With today's economy still struggling, many consumers have been selling old, unused products that they consider a "luxury". In the past, the list of items for sale has included gold jewelry, silver flatware, diamond rings, and high-brand watches. But lately a new product has been added to the things that people are selling for quick cash: designer handbags. Many women have built a collection of bags and purses from design houses such as Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Hermes, and Prada that are now simply gathering dust in their closets. Just as with old gold jewelry they don't wear anymore, these shoppers are looking for places to sell their pre-owned handbags.

One common online venue for selling used designer handbags is eBay. But in recent years this has become more difficult because of the amount of people on eBay selling fake designer merchandise. eBay now reserves the right to demand that you show a receipt for selling an "authentic" designer handbag, and shoppers have become more wary of buying luxury handbags on eBay, even if there is a receipt (since such receipts can be forged). Some online sellers have chosen to use Craigslist instead of eBay, but the same kinds of issues exist involving the risk of counterfeit merchandise, perhaps even more so, since Craigslist does not conduct oversight on its sellers the way eBay does.

If you do decide to sell your used designer handbag on eBay be sure to include several good quality photos of the bag (inside and outside), along with a thorough and well written description, and a scan of the receipt (if you still have it). When shipping the handbag, pay the small extra fee for USPS's "delivery confirmation" service, so you don't end up in a situation where a buyer says they never received their handbag.

Another option for selling a used handbag is to go to a "bricks and mortar" buyer of pre-owned handbags. Some well-known gold and jewelry buyers such as San Diego Jewelry Buyers (SDJB) are now buying luxury handbags from select high-brand designers. So, you may want to check with a well-establish fine jewelry buyer in your area to see if they are purchasing luxury handbags too. Even if they haven't purchased handbags previously, they might decide that it’s a good idea to start buying luxury handbags in addition to gold jewelry and diamonds.

The thing to keep in mind when selling your used handbag to a second-hand buyer is that you won't be receiving a price that's equivalent to the retail price. The buying offer will be related to the value of your designer handbag on the resale market, and that price varies, depending on consumer demand for the brand and the condition of your handbag.

There are, of course, always pawnshops too. But you will likely get the least amount of cash for a used designer handbag from a pawnshop, since they aren't in the usual business of buying such items and don't have an established network of channels through which they can re-sell your handbag. A pawnshop would be best only if you need a small amount of quick cash for a collateral loan and you plan to buy back the handbag in a few weeks or couple months.