticate. If that happens at an upscale designer boutique, it could happen at the discount stores as well. My 2 cents.

Don't think I'm going to buy a designer purse at TJMaxx any more since I know squat about D&B and Coach.

I don't think I will buy any of the highly counterfeited brands anymore either,since now that incident always comes to mind when I shop there.The Coach factory store is usually cheaper anyway,but so far away from me.
I was just really surprised at the attitude she gave me.It was a manager I spoke to,and I was very polite to her,not rude at all,but if these things happen over and over they will end up under scruiny from Coach I would imagine.

I saw a fake Coach at TJMax before. I took enough photos with my cell phone to establish it was indeed fake. I had the same experience with the sales manager. I emailed the photos to TJMax head office with a letter and copied Coach. I suggested that perhaps someone had bought a real one and returned a fake and that tags can also be fake. I don't know what happened to it, but I never even got a letter from anyone, so I decided no one really cared but me and the person who paid too much for a cheap fake.

My son in loss prevention at Belks said this type of thing happens all the time with clothes, designer bags, etc. Someone steals the real thing and returns it for cash, or takes the tags off and puts them on counterfeits and does a bait and switch.

Sad.