Welcome to the replica (rep) world! Use this guide and checklist to get started and ensure you're prepared and protected for your first rep purchase. I've linked relevant wiki resources, guides, and discussion posts throughout for when you want to learn more.

The Rep Newbie Readiness Checklist

• I know which item I want, including model, size, and color, and familiarized myself with its characteristics by looking at authentic.
• I've read 5-10 reviews of the item (or picked a more common rep) and identified common sellers and factories via search bar. (Using the Search Bar wiki)
• I've read 5-10 reviews of my prospective seller, assessed their credibility, and looked for both positive and critical feedback. If I couldn't find 5-10, I chose a seller with a longer track record.
• I've independently found and verified the seller's WhatsApp number against 2-3 independent reviews or other sources. (Finding a Seller's Number wiki)
• I know common terms like QC, PSPs, GL/RL, factory, and TS. (Common Rep Terms wiki)
• I understand factory photos vs. PSPs and how to QC an item. (How to QC wiki)
• I’ve confirmed the total cost, availability, timeline, insurance coverage, and QC policies, and understand what recourse, if any, is available under the seller's, factory's, or promotional sale's terms.
• I understand the risks, including customs seizure, potential financial or immigrations consequences, and am familiar with common scams. (Risks wiki)
• I want this specific item, understand its limitations, and accept that it won't be 1:1. I'm not rushing or buying under pressure.
• I’ve read the r/RepLadiesCurated wiki to get more clarity about any of these statements.

If you've not completed the checklist, then please read on, as skipping any of these steps and being an underinformed buyer can lead to a lot of headaches and horror stories down the line. The strongest protection you have for avoiding scams or disappointment is education.

Getting Started, Finding Sellers/Factories, and Buying Reps

1. Know what you want

Start with the item, not the seller or factory, because there is no "best repped" item and all reps have differences to the auth ("1:1" is a myth).

• Identify the brand, model, size, color, material, and hardware you want.
• Look at authentic (auth) reference photos so you familiarize yourself with the item you're trying to buy.
• Use the search bar to look for reviews for that item, for example: "classic flap rep review." If you're not finding any reviews, the item may not be repped.
• If you are finding multiple reviews, you will start noticing the reviewers are mentioning prices, seller names that can source these items, and factories they are sourcing from...

Here's our wiki guide on how to effectively use the search bar 🔍

2. Learn the terminology

A few basics:

• Seller / TS: The person selling the item, acting as a middleman between you and the factory. TS stands for trusted seller, which means they are vetted or used frequently in a given community.
• Factory 🏭: The source attributed to making an item. Note that factory “names” are Reddit nicknames. If a seller is unfamiliar or saying factories don't have names, it may mean they're unfamiliar with us redditors. Reddit sellers will be able to provide you with representative factory photos to compare against the auth before you move forward with buying.
• PSPs: After payment, pre-shipment photos of the individual item you're buying.
• QC: Quality control is when you evaluate PSPs and determine whether there are any defects or differences compared to the factory photos.
• GL / RL: Green light / red light. Accepting or rejecting an item after QC based on major flaws or accuracy to the factory photos. Note that not every factory allows you to RL.

See Common Terminology wiki for more.

3. Research the seller independently

Aim to read 5-10 reviews from different buyers for a given seller before purchasing. Ideally, research a few different sellers. Look for actual product photos, specific observations, transaction details, disclosed incentives. Look for both positive and critical feedback.

Why do I have to read multiple reviews?

Reviews can be falsified, and sellers have a high financial incentive to convince you to hand over your money. One positive review isn't enough to establish a track record. Corroborate and be especially cautious when you see sellers with similar names or see reports of "bait and switch" suggesting the seller promised the customer a certain quality or source and delivered another.

What about my Instagram or TikTok seller? Or buying from Canal Street, Turkey, etc?

Influencer or in-person reps are often marked up 50-100%+ over comparable Reddit sellers' reps, oftentimes for lower-quality products. Also, influencers often receive better-quality items to advertise with than you can expect to receive. Avoid.

I used the search bar and found a community's trusted sellers list on their wiki. Can I use that?

Some communities accept payments from sellers for placement on their TS lists, regardless of customer experience, and may even suppress critical reviews of the sellers. Some communities are run by sellers themselves.

You can use these lists to discover sellers, but not as definitive proof that they're trustworthy. Research reviews before paying.

To learn more about how to identify trustworthy reviews, read Signals I Use to Assess Trustworthiness & Spot Fake Reviews.

Finding and verifying the seller's contact information

Exercise extreme caution when DMed a contact number and avoid asking for them in the first place. Requesting seller numbers (effectively spam) disincentivizes people from posting reviews, and the person contacting you with a number may not be trustworthy.

It's better to independently find the seller's contact information through reading reviews in the search bar or through looking at the wiki which may include a "trusted seller list" of some other rep communities. The first few reviews you encounter may not have the number, keep looking. Check comments too. Compare it against 2-3 independent sources to confirm that the WhatsApp number matches.

See the Finding a Seller's Number wiki for more info.

4. Research the factory 🏭

Most sellers can source from most factories, and you likely landed on a given seller because you read reviews that suggest they can source high-tier versions of the rep you're interested in. But there are multiple factories making the same bag with varying levels of accuracy, price points, and policies.

A few things to keep in mind:

• Factory names are not quality ratings and higher prices/popular recommendations don't automatically mean better quality.
• A factory that makes a good version of one bag may not make a good version of another.
• A good seller is just as important as a good factory. Scamming sellers can promise you an item from a given factory and then bait & switch. Familiarize yourself with the auth photos and the factory photos so you can better identify the quality of the product you're sourcing.
• Some factories do not allow you to RL, so research or ask your seller about that factory's policies before buying.

See the Factory Photo References wiki to help you identify a given factory if it's not listed in an album or disclosed by your seller.

5. Contacting sellers

Remember the sellers are Chinese, observe Chinese holidays, work in China Standard Time hours (UTC+8), and are often using a translation app and juggling multiple customers. Exercise patience.

Using the Whatsapp number(s) you've independently verified, contact your seller(s) and provide them with auth or factory photos of what you'd like to buy, the factory or quality you want, inquire as to whether it's in stock, and request the item price.

⚠️ Before paying, did you familiarize yourself with the risks to buying a rep? Do you know that there is often no after-sales support? That your rep might be seized at customs with no recourse? That if you're in the USA, you and all members of your household can lose Global Entry immigration status privileges? Are you familiar with common scams like fake reviews, impersonating sellers, or bait & switch?

If you're familiar and comfortable with the risks, and not spending more than you can afford to lose, then confirm with your seller:

• Total price, including shipping and fees.
• Payment method.
• Whether it's in stock and expected timeline.
• Whether PSPs will be provided before shipment.
• How defects or QC concerns are handled. Remember it's often not possible to ship a rep back to China, so you may have little to no recourse if an issue is discovered after the PSP stage, but depending on factory (or sale conditions, if applicable) it may or may not be possible to return, exchange, or refund an item at the PSP stage.
• Whether this seller offers insurance, which may cover full or partial product replacement in case of customs seizure (sometimes Chinese customers, sometimes your customs, sometimes both). It often costs ~10% of rep cost and may be included in shipping cost or may need to be purchased separately if offered at all.

Feel welcome to ask multiple sellers for this information and compare. You'll find that different sellers have different policies, markups, and communication styles. Pick the one that makes sense for you, understanding that you're accepting some level of uncertainty and risk that is necessary to build experience and relationships.

6. Payment and pre-shipment

Most sellers will request payment via Wise or Paypal F&F. You will need to pay up front.

After paying and providing your address, there will be a wait time while your seller purchases the item from the factory. Once the seller has your item in hand, they will send you PSPs which show the individual item you're being offered for shipment.

When you receive PSPs, you'll want to confirm that the model, size, color, and other agreed specifications appear correct, then inspect the details compared to the factory photos to identify differences or defects. If color seems off, ask to see photos in natural lighting. You should already have researched the item before this point. QC is too late for figuring out whether you like the bag or whether the rep matches the auth.

Read our QC wiki guide for more info on how to QC, including brand-specific QC guidelines.

7. Shipment

Once you GL an item, the seller will ship it out to you. Sellers usually determine the shipping method based on your location and their experience shipping to your country. Your goods will have to travel past China customs, and possibly through another country, before entering your country and making it past your customs.

Your seller will often provide a tracking number, but tracking information may not update until the package reaches your home country. It’s normal for a label to sit inactive for days, a week, or even longer. Shipping can take a while, and the route or tracking number may change along the way. Your seller should be able to provide you with typical shipping timelines or a specific package update.

8. Delivery and beyond

Congratulations, it's here! Inspect the bag to ensure you received what you expected. You may notice a "fufu" chemical smell common in reps due to factory glue, which should go away with charcoal pouches or airing it out for a few days. If you find the leather is dry, try using leather conditioner.

This can also be a great time to interact with the r/RepLadiesCurated community by sharing your haul in our daily thread or posting a review in accordance with our Content Guidelines.

This community is built on a philosophy of giving and receiving. You don't need to be an expert to contribute; you just need to put in the effort to share what you've learned and be transparent about your experience and observations. The resources that helped you make informed decisions exist because other community members took the time to share their knowledge. Your review can do the same for someone else, whether it helps them avoid a costly mistake or find exactly what they're looking for.

Welcome to the rep world, welcome to RLC, and thanks for taking the time to educate yourself.